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ULTRA-PURE SILICON
11.12.2024 ULTRA-PURE SILICON Development of High-purity Silicon Mirrors for the Einstein Telescope The Einstein Telescope (ET) will be a third-generation detector with a tenfold increase in sensitivity for gravitational waves that will expand the observing window for previously hidden cosmic events. ET will have the potential to discover new, so far unknown sources of gravitational waves. To achieve this extremely high sensitivity, the interferometer’s mirrors will be made of silicon crystals. Crystalline silicon offers excellent material properties for detection at cryogenic temperatures, where the interferometer will operate to minimise thermal noise. Read more
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ULTRA-PURE SILICON
Development of High-purity Silicon Mirrors for the Einstein Telescope The Einstein Telescope (ET) will be a third-generation detector with a tenfold increase in sensitivity for gravitational waves that will expand the observing window for previously hidden cosmic events. ET will have the potential to discover new, so far unknown sources of gravitational waves. To achieve this extremely high sensitivity, the interferometer’s mirrors will be made of silicon crystals. Crystalline silicon offers excellent material properties for detection at cryogenic temperatures, where the interferometer will operate to minimise thermal noise. High-purity silicon mirrors The mirrors of the interferometer will be made of ultra-pure and highly perfect crystalline silicon to ensure that the…
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Lusatia – Gateway to the stars
12.11.2024 During the 3rd Einstein Telescope Annual Meeting, Lusatia in Saxony, Germany, was officially announced as a candidate site for the Einstein Telescope (ET). This marks a significant step forward for the region, highlighting its unique combination of scientific, technological, and geological assets that align with the ambitious goals of the ET project.
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Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ) has joined ET
12.12.2024 The Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ) in Berlin has joined the international Einstein Telescope (ET) collaboration as a research unit (RU-Berlin). The IKZ is a state-of-the-art competence center for crystalline materials. Its mission for ET is to provide crystalline silicon material and crystal growth know-how for the production of ET interferometer mirror and mirror suspensions. Silicon crystal growth using the Float-Zone (FZ) method is a long-standing expertise at the IKZ. The crucible-free FZ technique stands out for its ability to produce silicon crystals of ultra-high purity and crystalline perfection. Contactless induction heating of a molten zone held by surface tension forces allows growth without contamination. In the semiconductor industry, the…
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ET Annual Meeting in Warsaw
15. 11. 2024 The Einstein Telescope Collaboration gathered for its annual meeting in Warsaw, Poland, from November 12 to 15, bringing together the scientific community from across Europe and the world. With recent advances in all areas, ET is making significant progress, bolstered by the energetic support of an engaged scientific community. “The collaborative spirit that drives ET’s scientific community has been a source of inspiration and has attracted growing support from astronomy, astrophysics and related fields”, says Michele Punturo, spokesperson of the Einstein Telescope Scientific Collaboration and research director at the INFN Perugia division, Italy. The project also enjoys robust backing from political and societal leaders across Europe, and…
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Investigations for a Low Seismic Lab in Lusatia
06.12.2024 Investigations for a Low Seismic Lab in Lusatia Investigations are currently underway to determine where a Low Seismic Lab (LSL) can be realised in the granodiorite massif underground in Saxony’s Upper Lusatia region. The challenge is to create an environment of absolute seismic calm. Read more
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ET Annual Meeting in Warsaw
15. 11. 2024 ET Annual Meeting in Warsaw The international ET Collaboration gathered for its third annual meeting in Warsaw, Poland, from November 12 to 15, bringing together the scientific community from across Europe and the world. Researchers and engineers discussed recent advances in all areas of ET, confirming that the project is progressing significantly. Read more
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Lusatia Proposed Candidacy as Site for ET
12.11.2024 During the ET Collaboration´s Annual Meeting, Lusatia has proposed to become an official third candidate site for ET. This marks a significant step forward for the region, highlighting its unique combination of scientific, technological, and geological assets that align with the ambitious goals of the ET project. The Einstein Telescope is a proposed European gravitational wave observatory that aims to pioneer new frontiers in astrophysics by detecting gravitational waves from the most elusive and powerful cosmic events. With its advanced design and innovative technology, ET is poised to transform our understanding of the universe and make Europe a global leader in gravitational wave research. Lusatia’s geological foundation, specifically its…
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Lusatia Proposed Candidacy as Site for ET
12.11.2024 Lusatia Proposed Candidacy as Site for ET During the ET Collaboration´s Annual Meeting, Lusatia has proposed to become an official third candidate site for ET. The proposal highlights the unique combination of scientific, technological, and geological assets of the region that align with the ambitious goals of ET. Read more
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European Research Council Synergy Grant: Making sense of the unexpected in the gravitational-wave sky
05.11.2024 ERC Synergy Grant: Making sense of the unexpected in the gravitational-wave sky Existing and future gravitational-wave detectors will be capable of observing signals with such precision that they may reveal possible deviations from Einstein’s general theory of relativity and the standard model of particle physics. To fully exploit this unique instrumental capability, fundamental advances are required in the theoretical description of black holes and their dynamics, the gravitational waves they emit, their cosmic environment, and the physics beyond the standard model. To provide the necessary theoretical framework, the project GWSky has been awarded 12 million euros over the next six years by the European Research Council. Read more