Optically levitated micro gyroscopes with an MHz rotational vaterite rotor

Area of Science:

• Optomechanics
• Nanotechnology
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Levitated optomechanics enables manipulation and sensing applications using optically levitated particles.
• The use of levitated particles as gyroscopes for angular motion measurement has been a long-standing theoretical concept without experimental proof.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the first experimental realization of a rotor gyroscope based on optically levitated, high-speed rotating particles.
• To demonstrate the capability of this system to accurately detect external angular velocity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a micrometer-sized ellipsoidal vaterite particle levitated in a vacuum.
• Drove the particle to rotate at MHz frequencies.
• Analyzed changes in the rotational signal's frequency and amplitude in response to external angular velocity input.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated the first rotor gyroscope using optically levitated particles.
• The device accurately detects angular velocity by observing optical axis deviations.
• Achieved an angular rate bias instability of 0.08°/s, with theoretical potential for improvement to 10^-9°/h.

Conclusions:

• This work establishes a novel application for levitated optomechanical systems.
• The developed gyroscope is the world's smallest rotor gyroscope.
• The findings may facilitate the development of future quantum rotor gyroscopes.