Contact
Aaron Goodwin-Jones
Position
Research scientist
Address
Centre for Cosmology, Particle Physics and Phenomenology - CP3
Université catholique de Louvain
2, Chemin du Cyclotron - Box L7.01.05
B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Belgium
Université catholique de Louvain
2, Chemin du Cyclotron - Box L7.01.05
B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Belgium
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People responsibilities
Postdocs
PhD students
Master students
Visitors
Interns
Jue Zhang
(Other)
(member since January 2026)
I work on high-power laser systems for next-generation gravitational-wave detectors. My research focuses on reducing fundamental noise sources that limit detector sensitivity, particularly quantum noise and thermal noise in precision interferometric measurements. This includes the development of low-noise laser systems, optical stabilisation techniques, and high-power interferometric configurations for kilometre-scale detectors. I also study and mitigate parametric instabilities arising from the interaction between optical fields and mirror acoustic modes in long-baseline interferometers. My work combines experimental photonics, laser engineering, optical simulations, and control systems to improve the stability and sensitivity of current and future gravitational-wave observatories.
I work on high-power laser systems for next-generation gravitational-wave detectors. My research focuses on reducing fundamental noise sources that limit detector sensitivity, particularly quantum noise and thermal noise in precision interferometric measurements. This includes the development of low-noise laser systems, optical stabilisation techniques, and high-power interferometric configurations for kilometre-scale detectors. I also study and mitigate parametric instabilities arising from the interaction between optical fields and mirror acoustic modes in long-baseline interferometers. My work combines experimental photonics, laser engineering, optical simulations, and control systems to improve the stability and sensitivity of current and future gravitational-wave observatories.
PhD students
Charlotte Bragard
My PhD research focuses on mitigating coating Brownian thermal noise, a dominant sensitivity limit in precision optical cavities used for gravitational-wave detectors and optical clocks. The approach exploits high-order Hermite–Gaussian modes to broaden the optical intensity profile on cavity mirrors, thereby reducing thermal noise. I aim to implement HG25,25 modes in optical clocks, enabling improved stability without cryogenic operation or crystalline coatings. In parallel, I will realize HG33 modes in the Einstein Telescope High-Frequency interferometers, the highest order compatible with the current mirror design, to reduce noise near 30 Hz and improve sensitivity to primordial black holes. The project leverages ultra-stable cavities, state-of-the-art atomic clocks, and frequency-comb readout to probe sub-femtometre displacements.
My PhD research focuses on mitigating coating Brownian thermal noise, a dominant sensitivity limit in precision optical cavities used for gravitational-wave detectors and optical clocks. The approach exploits high-order Hermite–Gaussian modes to broaden the optical intensity profile on cavity mirrors, thereby reducing thermal noise. I aim to implement HG25,25 modes in optical clocks, enabling improved stability without cryogenic operation or crystalline coatings. In parallel, I will realize HG33 modes in the Einstein Telescope High-Frequency interferometers, the highest order compatible with the current mirror design, to reduce noise near 30 Hz and improve sensitivity to primordial black holes. The project leverages ultra-stable cavities, state-of-the-art atomic clocks, and frequency-comb readout to probe sub-femtometre displacements.
Swapnil Dhage
My PhD project focuses on developing advanced optical sensing and control techniques to enable quantum-noise-limited performance in the Einstein Telescope. By combining experimental work on prototype interferometers at UCLouvain with simulations and design studies, the project aims to demonstrate robust closed-loop control of transverse optical modes under realistic operating conditions. These techniques will be tested on large-scale facilities such as Virgo and the ET Pathfinder, ensuring their compatibility with next-generation detector requirements. Ultimately, this work will provide key technologies for improving the stability, sensitivity, and performance of future gravitational-wave observatories, while also contributing to advances in precision optics and quantum measurement.
My PhD project focuses on developing advanced optical sensing and control techniques to enable quantum-noise-limited performance in the Einstein Telescope. By combining experimental work on prototype interferometers at UCLouvain with simulations and design studies, the project aims to demonstrate robust closed-loop control of transverse optical modes under realistic operating conditions. These techniques will be tested on large-scale facilities such as Virgo and the ET Pathfinder, ensuring their compatibility with next-generation detector requirements. Ultimately, this work will provide key technologies for improving the stability, sensitivity, and performance of future gravitational-wave observatories, while also contributing to advances in precision optics and quantum measurement.
