Postdoc position on developing the alignment control for the ET(-pathfinder) mirrors

The goal of this project is to define the optimal control strategy for aligning the mirrors of the ETpathfinder interferometer and, later on, of the Einstein Telescope. Specifically, we intend to determine the most efficient and accurate way to sense the interferometer beams, and to develop the required tools for this (e.g. optical lever technology). Furthermore, we will identify the optimal control scheme for the automatic alignment of the interferometer mirrors with minimal impact on strain sensitivity. The activities in this project are a combination of design, analysis, simulations and laboratory experiments, both in the field of optics as well as control systems. It will be carried out partly at the Institute of Astronomy of KU Leuven (Belgium), and partly at ETpathfinder in Maastricht (Netherlands).