Nano-Newton electrostatic force actuators for femto-Newton-sensitive measurements: System performance test in the LISA Pathfinder mission

Armano, M.; Audley, H.; Baird, J.; Bassan, M.; Binetruy, P.; Born, M.; Bortoluzzi, D.; Castelli, E.; Cavalleri, A.; Cesarini, A.; Chiavegato, V.; Cruise, A. M.; Dal Bosco, D.; Danzmann, K.; De Deus Silva, M.; De Rosa, R.; Di Fiore, L.; Diepholz, I.; Dixon, G.; Dolesi, R.; Ferraioli, L.; Ferroni, V.; Fitzsimons, E. D.; Freschi, M.; Gesa, L.; Giardini, D.; Gibert, F.; Giusteri, R.; Grado, A.; Grimani, C.; Grzymisch, J.; Harrison, I.; Hartig, M. S.; Heinzel, G.; Hewitson, M.; Hollington, D.; Hoyland, D.; Hueller, M.; Inchauspé, H.; Jennrich, O.; Jetzer, P.; Johlander, B.; Karnesis, N.; Kaune, B.; Korsakova, N.; Killow, C. J.; Liu, L.; Lobo, J. A.; López-Zaragoza, J. P.; Maarschalkerweerd, R.; Mance, D.; Martín, V.; Martin-Polo, L.; Martin-Porqueras, F.; Martino, J.; Mcnamara, P. W.; Mendes, J.; Mendes, L.; Meshksar, N.; Moerschell, J.; Nofrarias, M.; Paczkowski, S.; Perreur-Lloyd, M.; Petiteau, A.; Plagnol, E.; Praplan, C.; Ramos-Castro, J.; Reiche, J.; Rivas, F.; Robertson, D. I.; Russano, G.; Sala, L.; Sarra, P.; Schule-Walewski, S. L.; Slutsky, J.; Sopuerta, C. F.; Stanga, R.; Sumner, T.; Ten Pierick, J.; Texier, D.; Thorpe, J. I.; Vetrugno, D.; Vitale, S.; Wanner, G.; Ward, H.; Wass, P. J.; Weber, W. J.; Wissel, L.; Wittchen, A.; Zanoni, C.; Zweifel, P.

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.109.102009

Electrostatic force actuation is a key component of the system of geodesic reference test masses (TM) for the LISA orbiting gravitational wave observatory and in particular for performance at low frequencies, below 1 mHz, where the observatory sensitivity is limited by stray force noise. The system needs to apply forces of order 10-9 N while limiting fluctuations in the measurement band to levels approaching 10-15 N/Hz1/2. We present here the LISA actuation system design, based on audio-frequency voltage carrier signals, and results of its in-flight performance test with the LISA Pathfinder test mission. In LISA, TM force actuation is used to align the otherwise free-falling TM to the spacecraft-mounted optical metrology system, without any forcing along the critical gravitational wave-sensitive interferometry axes. In LISA Pathfinder, on the other hand, the actuation was used also to stabilize the TM along the critical x axis joining the two TM, with the commanded actuation force ente...

Nano-Newton electrostatic force actuators for femto-Newton-sensitive measurements: System performance test in the LISA Pathfinder mission / Armano, M.; Audley, H.; Baird, J.; Bassan, M.; Binetruy, P.; Born, M.; Bortoluzzi, D.; Castelli, E.; Cavalleri, A.; Cesarini, A.; Chiavegato, V.; Cruise, A. M.; Dal Bosco, D.; Danzmann, K.; De Deus Silva, M.; De Rosa, R.; Di Fiore, L.; Diepholz, I.; Dixon, G.; Dolesi, R.; Ferraioli, L.; Ferroni, V.; Fitzsimons, E. D.; Freschi, M.; Gesa, L.; Giardini, D.; Gibert, F.; Giusteri, R.; Grado, A.; Grimani, C.; Grzymisch, J.; Harrison, I.; Hartig, M. S.; Heinzel, G.; Hewitson, M.; Hollington, D.; Hoyland, D.; Hueller, M.; Inchauspé, H.; Jennrich, O.; Jetzer, P.; Johlander, B.; Karnesis, N.; Kaune, B.; Korsakova, N.; Killow, C. J.; Liu, L.; Lobo, J. A.; López-Zaragoza, J. P.; Maarschalkerweerd, R.; Mance, D.; Martín, V.; Martin-Polo, L.; Martin-Porqueras, F.; Martino, J.; Mcnamara, P. W.; Mendes, J.; Mendes, L.; Meshksar, N.; Moerschell, J.; Nofrarias, M.; Paczkowski, S.; Perreur-Lloyd, M.; Petiteau, A.; Plagnol, E.; Praplan, C.; Ramos-Castro, J.; Reiche, J.; Rivas, F.; Robertson, D. I.; Russano, G.; Sala, L.; Sarra, P.; Schule-Walewski, S. L.; Slutsky, J.; Sopuerta, C. F.; Stanga, R.; Sumner, T.; Ten Pierick, J.; Texier, D.; Thorpe, J. I.; Vetrugno, D.; Vitale, S.; Wanner, G.; Ward, H.; Wass, P. J.; Weber, W. J.; Wissel, L.; Wittchen, A.; Zanoni, C.; Zweifel, P.. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW D. - ISSN 2470-0010. - 109:10(2024). [10.1103/PhysRevD.109.102009]