Precision stabilization of the optical frequency in a large ring laser gyroscope

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics
• Optical Engineering
• Metrology

Background:

• Ring laser gyroscopes are sensitive to geometric changes.
• Pressure variations can induce significant errors in Sagnac frequency measurements.
• Precise frequency stabilization is essential for high-accuracy gyroscopes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for stabilizing the Sagnac frequency in a He-Ne ring laser gyroscope.
• To counteract the effects of pressure-induced geometric changes.
• To improve the long-term stability and accuracy of ring laser gyroscopes.

Main Methods:

• Optical frequency stabilization using an iodine-stabilized laser.
• High-finesse Fabry-Perot interferometer for precision measurement.
• Piezoelectric control of the ring laser perimeter.
• Mitigation of backscatter-induced phase shifts.

Main Results:

• Stabilized the ring perimeter to 2.4 nm (6 x 10^-10).
• Achieved optical frequency stabilization of 300 kHz.
• Reduced Sagnac frequency pulling to 100 parts per million over several days.
• Demonstrated effectiveness despite low beam powers (10 pW).

Conclusions:

• The developed stabilization scheme effectively compensates for pressure-induced geometric variations.
• High precision in Sagnac frequency stabilization was achieved, enhancing gyroscope accuracy.
• The technique shows promise for improving inertial navigation systems and fundamental physics experiments.