COMPOUND PENDULUM TEST MASS SYSTEMS FOR LASER INTERFEROMETER GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE DETECTORS

Compound pendulum test mass suspensions for laser interferometer gravi tational wave detectors offer a means of obtaining the maximum possibl e pendulum Q-factors and of avoiding violin string normal modes. Caref ul design can allow the transfer function to be equivalent to that of a simple pendulum. The suspension systems are also convenient for serv o control of mirror orientation. We describe the design procedure and the expected performance of such systems. Preliminary experimental res ults on a compound pendulum are also presented.