• Method comparison for simulating non-Gaussian Beams and Diffraction for Precision Interferometry

    分类: 光学 >> 量子光学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: In the context of simulating precision laser interferometers, we compare via several examples two wavefront decomposition methods: the Mode Expansion Method (MEM) and the Gaussian beam decomposition (GBD) for their precision and applicability. To judge the performance of these methods, we define different types of errors and study their properties. We specify how the two methods can be fairly compared and based on that, the quality of the MEM and GBD are compared in several examples. We test here cases for which analytic results are available, i.e., non-clipped circular and general astigmatic Gaussian beams, as well as clipped circular Gaussian beams, in the near-, far-, and extreme far-field of millions of kilometers occurring in space-gravitational wave detectors. Additionally, we compare the methods for aberrated wavefronts and the interaction with optical components by testing reflections from differently curved mirrors. We find that both methods can be generally used for decomposing non-Gaussian beams. However, which method is more accurate depends on the optical system and simulation settings. In the given examples, the MEM more accurately describes non-clipped Gaussian beams, while for clipped Gaussian beams and the interaction with surfaces, the GBD is more precise.

  • Spot size estimation of flat-top beams in space-based gravitational wave detectors

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Motivated by the necessity of a high-quality stray light control in the detection of the gravitational waves in space, the spot size of a flat top beam generated by the clipping of the Gaussian beam (GB) is studied. By adopting the mode expansion method (MEM) approach to simulating the beam, a slight variant of the definition of the mean square deviation (MSD) spot size for the MEM beam is proposed. This enables us to quickly estimate the spot size for arbitrary propagation distances. Given that the degree of clipping is dependent on the power ratio within the surface of an optical element, the power ratio within the MSD spot range is used as a measure of spot size. The definition is then validated in the cases of simple astigmatic Gaussian beam and nearly-Gaussian beam profiles. As a representative example, the MSD spot size for a top-hat beam in a science interferometer in the detection of gravitational waves in space is then simulated. As in traditional MSD spot size analysis, the spot size is divergent when diffraction is taken into account. A careful error analysis is carried out on the divergence and in the present context, it is argued that this error will have little effect on our estimation. Using the results of our study allows an optimal design of optical systems with top-hat or other types of non-Gaussian beams. Furthermore, it allows testing the interferometry of space-based gravitational wave detectors for beam clipping in optical simulations. The present work will serve as a useful guide in the future system design of the optical bench and the sizes of the optical components.