Speaker
Description
As part of the Advanced Virgo upgrade program for the O5 observing run, IFAE has designed and constructed two instrumented baffles for installation near the interferometer input mirrors, extending the concept successfully implemented on the input mode cleaner during O4. The new baffles feature an enlarged geometry, 120 integrated photosensors, and a 1 kHz data acquisition system, with support for both wired and wireless operation.
We will present all stages of the project — from design and construction to the recent installation in spring 2026 — together with the expected performance derived from optical simulations. The results highlight the baffles’ capability to monitor beam misalignments, detect mirror surface defects, and contribute to interferometer pre-alignment. These results demonstrate the baffles’ potential as a diagnostic and operational tool for future observing runs.