Chiral laser gyroscopes breaking the lock-in limit.

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Nonlinear Dynamics
• