Generation of Gravitational Radiation in the Laboratory

Abstract

Abstract The generation of gravitational radiation by coherent excitation of a long row of oscillators is investigated. In particular we have considered diatomic linear chains as an idealization of thin piezoelectric crystals. We find a highly focussed superradiant beam of gravitational radiation in direction of the row and a total radiation power larger than the incoherent superposition of the oscillator radiation by the factor λ̲/a (λ̲ wavelength*, a distance between neighbouring oscillators). In spite of these optimum conditions it seems to us that the attainable magnitude of the radiation power of approximately 10-22 erg/sec is not high enough for a successful laboratory experiment.