Patent classifications
G01C19/661
METHOD FOR ESTIMATING SCATTERING COEFFICIENTS OF A LASER GYRO IN OPERATION AND ASSOCIATED GYROSCOPIC SYSTEM
An iterative method for determining scattering coefficients of the cavity of a laser gyro in operation supporting two counter-propagating modes, comprises steps of: determining a set of variables dependent on characteristic physical quantities of the laser gyro, one reference variable per dependency relationship being selected from the variables; measuring values of the characteristic physical quantities of the laser gyro in operation; determining measured values of the variables; estimating, via an iterative method, estimated values of the coefficients minimising a discrepancy between the measured values of the reference variables and estimated values of the reference variables, which are estimated from the values of the coefficients and the measured values of the variables other than the reference variables; and determining estimated values of the scattering coefficients from the estimated values of the coefficients.
Radio frequency ring laser gyroscope including a multiple electrode system and an impedance matching circuit
A ring laser gyroscope comprises a block defining a hermetically sealed cavity for a ring laser formed when a lasing medium disposed within the cavity is excited. A cathode and an anode are attached to the block at two fill positions comprised within the cavity, and exposed to the lasing medium such that the lasing medium is ionized when a high voltage pulse is supplied across cathode and anode. At least two RF electrodes are attached to the block, positioned on opposing sides to generate a capacitive discharge for the purpose of keeping the lasing medium excited. The gyro comprises a matching circuit to tune the frequency of a radio frequency (RF) signal generated by a RF power source before the RF signal is sent to the electrodes. The matching circuit is coupled to the RF electrodes via respective lead wires, and comprises an element matching network.
Shaken-lattice matter-wave gyro
A matter-wave gyro with counter-propagating traps uses three-dimensional lattices formed of interference fringes from three pairs of interfering laser beams. Particles, such as neutral atoms, ion, or molecules are cooled to a ground state near absolute zero. The resulting ultra-cold particles are loaded into the lattices. The laser beams used to form the lattices are driven according to functions that cause the lattices to counter-propagate about a closed path (Sagnac loop) N times, where a desired tradeoff between spatial resolution and temporal resolution can be achieved by choosing an appropriate integer value of N. The lattices can be extinguished so that the particles can be imaged to identify an interference pattern. A shift in the interference pattern relative to an interference pattern that would occur with zero angular momentum can be used to measure angular momentum.
APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SHELL FOR RESONATOR USING LASER
Proposed are an apparatus and a method of manufacturing a shell for a resonator using a laser. According to the apparatus and method, it is possible to stably manufacture 3D shells for a resonator in various shapes by applying heat through a laser and adjusting the degree of vacuum in a forming frame, it is possible to improve work safety and work efficiency, and it is possible to use various materials that are heated and deformed by a laser other than a glass material, thereby being able to increase generality of manufacturing. In particular, it is possible to accurately implement 3D shapes of a shell for a resonator such as a hemisphere or a semi-toroid, so it is possible to remarkably reduce a defective portion in manufacturing and the manufacturing cost, and considerably improve productivity.
Multi-layer silicon nitride waveguide based integrated photonics optical gyroscope chip with electro-optic phase shifter
An integrated photonics optical gyroscope fabricated on a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide platform comprises a first silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide layer that constitute a rotation sensing element; and, a second SiN waveguide layer with additional silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide-based optical components that constitute a front-end chip to launch light into and receive light from the rotation sensing element. The two SiN waveguide layers can be stacked together to have a multi-layer configuration vertically coupled with each other. External elements (e.g., laser, detectors, phase shifter) may be made of different material platform than SiN and can be hybridly integrated to the SiN waveguide platform. The phase shifters can be made of lithium niobate or other electro optic material.
Stimulated brillouin ring laser gyroscope with optical frequency offset of counterpropagating pump laser signals
A disk resonator is pumped by counterpropagating pump signals to produce corresponding counterpropagating Brillouin laser signals. The pump laser optical frequencies are separated by a frequency offset Δν.sub.P but excite the same nominal resonator optical mode; the Brillouin laser optical frequencies are separated by a beat frequency Δν.sub.L with 0<Δν.sub.L<Δν.sub.P. A photodetector receives the Brillouin laser signals and produces an electrical signal at the beat frequency Δν.sub.L. The frequency offset Δν.sub.P can be large so enough to prevent locking of the Brillouin laser signals onto a common Brillouin laser frequency. A signal processing system derives from the beat frequency Δν.sub.L an estimated angular velocity component of the disk optical resonator about an axis substantially perpendicular to the disk optical resonator.
SILICON NITRIDE WAVEGUIDE BASED INTEGRATED PHOTONICS OPTICAL GYROSCOPE CHIP WITH NOVEL MATERIALS FOR PHASE SHIFTER
An integrated photonics optical gyroscope fabricated on a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide platform comprises a first silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide layer that constitute a rotation sensing element; and, a second SiN waveguide layer with additional silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide-based optical components that constitute a front-end chip to launch light into and receive light from the rotation sensing element. The two SiN waveguide layers can be stacked together to have a multi-layer configuration vertically coupled with each other. External elements (e.g., laser, detectors, phase shifter) may be made of different material platform than SiN and can be hybridly integrated to the SiN waveguide platform. The phase shifters can be made of aluminum nitride (AlN) or strontium bismuth titanate (SBT).
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCED OPTICAL POWER CONTROL
Improvements to optical power regulation in a gyroscopic system are described. The system can include an optical assembly (e.g., optical bench) which couples opposing optical signals to a resonator coil. The system can monitor the power of the optical signals through the resonator coil by including signal extraction optics in the optical assembly which are configured to extract a portion of the optical signals. The portions can be extracted via a single beamsplitter, wherein the beamsplitter reflects the portions at a single common surface, and can also reflect the portions to a respective photodetector in free space free from intervening optical components, such as polarizers or beamplitters. One or more processors can be coupled to the optical assembly, wherein the processor(s) are configured to adjust the power of the optical signals in response to detecting a power difference between the optical signals.
ULTRAVIOLET FILTER FOR RING LASER GYROSCOPE MIRRORS
A multilayer mirror comprises a reflector section including a plurality of alternating layers of a high index material and a low index material, and a filter section over the reflector section. The filter section comprises a first filter layer including a low index material on a layer of high index material of the reflector section; a second filter layer on the first filter layer, the second filter layer comprising a high index material that is different than the high index material in the reflector section; and a third filter layer on the second filter layer, the third filter layer comprising a low index material. Each filter layer has an optical thickness greater than or equal to the optical thickness of each layer of the alternating layers. The filter section substantially blocks ultraviolet (UV) energy, thereby preventing UV energy from substantially impinging on the high index material of the reflector section.
Gyroscope, electronic device and method of detecting angular velocity
A gyroscope, an electronic device and a method of detecting an angular velocity. The gyroscope includes: a photoelectric detector and a light source, wherein the light source is movable relative to the photoelectric detector, and light emitted by the light source is able to be irradiated onto the photoelectric detector.