Low-Temperature Internal Friction and Elasticity Effects in Vitreous Silica

Abstract

Near 35°K the internal friction of vitreous silica reaches a peak value which increases with frequency. The temperature curves of the torsion and Young's moduli are concave upward with minima near 65°K and are independent of frequency. These effects are reversible with temperature. Their cause cannot be the usual type of relaxation process or anything involving diffusion or large amounts of shear.

Measurement of the mechanical loss of a cooled reflective coating for gravitational wave detection

“…Many studies (for example, Refs. [35,38]) found that the Q-value of the bulk SiO 2 has a local minimum (about 10 3 ) of around 30 K.…”

Optical absorption of ion-beam sputtered amorphous silicon coatings

“…Future, more sensitive detectors such as upgrades to Advanced LIGO [2] and the low frequency detector within the Einstein Telescope (ET) [3,4] may be operated at cryogenic temperatures to reduce thermal noise. The presently used test-mass material fused silica becomes unsuitable at low temperatures due to high mechanical loss and thus high thermal displacement noise [5]. A promising replacement material with low mechanical loss at cryogenic temperatures is crystalline silicon (cSi) [6,7].…”

Cryogenic Properties of Inorganic Insulation Materials for ITER Magnets: A Review

“…Data from Vonnegut and Glathart [1946] Data from Fine et al [1954], McSkimin [1953], and Spinner and Cleek [1960] ..............98 Data from Fine et al [1954] and McSkimin [1953] Data from Mamedov et al [1985;1987], Zeller andPohl [1971], and Flubacher et al [1959] Touloukian et al [1977], Gibbons [1959;citations therein], and White [1973] al. [1977].…”