Shiny lab grade interferometer

Total Cost: ~£3,600

The version of the interferometer you see in these photos cost an estimated £3600 and required several bespoke parts to be designed and created by our mechanical workshop. For each option where appropriate and subject to agreement, we have included these cad files. The CAD files can be found at the gwexhibit repository under the design folder.

Component Supplier Part Number / Order Details Quantity £ (Each) £ Total
HeNe Laser + 12V supply Lambda Photonics LasosLGR 7650 and LGN 7465 1 700 700
2'' mirror mounts Newport SN200-F2K 2 165 330
Dome Talbolt Designs 650mm outer diameter, 27mm flanges, 1 91.5 91.5
Mirrors Thorlabs PF20-03-P01 2 79.56 159.12
Beamsplitter Thorlabs BSW27 Economy EBS2£53 1 245.57 245.57
PZT Thorlabs PK2FMP2 3 45.33 135.99
Lens (-50mm) Thorlabs LC1715-A 2 32.32 64.64
Vacuum Post Holder Thorlabs PH50V.M 2 24.72 49.44
1/2“ Post Thorlabs TR50/M 2 3.89 7.78
Clamping Fork Thorlabs CF125 9 8.26 74.34
1” Post Thorlabs RS2P4M 10 18.36 183.60
1/2 Post adapter base Thorlabs BE1/M 2 7.11 14.22
Plastic Tube The Plastic Shop 25mm Diam 1 15 15
Workshop Cost 1 1475 1475
Total 3546.20

Electronic interaction

Total Cost: £225

To add electronic integration into the exhibit, three seperate circuits are required to do this. These allow for four custom gravitational wave signsals to be injected into the interferometer, for the types of signals LIGO, VIRGO and Kagra are likely to detect. Breakdowns for each small electronic circuit are provided separately.

General electronics

Component Supplier Part Number / Order Details Quantity £ (Each) £ (Total)
Arduino Nano RS 696-1667 3 19.01 57.03
Raspberry PI RS 137-3331 1 34.07 34.07
Webcam RS 125-4274 1 25.79 25.79
PZT Circuit - See below for detailed breakdown 1
PD Circuit - See below for detailed breakdown 1
LED Circuit - See below for detailed breakdown 1
12V Supply RS 794-2796 1 £44.15 44.15
Box RS 476-9696 2 £4.34 8.68
Buttons Arcade World HIGH PROFILE 60MM ILLUMINATED ARCADE BUTTON 4 £2.88 11.52
Laser Supply Farnell 2451828 1 43.05 43.05
Total 224.29


Additional Circuits

PZT Circuit

Component(s) Quantity
220 Ω Resistor 2
10 kΩ Resistor 1
5.8 kΩ Resistor 1
1 kΩ Resistor 1
14 kΩ Resistor 1
0.1 μF Capacitor 1
47 μF Capacitor 1
IN4148 Diode 2
LT1677 Op Amp 1

Button Circuit

Component(s) Quantity
12V 10mm LED 4
1 kΩ Resistor 4
4.7 kΩ Resistor 4
BC478 Transistor 4

Lab Grade Interferometer

Total Cost: ~£730

This is a cheaper alternative to the inteferometer that we've used above. It will be compatible with the above circuits and the code used throughout the exhibit.

Component Supplier Part Number Quantity £ (Each) £ (Total
USB Laser Thorlabs PL202 1 93.47 93.47
Laser Mount Thorlabs AD11NT 1 18.26 18.26
Mirrors Thorlabs PF10-03-P01 2 40.19 80.38
Beamsplitter Thorlabs BSW10 1 26.18 26.18
1" Optic Mounts Thorlabs KM100 4 29.90 119.60
1/2" Post Holders Thorlabs PH50E/M 6 19.48 116.88
1/2" Posts Thorlabs TR50/M 6 4.01 24.06
Post Clamp Thorlabs CF125C/M 6 8.77 52.62
Breadboard Thorlabs MB3030/M 1 120.15 120.15
1" Lens Mount Thorlabs LMR1/M 2 11.77 23.54
1" Lens Thorlabs LC1715-A 2 24.15 48.30
Total 723.44