Paper detail

Superconducting Antenna Concept for Gravitational Wave Radiation

We present an idea for detecting gravitational waves (GWs) by measuring the current induced in a superconducting loop by the rotation of a frame to which it is attached. The frame experiences a torque caused by a GW propagating perpendicular to it because it is made of materials of different density in adjacent quadrants. Superconducting Cooper pair system responds symmetrically to the wave and stays at rest, while the ions of the superconductor are being accelerated by the moving frame. This generates an electric current in the loop which can be measured precisely by sensitive electronics. For that task the antenna consists of two superconducting loops parallel to each other. One of them, the primary loop, rotationally oscillates because of the described reasons, while the second stays at rest. In the oscillating loop the current creates an oscillating magnetic flux. This flux should be compensated due to fluxoid quantization, by the oppositely directed current in the non-moving, secondary loop, in which the ions are at rest, and the Cooper pairs move. We estimate the resulting signal/noise ratio and discuss the signal detectability. Several designs are envisioned, both for terrestrial and for orbital arrangements of the antenna.