Aspects of optical meterology systems for space-borne gravitational wave detectors

This thesis is an account of the research carried out by the author in developing a range of necessary components for future gravitational wave detectors, between October 2009 and September 2013 in the Institute for Gravitational Research at the University of Glasgow. The aims of this thesis were to design, develop and test technologies which enable future space-borne interferometric gravitational wave detectors. The research was as part of a large international collaboration focused on developments for a space-borne gravitational wave detector by the name of LISA an all of her variants. At the university of Glasgow this collaboration included H.Ward, D.I. Robertson, C. J. Killow, E. D. Fitzsimons, M. Perreur-Lloyd and the author