Project Grant 2513488

The National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences awarded the University of California, Berkeley $293,451 on August 15, 2026, to develop advanced mirror coatings for third-generation gravitational-wave detectors, specifically the 40-kilometer Cosmic Explorer (CE) planned for the United States.

The Center for Coatings Research (CCR), a collaborative effort spanning materials science and gravitational-wave communities, focuses on producing mirror coatings that meet unprecedented optical and mechanical specifications for CE's 1.5 megawatt optical power requirements. The research addresses critical coating performance challenges, including extremely low optical absorption and minimal thermal noise from internal friction, to enable observations of stellar-size events at cosmological distances beyond the reach of optical telescopes.

The award funds research through July 31, 2028, with place of performance at Berkeley, California. The work carries broader impacts on precision measurement technologies applicable to precision timing, quantum information, low-noise interferometry, tests of gravitational physics, and semiconductor, laser, and quantum computing applications. The project also provides research opportunities for students across multiple education levels through the collaboration between materials science and gravitational-wave physics researchers.

This is a Project Grant under the NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049), which supports fundamental research to advance the nation's scientific capabilities and address major scientific challenges.