The sensitivity of resonant bar gravitational wave detectors can potentially be increased by another two orders of magnitude. A key step in achieving this goal is the development of novel electromechanical transducers. Professor Bocko's research will seek to perfect a parametric transducer which converts extremely small mechanical vibrations of the bar antenna to an electrical signal by modulation of a capacitance in a superconducting radio-frequency bridge circuit. This transducer design will be available to other groups to extend the range of the most advanced large antennas. It will also allow the development of small receivers with interesting sensitivity levels for searches for gravitational waves in our galaxy.
