title: Photon-noise-limited laser transducer for gravitational antenna.
abstract: We have constructed and tested a laser interferometer transducer for a long, wideband, laser-linked gravitational radiation antenna. Photon-noise-limited performance was achieved using 80 microW from a single mode Spectra-Physics 119 laser in a modified Michelson interferometer on a vibration isolation table in a quiet room. A piezoelectric driver on one of the interferometer mirrors was used to generate subangstrom (3 x 10(-14)-m) vibrations of known amplitude. The measured displacement sensitivity of the system in the kilohertz region was 1.3 x 10(-14)m/Hz(1/2), which compares well with the calculated photon noise limit of 1.06 x 10(-14) m/Hz(1/2). This is the smallest vibrational displacement measured directly with a laser to date.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Forward