May, 2016
www.us-
tech.com
Excelitas Sensors Contribute to LIGO Discovery
Waltham, MA — Excelitas’ photodiode technology was used in the Laser Interferometer Gravitation- al Wave Observatory (LIGO) discovery that recent- ly confirmed a prediction of Einstein’s general the- ory of relativity. Customized for operation within the ultra-low
vacuum of the LIGO system, the YAG-444AH sili- con PIN photodiode monitored YAG wavelength laser beam quality. The C30665GH InGaAs PIN photodiode detected the effect of gravitational waves after they traveled through the interferom- eter’s 4km-long (2.5mi) arms. The company’s photodiodes are capable of de-
tecting laser beams at the 1064nm wavelength (also known as the YAG wavelength). They meas- ure the change in effective length of the two arms of the interferometer in- strument caused by gravitational waves, supposed to be generated by two black holes colliding in space. Einstein’s theory predicted such colli- sions would cause two black holes to form a single one, converting a por- tion of their combined mass into grav- itational waves. The company customized the
YAG-444AH photodiode to work in LIGO’s extremely sensitive and ultra- low-vacuum chamber. To allow them to be used within the chambers, the company modified the silicon photodi- odes by eliminating a window cap and using only materials that were certi- fied for operation within the interfer- ometer’s exacting environment. In addition, Excelitas team
mem bers acted as consultants to the LIGO staff to ensure proper cleaning
Sunstone Engineers New Sounds with Boutique Musician
Continued from previous page Curious about the European
market, John had some questions about lead-free solder. His Sunstone representative arranged a call and connected him with experts. That conversation led him to consider the idea of selling in Europe this year, though as he puts it, “It’s off the radar right now.” Coloccia offers an expansive life-
time warranty. He aims to provide durable devices that stand up to musi- cians’ notoriously rough treatment of equipment. As an experienced engi- neer, he is currently looking at ways to reduce the points of failure in his de- signs. Part of his research has lead him to consider flex and rigid PCB in- terconnects to eliminate wires, which are a common source of malfunction in pedals over time. As he continues to develop new
sounds, Coloccia is grateful to have a reliable partner in Sunstone Cir- cuits. He sums it up plainly, “In a world where I rely on suppliers to come through, Sunstone is a breath of fresh air.” Contact: Sunstone Circuits,
13626 S. Freeman Road, Mulino, OR 97042 % 800-228-8191 E-mail:
support@sunstone.com Web:
www.sunstone.com r
2130 Victor Place, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80915 USA Website:
virtual-ii.com E-mail:
sales@virtual-ii.com USA Telephone: 719-572-5566 Fax: 719-572-5504 See at SMT Hybrid Packaging, Booth 6-131M Excelitas’ photodiodes in use at LIGO.
and handling of the parts during installation. LIGO then used the off-the-shelf C30665GH
photodiode to measure the recombined YAG laser beams after they came out of the interferometer’s arms. It measured the optical beam disruption caused by the gravitational waves and generated the photocurrent, which was then converted into an audible “chirp.” The initial finding surpassed all expecta-
tions and provided significant evidence of the gravitational waves generated by colliding black holes. Contact: Excelitas Technologies Corp., 200
West Street, Waltham, MA 02451 % 855-382-2677 fax: 781-290-4702 Web:
www.excelitas.com
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