title: Optical contamination screening of materials with a high-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity resonated continuously at 1.06- microm wavelength in vacuum.
abstract: An optical-loss measurement system based on a resonant Fabry-Perot cavity at 1.06 microm in vacuum has been developed for independent monitoring of the cavity total loss and the optical absorption loss. Maintenance of cavity resonance over a one-month period allows the assessment of long-term degradation of the cavity optics in the presence of outgassing materials, with sensitivities of 5 ppm/yr for total cavity loss and 2 ppm/yr for cavity absorption loss. Test results for light-emitting diodes, Kapton-insulated cable assemblies, and Vac-seal epoxy adhesive are given. Scaling of these results to the optical performance requirements of LIGO is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory Project, California Institute of Technology, MS 18-34, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coyne
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camp