Abstract / truncated to 115 words (read the full abstract)

This thesis describes the development of digital phase readout systems, so-called phasemeters, required for performing precise length measurements in and between satellites with laser interferometry at frequencies below 1 Hz. These technologies have been studied in the scope of the planned space-borne gravitational wave detector LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), and of future satellite geodesy missions such as GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) Follow-On. The studies presented here were conducted between 2010 and 2013 at the Albert Einstein Institute in Hannover, Germany. The first part of this thesis provides a comprehensive overview of the basic concepts of inter-satellite interferometry. The analogue and digital parts of the phase measurement chain are described, with a focus ... toggle 15 keywords

laser interferometry – aerospace – phase measurement – FPGA – VHDL – matlab – BPSK – phase noise – low frequency noise – phase-locked loop – PLL – delay-locked loop – DLL – precision measurement – gravitational physics

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