First test of a BAE transducing scheme on a resonant gravitational-wave antenna

We present the results obtained with a resonant capacitive transducer, suitable for Back Action Evasion (BAE) measurements, coupled for the fir st time to a gravitational-wave antenna. This scheme was developed in collaboration with the Group of the University of Rome La Sapienza. The antenna is a 270 kg aluminum 5056 alloy cylinder, with a resonant frequency of 1805 Hz, operating at 4.2 K in the ALTAIR cryostat, located in Frascati (Italy) at the IFSI-CNR laboratory. The apparatus was able to work continuously for periods as long as days, both in up-conversion and BAE configurations, with good stability. The behaviour of the system is in reasonable agreement with a proposed model of a double harmonic oscillator in a BAE readout scheme. The limits on the sensitivity of this set-up are discussed as well as the possible future improvements.