Quantum expander for gravitational-wave observatories

Abstract

Quantum uncertainty of laser light limits the sensitivity of gravitational-wave observatories. In the past 30 years, techniques for squeezing the quantum uncertainty as well as for enhancing the gravitational-wave signal with optical resonators were invented. Resonators, however, have finite linewidths; and the high signal frequencies that are produced during the scientifically highly interesting ring-down of astrophysical compact-binary mergers cannot be resolved today. Here, we propose an optical approach for expanding the detection bandwidth. It uses quantum uncertainty squeezing inside one of the optical resonators, compensating for finite resonators' linewidths while maintaining the low-frequency sensitivity unchanged. Introducing the quantum expander for boosting the sensitivity of future gravitational-wave detectors, we envision it to become a new tool in other cavity-enhanced metrological experiments.