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LIGO Enhances Gravitational Wave Detection with Squeezed Light Technology: A Breakthrough in Sensitivity

Introduction to Squeezed Light Technology

A research team at LIGO in the U.S. has designed a squeezed light system aimed at boosting the sensitivity of gravitational wave detection.

Key Findings Published in Science

Published in the journal Science, the group's paper describes how their changes to the observatory reduced flicking, allowing them to detect more gravitational waves.

Insights from Yoichi Aso

In a Perspective published in the same journal, Yoichi Aso of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan explains LIGO's functionality and how the team has enhanced its detection sensitivity.

Historical Context of LIGO's Achievements

In 2017, Caltech's team received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their pivotal role in developing LIGO, which enabled the groundbreaking detection of gravitational waves in 2015. These space-time distortions validated theories first introduced by Albert Einstein. Since then, the LIGO team has consistently detected gravitational waves while striving to enhance detection precision.

How LIGO Operates

LIGO operates by dividing a laser beam and directing the resulting beams through two long, perpendicular tunnels before reflecting them back with mirrors.

Any discrepancies in the beams signal the presence of gravitational waves, which stretch space-time within the tunnel arms.

Continuous Efforts to Enhance Sensitivity

Since its inception, LIGO scientists have recognized the challenge of distinguishing gravitational waves from quantum field fluctuations, prompting continuous efforts to enhance the observatory's sensitivity.

Recent Technological Advancements

In this latest advancement, the team integrated a custom-designed crystal into the detector, along with new mirrors and lenses. This allowed them to "Squeeze" the light in the beams into a quantum state, effectively reducing flickering.

Testing and Results of Recent Enhancements

The first round of testing showed that the improvements were increasing sensitivity to high-frequency gravitational waves only, prompting further modifications to capture lower-frequency waves as well.

Impact of Enhancements on Gravitational Wave Detection

The combined enhancements had what the team called a "Stunning Effect," doubling the number of detected gravitational waves. This, they observed, enables them to explore more expansive regions of the universe and potentially unlock new scientific discoveries, including the study of black holes that merged close to the era when the first stars formed.

Source

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