Charge management for gravitational-wave observatories using UV LEDs

Journal Article · Fri Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.81.021101· OSTI ID:21409018

Pollack, S E; Turner, M D; Schlamminger, S; Hagedorn, C A; Gundlach, J H ^[1]

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1. Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 (United States)

Accumulation of electrical charge on the end mirrors of gravitational-wave observatories can become a source of noise limiting the sensitivity of such detectors through electronic couplings to nearby surfaces. Torsion balances provide an ideal means for testing gravitational-wave technologies due to their high sensitivity to small forces. Our torsion pendulum apparatus consists of a movable plate brought near a plate pendulum suspended from a nonconducting quartz fiber. A UV LED located near the pendulum photoejects electrons from the surface, and a UV LED driven electron gun directs photoelectrons towards the pendulum surface. We have demonstrated both charging and discharging of the pendulum with equivalent charging rates of {approx}10{sup 5}e/s, as well as spectral measurements of the pendulum charge resulting in a white noise level equivalent to 3x10{sup 5}e/{radical}(Hz).

• OSTI ID: 21409018
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 81, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.81.021101; (c) 2010 The American Physical Society; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BALANCES
COUPLING
ELECTRON GUNS
ELECTRONS
FIBERS
GRAVITATIONAL WAVE DETECTORS
GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
MANAGEMENT
NOISE
PLATES
QUARTZ
SENSITIVITY
SURFACES
TORSION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
LEPTONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MINERALS
OXIDE MINERALS
RADIATION DETECTORS
WEIGHT INDICATORS