Advanced LIGO Laser Systems for O3 and Future Observation Runs

Abstract

The advanced LIGO gravitational wave detectors need high power laser sources with excellent beam quality and low-noise behavior. We present a pre-stabilized laser system with 70 W of output power that was used in the third observing run of the advanced LIGO detectors. Furthermore, the prototype of a 140 W pre-stabilized laser system for future use in the LIGO observatories is described and characterized.

Keywords

• gravitational wave detector
• pre-stabilized laser system
• solid state amplifier
• laser amplifier
• laser noise
• pre-modecleaner