High-power laser beam in higher-order Hermite–Gaussian modes

verfasst von

B. Von Behren, Joscha Heinze, Nina Bode, Benno Willke

Abstract

The sensitivities of current gravitational-wave detectors are limited around signal frequencies of 100 Hz by mirror thermal noise. One proposed option to reduce this thermal noise is to operate the detectors in a higher-order spatial laser mode. This operation would require a high-power laser input beam in such a spatial mode. Here, we discuss the generation of the Hermite-Gaussian modes HG 2 , 2 , HG 3 , 3 , and HG 4 , 4 using one water-cooled spatial light modulator (SLM) at a continuous-wave optical input power of up to 85 W. We report unprecedented conversion efficiencies for a single SLM of about 43%, 42%, and 41%, respectively, and demonstrate that the SLM operation is robust against the high laser power. This is an important step toward the implementation of higher-order laser modes in future gravitational-wave detectors.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Institut für Gravitationsphysik

Externe Organisation(en)

Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut)
University of Birmingham

Typ

Artikel

Journal

Applied physics letters

Band

122

ISSN

0003-6951

Publikationsdatum

09.05.2023

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Physik und Astronomie (sonstige)

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0137085 (Zugang: Offen)