Parametric Transducers for the Advanced Cryogenic Resonant-Mass Gravitational Wave Detectors

It is shown that a large improvement in liquid helium and ultra-cryogenically cooled resonant-mass gravitational wave detectors can be achieved through improved parametric transducers using either low loss sapphire dielectric resonators or niobium re-entrant cavities. Performance is analysed in relation to the existing resonant bar antenna Niobe and to massive spherical detectors. Applied to Niobe, a millisecond burst sensitivity of order 10^–20 can be achieved, corresponding to a spectral strain sensitivity of 2 × 10^-22 Hz with a 50 Hz bandwidth. Applied to an ultra-cryogenic 117 tonne spherical detector made from CuAl, a spectral strain sensitivity of better than 2 ×10^-23/ Hz with a bandwidth of order 100 Hz can be achieved, which is close to the quantum limit. This sensitivity is comparable to that of advanced interferometer detectors at this frequency.