Master students
Visitors
Interns
Projects
Research directions:
Experiments and collaborations:
Active projects
Experiments and collaborations:
Active projects
ET-OPT - Advancing High Power Precision Interferometry
Charlotte Bragard, Giacomo Bruno, Ricardo Cabrita, Pavel Demin, Swapnil Dhage, Rodney Eckler, Vito Garzone, Aaron Goodwin-Jones, Alexander Moncello, Nicolas Szilasi, Morgane Zeoli, Jue Zhang
Gravitational wave detectors based on Michelson interferometry (such as LIGO, Virgo, ET) use very high laser powers and quantum-optics to overcome fundamental noises associated with the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. However, these high optical powers present a number of challenges including:
- Themoelastically driven changes in the mirror radii of curvature. This leads to:
+ Reduced optical power, therefore reduced sensitivity,
+ Modifications to the phase of optical control fields, limiting the operational time and power of the detectors
+ Quantum hyperloss, leading to reduced sensitivity
- Parametric instability - an optomechanical coupling that degrades interferometer sensitivity
- Angular instability, such as siggs-sidles.
ET-OPT is a next-generation high-power interferometry platform being developed at UCLouvain to advance optical technologies for future gravitational-wave observatories such as the Einstein Telescope and Virgo. The project focuses on developing real-time optical mode control loops in a prototype scale infrastructure. This unlocks the following possibilities:
- Increase optical power in today's gravitational wave detectors (such as Virgo)
- A concrete route towards the 3 MW of optical power targeted by ET
- New possibilities, such as the use of higher order modes for coating brownian noise reduction
- Dynamic control of gouy phase, without causing hyperloss, thus facilitating PI suppression
The work is carried out in close collaboration with Virgo and ET scientific consortia.
External collaborators: Nicolas Letendre (Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules), Alain Masserot (Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules), Emmanuel Pacaud (Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules), Carl Blair (University of Western Australia), Haochen Zhu (University of Western Australia), Chunnong Zhao (University of Western Australia), Liu Jian (University of Western Australia), Christophe Collette (ULiege), Matteo Tacca (Nikhef), Martin van Beuzekom (Nikhef), Sebastian Steinlechner (ETpf), André Füzfa (UNamur).
Gravitational wave detectors based on Michelson interferometry (such as LIGO, Virgo, ET) use very high laser powers and quantum-optics to overcome fundamental noises associated with the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. However, these high optical powers present a number of challenges including:
- Themoelastically driven changes in the mirror radii of curvature. This leads to:
+ Reduced optical power, therefore reduced sensitivity,
+ Modifications to the phase of optical control fields, limiting the operational time and power of the detectors
+ Quantum hyperloss, leading to reduced sensitivity
- Parametric instability - an optomechanical coupling that degrades interferometer sensitivity
- Angular instability, such as siggs-sidles.
ET-OPT is a next-generation high-power interferometry platform being developed at UCLouvain to advance optical technologies for future gravitational-wave observatories such as the Einstein Telescope and Virgo. The project focuses on developing real-time optical mode control loops in a prototype scale infrastructure. This unlocks the following possibilities:
- Increase optical power in today's gravitational wave detectors (such as Virgo)
- A concrete route towards the 3 MW of optical power targeted by ET
- New possibilities, such as the use of higher order modes for coating brownian noise reduction
- Dynamic control of gouy phase, without causing hyperloss, thus facilitating PI suppression
The work is carried out in close collaboration with Virgo and ET scientific consortia.
External collaborators: Nicolas Letendre (Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules), Alain Masserot (Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules), Emmanuel Pacaud (Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules), Carl Blair (University of Western Australia), Haochen Zhu (University of Western Australia), Chunnong Zhao (University of Western Australia), Liu Jian (University of Western Australia), Christophe Collette (ULiege), Matteo Tacca (Nikhef), Martin van Beuzekom (Nikhef), Sebastian Steinlechner (ETpf), André Füzfa (UNamur).
Publications in IRMP
All my publications on Inspire