Charge-induced force-noise on free-falling test masses: results from LISA 
Pathfinder

LISA Pathfinder Collaboration; Armano, M.; Audley, H.; Auger, G.; Baird, J. T.; Binetruy, P.; Born, M.; Bortoluzzi, D.; Brandt, N.; Bursi, A.; Caleno, M.; Cavalleri, A.; Cesarini, A.; Cruise, M.; Danzmann, K.; de Deus Silva, M.; Diepholz, I.; Dolesi, R.; Dunbar, N.; Ferraioli, L.; Ferroni, V.; Fitzsimons, E. D.; Flatscher, R.; Freschi, M.; Gallegos, J.; Marirrodriga, C. García; Gerndt, R.; Gesa, L.; Gibert, F.; Giardini, D.; Giusteri, R.; Grimani, C.; Grzymisch, J.; Harrison, I.; Heinzel, G.; Hewitson, M.; Hollington, D.; Hueller, M.; Huesler, J.; Inchauspé, H.; Jennrich, O.; Jetzer, P.; Johlander, B.; Karnesis, N.; Kaune, B.; Killow, C. J.; Korsakova, N.; Lloro, I.; Liu, L.; Maarschalkerweerd, R.; Madden, S.; Mance, D.; Martín, V.; Martin-Polo, L.; Martino, J.; Martin-Porqueras, F.; Mateos, I.; McNamara, P. W.; Mendes, J.; Mendes, L.; Moroni, A.; Nofrarias, M.; Paczkowski, S.; Perreur-Lloyd, M.; Petiteau, A.; Pivato, P.; Plagnol, E.; Prat, P.; Ragnit, U.; Ramos-Castro, J.; Reiche, J.; Perez, J. A. Romera; Robertson, D. I.; Rozemeijer, H.; Rivas, F.; Russano, G.; Sarra, P.; Schleicher, A.; Slutsky, J.; Sopuerta, C.; Sumner, T. J.; Texier, D.; Thorpe, J. I.; Trenkel, C.; Vetrugno, D.; Vitale, S.; Wanner, G.; Ward, H.; Wass, P. J.; Wealthy, D.; Weber, W. J.; Wittchen, A.; Zanoni, C.; Ziegler, T.; Zweifel, P.

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.171101

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Charge-induced force-noise on free-falling test masses: results from LISA Pathfinder

MPS-Authors

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Audley, H.
Laser Interferometry & Gravitational Wave Astronomy, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons40430

Born, M.
Laser Interferometry & Gravitational Wave Astronomy, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons40437

Danzmann, K.
Laser Interferometry & Gravitational Wave Astronomy, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons40441

Diepholz, I.
Laser Interferometry & Gravitational Wave Astronomy, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons40460

Heinzel, G.
Laser Interferometry & Gravitational Wave Astronomy, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons40525

Hewitson, M.
Observational Relativity and Cosmology, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons215671

Kaune, B.
Laser Interferometry & Gravitational Wave Astronomy, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

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Paczkowski, S.
Laser Interferometry & Gravitational Wave Astronomy, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons40486

Reiche, J.
Laser Interferometry & Gravitational Wave Astronomy, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons40507

Wanner, G.
Laser Interferometry & Gravitational Wave Astronomy, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

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Wittchen, A.
Laser Interferometry & Gravitational Wave Astronomy, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

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Citation

LISA Pathfinder Collaboration, Armano, M., Audley, H., Auger, G., Baird, J. T., Binetruy, P., et al. (2017). Charge-induced force-noise on free-falling test masses: results from LISA Pathfinder. Physical Review Letters, 118: 171101. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.171101.

Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-002C-7EDB-B

Abstract

We report on electrostatic measurements made on board the European Space
Agency mission LISA Pathfinder. Detailed measurements of the charge-induced
electrostatic forces exerted on free-falling test masses (TMs) inside the
capacitive gravitational reference sensor are the first made in a relevant
environment for a space-based gravitational wave detector. Employing a
combination of charge control and electric-field compensation, we show that the
level of charge-induced acceleration noise on a single TM can be maintained at
a level close to 1.0 fm/s^2/sqrt(Hz) across the 0.1-100 mHz frequency band that
is crucial to an observatory such as LISA. Using dedicated measurements that
detect these effects in the differential acceleration between the two test
masses, we resolve the stochastic nature of the TM charge build up due to
interplanetary cosmic rays and the TM charge-to-force coupling through stray
electric fields in the sensor. All our measurements are in good agreement with
predictions based on a relatively simple electrostatic model of the LISA
Pathfinder instrument.