Performance study of a high-power single-frequency fiber amplifier architecture for gravitational wave detectors

authored by: Felix Wellmann, Michael Steinke, Peter Wessels, Nina Bode, Fabian Meylahn, Benno Willke, Ludger Overmeyer, Jorg Neumann, Dietmar Kracht
Abstract: The next generation of interferometric gravitational wave detectors will use low-noise single-frequency laser sources at 1064 nm. Fiber amplifiers are a promising design option because of high efficiency, compact design, and superior optical beam properties compared to the current generation of laser sources for gravitational wave detectors. We developed a reliable 200 W single-frequency fiber amplifier architecture to meet the application requirements regarding relative power noise, relative pointing noise, frequency noise, linear polarization, and beam quality. We characterized several of these amplifiers and discuss performance variations resulting from manufacturing tolerances and variations in amplifier architecture. This study serves as a baseline for further power scaling via e.g., coherent beam combining experiments.
Organisation(s): QuantumFrontiers
Institute of Gravitation Physics
Institute of Transport and Automation Technology
External Organisation(s): Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH)
Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute)
Type: Article
Journal: Applied optics
Volume: 59
Pages: 7945-7950
No. of pages: 6
ISSN: 1559-128X
Publication date: 10.09.2020
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Engineering (miscellaneous), Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.401048 (Access: Closed)

BibTeX

@article{10850a98197d4ffabe672fe40d8fa7c1,
title = "Performance study of a high-power single-frequency fiber amplifier architecture for gravitational wave detectors",
abstract = "The next generation of interferometric gravitational wave detectors will use low-noise single-frequency laser sources at 1064 nm. Fiber amplifiers are a promising design option because of high efficiency, compact design, and superior optical beam properties compared to the current generation of laser sources for gravitational wave detectors. We developed a reliable 200 W single-frequency fiber amplifier architecture to meet the application requirements regarding relative power noise, relative pointing noise, frequency noise, linear polarization, and beam quality. We characterized several of these amplifiers and discuss performance variations resulting from manufacturing tolerances and variations in amplifier architecture. This study serves as a baseline for further power scaling via e.g., coherent beam combining experiments.",
author = "Felix Wellmann and Michael Steinke and Peter Wessels and Nina Bode and Fabian Meylahn and Benno Willke and Ludger Overmeyer and Jorg Neumann and Dietmar Kracht",
note = "Funding Information: Funding. Partially funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany{\textquoteright}s Excellence Strategy (EXC2123 QuantumFrontiers 390837967).",
year = "2020",
month = sep,
day = "10",
doi = "10.1364/AO.401048",
language = "English",
volume = "59",
pages = "7945--7950",
journal = "Applied optics",
issn = "1559-128X",
publisher = "OSA - The Optical Society",
number = "26",
}