Electromagnetic (high-frequency) gravitational wave detectors: Interferometers revisited

TL;DR

This paper reviews high-frequency gravitational wave detectors based on electromagnetic interferometers, analyzing their theoretical response functions and highlighting differences and similarities in various proposed experimental approaches.

Contribution

It re-derives the response function of interferometers in the low-frequency limit within a broader electromagnetic-gravity coupling framework, providing a unified perspective.

Findings

Different approaches to electromagnetic gravitational wave detection are compared.

The response function of interferometers is derived as a low-frequency limit.

The paper highlights the rich phenomenology of electromagnetic-gravity coupling.

Abstract

Increased interest in pushing the frontier of gravitational wave searches to higher frequencies (kHz and beyond) has resulted in a variety of different proposed experimental concepts. A significant fraction of them are based on the coupling between classical electromagnetism and gravity. We highlight some differences and similarities between different approaches, showcasing the rich phenomenology arising from this coupling. We use the opportunity to re-derive the response function of interferometers as the low-frequency limit of a broader picture. This article was prepared as proceedings for Moriond Cosmology 2024.