Picometer-Stable Hexagonal Optical Bench to Verify LISA Phase Extraction Linearity and Precision

Phys Rev Lett. 2019 Mar 1;122(8):081104. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.081104.

Abstract

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and its metrology chain have to fulfill stringent performance requirements to enable the space-based detection of gravitational waves. This implies the necessity of performance verification methods. In particular, the extraction of the interferometric phase, implemented by a phasemeter, needs to be probed for linearity and phase noise contributions. This Letter reports on a hexagonal quasimonolithic optical bench implementing a three-signal test for this purpose. Its characterization as sufficiently stable down to picometer levels is presented as well as its usage for a benchmark phasemeter performance measurement under LISA conditions. These results make it a candidate for the core of a LISA metrology verification facility.