Gravitational wave detectors with broadband high frequency sensitivity

Understand

The binary neutron star coalescence GW170817 was observed by gravitational wave detectors during the inspiral phase but sensitivity in the 1-5 kHz band was insufficient to observe the expected nuclear matter signature of the merger itself, and the process of black hole formation.

• This provides strong motivation for improving 1--5 kHz sensitivity which is currently limited by photon shot noise.
• Resonant enhancement by signal recycling normally improves the signal to noise ratio at the expense of bandwidth.
• The concept of optomechanical white light signal recycling (WLSR) has been proposed, but all schemes to date have been reliant on the development of suitable ultra-low mechanical loss components.