Improved performance of the Glasgow 10 m prototype gravitational wave detector using an injection-locked Nd : YAG laser source

We present measurements of the displacement sensitivity from the Glasgow 10 m laser interferometric gravitational wave detector using an injection-loc ked Nd:YAG laser source; the type of laser system intended for use in some of the long-baseline observatories. The spectral density of displacement no ise recorded above a few hundred Hz is similar to4 x 10(-19) m/root Hz whic h is close to the limit imposed by the shot noise for the optical propertie s of the system. This represents the best displacement sensitivity obtained with an injection locked Nd:YAG laser to date and provides evidence that c lose to shot noise limited performance can be obtained with such laser syst ems. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.