EPJ Plus Focus Point: Materials for Present and Future Interferometric Gravitational Wave Detectors

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Published on 23 June 2026

Guest Editors: Alex Amato, Elisabetta Cesarini, Mariana Fazio, Michele Magnozzi

This Focus Point on Materials for Present and Future Interferometric Gravitational Wave Detectors highlights significant advances as well as emerging challenges in the materials science underpinning both existing and next-generation observatories. As detector sensitivities continue to improve, fundamental noise sources become a key aspect in limiting the performance of detectors, making this a critical and timely area of research.

The present collection focuses on optical coatings and substrate materials, alongside closely related studies on advanced metrological techniques and suspension systems. Its aim is both to report recent progress and to foster future materials innovations that will enable further sensitivity improvements and new observational capabilities.

While emphasis is placed on the physical understanding and experimental characterization of materials relevant to gravitational wave detection, the guest editors also welcome theoretical and computational studies, methods papers, and the development of new metrological tools.

For information or a first contact:

Alex Amato, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Elisabetta Cesarini, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Mariana Fazio, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Michele Magnozzi, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Articles should then be submitted via the journal's submission system and clearly identified as intended for the topical issue “Focus Point on Materials for Present and Future Interferometric Gravitational Wave Detectors”.

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