This $100,000 Project Grant awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program will support fundamental and applied research to develop improved mirrors for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors. The goal is to create AlGaAs coatings for the LIGO mirrors that will enhance the sensitivity of the detectors, allowing for more frequent and distant observations of gravitational waves. This research is expected to significantly improve LIGO's event detection rate by 3-4 times over previous upgrades, enabling better tests of general relativity and measurements of astrophysical phenomena. The award to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will fund the R&D and characterization of these advanced mirror coatings, which have the potential to advance precision measurement technologies beyond just gravitational wave detection.
Generated 3/4/25, 7:24 AM