Optical and mechanical properties of ion-beam-sputtered Nb${}_2$O${}_5$ and TiO${}_2$-Nb${}_2$O${}_5$ thin films for gravitational-wave interferometers

Abstract

Brownian thermal noise associated with highly-reflective mirror coatings is a fundamental limit for several precision experiments, including gravitational-wave detectors. Recently, there has been a worldwide effort to find mirror coatings with improved thermal noise properties that also fulfill strict optical requirements such as low absorption and scatter. We report on the optical and mechanical properties of ion-beam-sputtered niobia and titania-niobia thin films, and we discuss application of such coatings in current and future gravitational-wave detectors. We also report an updated direct coating thermal noise measurement of the HR coatings used in Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo.

References in corpus (6)

• Advanced Virgo: a 2nd generation interferometric gravitational wave detector
• Advanced LIGO
• Exploring the Sensitivity of Next Generation Gravitational Wave Detectors
• Titania-doped tantala/silica coatings for gravitational-wave detection
• Audio-band Coating Thermal Noise Measurement for Advanced LIGO with a Multi-mode Optical Resonator
• Argon bubble formation in tantalum oxide-based films for gravitational wave interferometer mirrors

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Low mechanical loss TiO${}_2$:GeO${}_2$ coatings for reduced thermal noise in Gravitational Wave Interferometers