Signal extraction in a power-recycled michelson interferometer with fabry-perot arm cavities by use of a multiple-carrier frontal modulation scheme

Daniel Sigg, LIGO, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Nergis Mavalvala, LIGO, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Joseph Giaime, LIGO, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Peter Fritschel, LIGO, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
David Shoemaker, LIGO, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Abstract

We present a signal extraction scheme for longitudinal sensing and control of an interferometric gravitational-wave detector based on a multiple-frequency heterodyne detection technique. Gravitational-wave detectors use multiple-mirror resonant optical systems where resonance conditions must be satisfied for multiple degrees of freedom that are optically coupled. The multiple-carrier longitudinal-sensing technique provides sensitive signals for all interferometric lengths to be controlled and successfully decouples them. The feasibility of the technique is demonstrated on a tabletop-scale power-recycled Michelson interferometer with Fabry—Perot arm cavities, and the experimentally measured values of the length-sensing signals are in good agreement with theoretical calculations. © 1998 Optical Society of America.