Abstract

We describe a balanced-heterodyne postmodulated Sagnac interferometer signal extraction method that is suitable for gravitational wave detection. The method is simple to implement by placement of a polarization-selective modulator after the beam splitter in the dark port of the interferometer. The postmodulated Sagnac interferometer retains its common path advantage and exhibits insensitivity to laser frequency noise below, at, and above the heterodyne frequency. Balanced detection reduces sensitivity to laser amplitude noise. In this scheme mirror displacement signals were rf demodulated and observed from 0.2 to 10 kHz.

© 1997 Optical Society of America

Polarization Sagnac interferometer with postmodulation for gravitational-wave detection

Peter T. Beyersdorf, M. M. Fejer, and R. L. Byer
Opt. Lett. 24(16) 1112-1114 (1999)

Polarization-based balanced heterodyne detection method in a Sagnac interferometer for precision phase measurement

Ke-Xun Sun, Eric K. Gustafson, M. M. Fejer, and Robert L. Byer
Opt. Lett. 22(17) 1359-1361 (1997)

Polarization Sagnac interferometer with a common-path local oscillator for heterodyne detection

Peter T. Beyersdorf, Martin M. Fejer, and Robert L. Byer
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 16(9) 1354-1358 (1999)

Polarization Sagnac interferometer with a reflective grating beam splitter

S. Traeger, P. Beyersdorf, L. Goddard, E. Gustafson, M. M. Fejer, and R. L. Byer
Opt. Lett. 25(10) 722-724 (2000)

Wideband and high frequency stabilization of an injection-locked Nd:YAG laser to a high-finesse Fabry–Perot cavity

Mitsuru Musha, Ken'ichi Nakagawa, and Ken-ichi Ueda
Opt. Lett. 22(15) 1177-1179 (1997)