University lecturer and Nikhef researcher Jessica Steinlechner of Maastricht University is awarded a starting grant from the European Research Council for her research on advanced mirrors for gravitational wave detectors.
Jessica Steinlechner (Germany 1981) is involved in the development of improved detectors for measurements of gravitational waves, such as the future Einstein Telescope. Such vibrations of space and time are measured with interferometers such as LIGO and Virgo, in which laser light bounces between mirrors to see extremely small distance differences.
She is looking for new crystalline mirror coatings in which the natural heat movement of molecules is minimal to get as little noise as possible in the actual measurements. The new mirrors will be tested at the ET Pathfinder facility in Maastricht, which is now under construction. Last year she already received a VIDI grant from NWO for this work.
The new ERC Starting Grant is aimed at the next improvement step, Steinlechner says. This involves looking at whether the reflection layers in the mirror glass itself can be made via the targeted implantation of certain ions. This can further reduce the absorption of laser light and reduce the heat movement of the surface. This would enable even more accurate measurements of spacetime vibrations.
The ERC start-up grant is normally 1.5 million euros for five years. Steinlechner will receive another million for new equipment for ion implantation. Her group in Maastricht will include two PhD students, a post-doc and a technician.
The Netherlands has plans to build the Einstein Telescope, the world’s largest gravitational wave detector. Possibly the border region of Limburg is a location for this. A lot of preparatory work for ET is taking place in Maastricht.