Tip-tilt mirror suspension: Beam steering for advanced laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory sensing and control signals

We describe the design of a small optic suspension system, referred to as the tip-tilt mirror suspension, used to isolate selected small optics for the interferometer sensing and control beams in the advanced LIGO gravitational wave detectors. The suspended optics are isolated in all 6 degrees of freedom, with eigenmode frequencies between 1.3 Hz and 10 Hz. The suspended optic has voice-coil actuators which provide an angular range of +/- 4 mrad in the pitch and yaw degrees of freedom. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3669532]