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Design and initial operation of a 367-m2 rectangular ring laser
Robert W Dunn1, Dmitry E Shabalin, Robert J Thirkettle
1Department of Physics, Hendrix College, 1600 Washington Avenue, Conway, Arizona 72032, USA. dunn@mercury.hendrix.edu
Applied Optics
|March 30, 2002
Summary
This study demonstrates a large He-Ne ring laser resonator, achieving a 1513 Hz Earth-induced Sagnac frequency with high precision. Earth's rotation minimized lock-in issues, enabling stable single-mode operation.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Optical Engineering
- Metrology
Background:
- Ring laser gyroscopes are sensitive to rotation.
- Lock-in is a common issue in low-frequency operation.
- Helium-Neon (He-Ne) lasers are stable light sources.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and operate a proof-of-principle rectangular He-Ne ring laser resonator.
- To measure the Earth-induced Sagnac frequency.
- To investigate methods for achieving stable single-mode operation and overcoming lock-in.
Main Methods:
- Constructed a 77.0 m perimeter rectangular resonator.
- Operated with unevacuated beam lines.
- Increased plasma tube pressure to broaden the linewidth.
Main Results:
- Achieved an Earth-induced Sagnac frequency of 1513 Hz.
- Demonstrated a relative Allan deviation down to 3 parts per million over 1000 s.
- Earth's rotation effectively eliminated lock-in susceptibility.
- Single-mode operation was facilitated by increased plasma tube pressure.
Conclusions:
- The large He-Ne ring laser resonator is a viable proof-of-principle device.
- Earth's rotation is beneficial for stabilizing ring laser performance.
- Plasma tube pressure is a key parameter for achieving single-mode operation.