Squeezed LASER To Measure Gravitational Waves
@farjand-6UEF79
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Oct 22, 2024
Oct 22, 2024
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Every physical motion of a moving body is associated with some 'waves'. The waves are referred to as Gravitational waves. The presence of these gravitational waves that Einstein proved remains to be an unsolved mystery till date. Researchers from all over the world have tried to quantify these waves with interferometers but they don't have a significant accuracy. Scientists from Max Planck Society and the Leibniz University have however succeed in raising the accuracy of their gravitational wave detector GEO600 to 150% and it is considered to be a step ahead in measuring the gravitational waves. The results of this experiment are now available in the online edition of journal #-Link-Snipped-#.
One of the major limitations faced by researchers was Space-Matter interactions which occur in our vicinity are very minute; in other words, beyond measurement. They include the gravitational waves in our solar system, moos, planet and other heavenly bodies. The only measurable waves are the ones from explosions in Supernovas; they shake the space time relation so violently that we can get to know more about these unknown waves. However the ones reaching us are highly attenuated and they test our equipment up to the brim of failure. If the interaction occurs within our Milky-way Galaxy, scientists can measure them with GEO600.
#-Link-Snipped-#
Image Credit: Max-Plank-Gesellschaft
In their experiment the researchers involved in this project have tried to employ methods from quantum Physics to eliminate the shot noise. This technique developed by Max Planck Society and the Leibniz University Hannover is called the Squeezed Light method. The scientists have developed a new light source which when combined with GEO600 can curb these distractions and shot noise.
Shot noise is nothing but an 'uncertainty' in the LASER intensity. As per the Heisenberg uncertainty principle which states that the intensity and color of LASER beam cannot simultaneously be defined by arbitrary accuracy, more accurate the intensity of LASER light is, more unpredictable the color of LASER light becomes. While color plays no significant part in measurements, the researchers have hence tried to experiment with the color so as to achieve a most precise accuracy. They have tried to keep almost negligible fluctuations.  This is called the squeezed light phenomenon.
The modified LASER is under a testing since last April. If the experiment is successful, scientists can then achieve a breakthrough in knowing more about Gravitational waves. This experiment at QUEST (Center for Quantum Engineering and Space-Time Research) Cluster of Excellence is part of the international LIGO Virgo Collaboration (LVCon).
One of the major limitations faced by researchers was Space-Matter interactions which occur in our vicinity are very minute; in other words, beyond measurement. They include the gravitational waves in our solar system, moos, planet and other heavenly bodies. The only measurable waves are the ones from explosions in Supernovas; they shake the space time relation so violently that we can get to know more about these unknown waves. However the ones reaching us are highly attenuated and they test our equipment up to the brim of failure. If the interaction occurs within our Milky-way Galaxy, scientists can measure them with GEO600.
#-Link-Snipped-#
Image Credit: Max-Plank-Gesellschaft
In their experiment the researchers involved in this project have tried to employ methods from quantum Physics to eliminate the shot noise. This technique developed by Max Planck Society and the Leibniz University Hannover is called the Squeezed Light method. The scientists have developed a new light source which when combined with GEO600 can curb these distractions and shot noise.
Shot noise is nothing but an 'uncertainty' in the LASER intensity. As per the Heisenberg uncertainty principle which states that the intensity and color of LASER beam cannot simultaneously be defined by arbitrary accuracy, more accurate the intensity of LASER light is, more unpredictable the color of LASER light becomes. While color plays no significant part in measurements, the researchers have hence tried to experiment with the color so as to achieve a most precise accuracy. They have tried to keep almost negligible fluctuations.  This is called the squeezed light phenomenon.
The modified LASER is under a testing since last April. If the experiment is successful, scientists can then achieve a breakthrough in knowing more about Gravitational waves. This experiment at QUEST (Center for Quantum Engineering and Space-Time Research) Cluster of Excellence is part of the international LIGO Virgo Collaboration (LVCon).