This award is part of the NSF program to encourage Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI). It will support the development of non-destructive techniques to characterize the optical absorption of large optical elements to be used in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). This technology will be used to control the quality of the optical elements to be used in the high power environment of the future LIGO detectors. Undergraduate students will be involved directly in all aspects of the research program. This project is jointly supported by the Division of Physics and the MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities.
