Detecting high-frequency gravitational waves with optically-levitated sensors.

POSTER

Abstract

Optically-trapped and cooled micro-scale sensors within a cavity can be used to detect gravitational waves in the \textasciitilde 10kHz to \textasciitilde 300kHz band, which is beyond the optimal sensitivity range of other experiments like LIGO. The levitated sensors can search for binary coalescence of sub-solar-mass primordial black holes, the effect of QCD axions on astrophysical black holes, and other gravitational wave sources at high frequencies. We present the experimental status of the 1-meter prototype that is under development as well as the theoretical results for new physics from high-frequency gravitational waves.

*The W. M. Keck Foundation

Authors

  • Zhiyuan Wang

    • Northwestern University

  • George Winstone

    • Northwestern University

  • Nancy Aggarwal

    • Northwestern University

  • Mae Teo

    • Stanford University

  • Masha Baryakhtar

    • New York University

  • Shane Larson

    • Northwestern University

  • Vicky Kalogera

    • Northwestern University

  • Andrew Geraci

    • Northwestern University