Searcharxiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2512.14484

Demonstrating sub-picometer non-reciprocity levels in the Three-Backlink Experiment for LISA

Jiang Ji Ho-Zhang·Melanie Ast·Lea Bischof·Michael Born·Daniel Jestrabek·Stefan Ast·Katharina-Sophie Isleif·Oliver Gerberding·Thomas S. Schwarze·Jens Reiche·Gerhard Heinzel·Karsten Danzmann
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

The current planned space-based gravitational-wave detectors require a bidirectional optical connection, referred to as Backlink, between two adjacent optical benches to provide a mutual phase reference for the local interferometric measurements. However, if the Backlink shows asymmetry between the two propagation directions, the effective optical pathlengths of the counter-propagating beams can introduce a differential phase noise, called non-reciprocity, into the main interferometric measurement that will limit the achievable accuracy in time-delay interferometry (TDI) post-processing. Hence, it is important to understand the properties of the Backlink to ensure that it will not compromise the interferometric detection. The Three-Backlink Experiment (3BL), which consists of an optical test facility with two rotatable benches, was designed under the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) framework to study the performance of three Backlink configurations: two fiber-based and one free-beam scheme. In this paper, we report recent experimental results from the 3BL. We describe the commissioning and the subsequent noise mitigation. We achieve a setup noise floor below $1\text{ pm}\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$ across most of the LISA measurement band, and provide an understanding of the current technical limitations. With this low-noise baseline, we measured the performance of the three Backlink implementations under non-rotational conditions. We show that all three Backlinks reach sub-picometer non-reciprocity levels across most of the frequency band, with the remaining part dominated by the mentioned testbed noise. This enabled us to conduct a preliminary study of the Backlink inherent noise, where we emphasized on the backscatter noise intrinsic to a straightforward fiber-based Backlink, as this is the current baseline for LISA.

Explore related subjects

physics.opticsastro-ph.IMgr-qcphysics.ins-det

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

Jiang Ji Ho-Zhang, Melanie Ast, Lea Bischof, Michael Born, Daniel Jestrabek, Stefan Ast, Katharina-Sophie Isleif, Oliver Gerberding, Thomas S. Schwarze, Jens Reiche, Gerhard Heinzel, Karsten Danzmann. 2025-12-16. Demonstrating sub-picometer non-reciprocity levels in the Three-Backlink Experiment for LISA. https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.14484

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Two-step high-accuracy microwave frequency measurement and time-frequency analysis based on optical frequency combs

Broadband microwave frequency measurement and time-frequency analysis are crucial for applications such as electronic warfare. However, when it comes to ultra wideband signal analysis, traditional electronic methods have high analysis accuracy, but intrinsic electronic bottlenecks limit their real-time analysis. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a two-step microwave frequency measurement and time-frequency analysis method based on optical frequency combs. The system first performs coarse frequency localization over the 0-40 GHz range using stimulated-Brillouin-scattering-assisted frequency-to-time mapping (FTTM) and dual-comb channelized reception. The dual-comb is then reapplied for downconverting the signal under test, followed by digital signal processing to achieve high-accuracy unambiguous frequency extraction. Experimental results show that the system achieves mean single-tone frequency measurement errors of less than 10 kHz over 0-40 GHz. We further experimentally measure multi-tone, linearly frequency-modulated, and V-shaped frequency-modulated signals, demonstrating the proposed method's capability for analyzing complex signals.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2026

A Two-Mirror Faceted Projection System for EUV Lithography

We propose an all-reflective two-mirror projection system for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography operating at exposure wavelengths of $13.5$~nm (Mo/Si) and $11.2$~nm (Ru/Be), delivering a fourfold ($4\times$) demagnification of the periodic mask pattern at a numerical aperture approaching unity ($\mathrm{NA}_{\max} \approx 0.993$). In contrast to conventional EUV projection objectives that incorporate 6--10 aspheric mirrors with an overall optical throughput of less than $15\%$, the proposed design redirects each accepted discrete spatial diffraction order scattered by the mask onto the wafer via a dedicated pair of planar mirror facets. The number of reflections is strictly fixed at two for all accepted orders, retaining $50$--$60\%$ of the power leaving the mask in each accepted order. We derive a spatial geometry providing rigorous optical path length equalization across all diffraction orders, thereby removing order-dependent propagation phase shifts. Individually optimized 30-bilayer Bragg multilayer coatings are designed for each facet using the transfer matrix method combined with global evolutionary optimization algorithms. The architecture is generalized to a three-dimensional vector formulation with a two-dimensionally periodic mask. Utilizing inverse lithography technology, Fourier parameterization, and a differentiable electromagnetic modal waveguide solver, we solve the synthesis problem for binary absorber masks (La absorber on a Ru/Be/Sr multilayer mirror). We demonstrate simulated aerial images of sub-10-nm features on the wafer (isolated peaks with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of approximately $5.4$~nm and line pairs with a critical dimension of $6$~nm) and find that the two peaks remain resolved for the tested wafer defocus values from $0$ to $5$~nm along the $z$-axis.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2026

Antimony for broadband nanophotonics across the ultraviolet, visible and infrared

Semimetal elemental antimony (Sb) nanostructures show great potential for applications where nanophotonic properties play a key role, such as phase-change optical memories, non-linear optical elements, photothermal therapy agents, photodetectors and photocatalysts. However, designing advanced Sb-based photonic devices critically requires an accurate and reliable knowledge of the optical response of bulk and nanoscale Sb. Herein, we report for the first time a fully consistent and accurately measured dielectric function for Sb nanoscale films in a wide spectral range from the ultraviolet to the far infrared (4 - 0.04 eV, i.e. ~ 0.3 - 30 $\mu$m), surpassing previous reports that explored a limited spectral range. It is found that the Sb spectral response is driven exclusively by giant interband transitions in the visible up to mid infrared (4 - 0.4 eV, i.e. ~ 0.3 - 3 $\mu$m), and that their contribution dominates over that of free carriers down to 0.12 eV (i.e. ~ 10 $\mu$m). Such spectral response enables Sb nanostructures to display spectrally selective and tunable nanophotonic resonances. First, we showcase interband plasmonic resonances in the visible-to-near infrared for Sb nanogratings. Second, we report giant refractive index dielectric resonances in the mid infrared for nanostructured Sb/dielectric/metal resonant cavities. These findings open a pathway to optimized planar Sb nanoscale designs enabling a tailored light-matter interaction, which will be useful for integrated data, telecom, medical, optoelectronic and energy conversion devices operating in a broad spectral range.

physics.optics↗