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arXiv · 2604.07302

Gravitational wave signal and noise response of an optically levitated sensor in a Fabry-P\'erot cavity

Andrew Laeuger·Shafaq Gulzar Elahi·Shelby Klomp·Jackson Larsen·Jacob Sprague·Zhiyuan Wang·George Winstone·Maddox Wroblewski·Shane L. Larson·Andrew A. Geraci·Nancy Aggarwal
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Abstract

Optically levitated sensors inside a Fabry-P\'erot cavity have been proposed for high-frequency gravitational-wave (GW) detection, though their configuration for gravitational wave sensitivity exhibits counterintuitive features. We provide a new detailed general relativistic derivation of the interaction between a gravitational wave and a levitated object in an optical cavity, demonstrating gauge independence of the observable response. We find a strong asymmetric dependence of the strain signal on trap position, maximized when the sensor is located near the input mirror, and provide an in-depth explanation of its origin from multiple gauge perspectives. A key new result of this work is the consequence of this asymmetry on the noise coupling: the coupling of input-mirror displacements to the strain signal can be highly suppressed relative to that of end-mirror displacements and common-mode mirror motion. These results clarify the physical origin of the gravitational wave interaction with such a sensor and establish crucial design principles for optical levitation based high-frequency GW detectors.

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Andrew Laeuger, Shafaq Gulzar Elahi, Shelby Klomp, Jackson Larsen, Jacob Sprague, Zhiyuan Wang, George Winstone, Maddox Wroblewski, Shane L. Larson, Andrew A. Geraci, Nancy Aggarwal. 2026-04-08. Gravitational wave signal and noise response of an optically levitated sensor in a Fabry-P\'erot cavity. https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.07302

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