Abstract

To search for gravitational waves from astrophysical sources, GEO 600 will use laser interferometry over a physical arm length of 600 m. The detector is currently being constructed in the North of Germany, near Hannover, by research groups from Hannover, Garching and Glasgow, with theoretical input from Cardiff and Potsdam. It will utilise a four pass delay line Michelson interferometer with power and signal recycling implemented to reduce the limitation to sensitivity set by photo-electron shot noise in the detector output. Illumination will be by single frequency Nd: YAG laser light at a level of 10 W, from a diode pumped slave laser, injection locked by a small monolithic diode pumped ring laser.

© 1998 IEEE