Abstract
Gravitational waves have opened a new way of observing the Universe, but their detection relies on laser interferometers operating at the very edge of what quantum physics allows. Quantum light - and in particular squeezed states - has become a key resource for improving detector sensitivity and overcoming quantum noise. This presentation highlights how squeezing and frequency-dependent squeezing are implemented in gravitational wave detectors such as LIGO and Virgo to enhance gravitational wave detection over a broad frequency range, and illustrates how quantum technologies developed for sensing play an essential role in fundamental research.
Antoine Heidmann
Antoine Heidmann is a CNRS Research Director at the Laboratoire Kastler Brossel (CNRS, Sorbonne Université, ENS-PSL, Collège de France), where he leads the Optomechanics and Quantum Measurements team. His research investigates radiation-pressure interactions between light and mechanical resonators to explore and control the quantum behavior of macroscopic systems. Its activities range from high-sensitivity optical measurements to the manipulation and cooling of mechanical motion close to the quantum regime. These developments address both fundamental questions in quantum measurement and practical applications, such as the reduction of quantum noise in gravitational-wave detectors and the development of hybrid quantum sensors.
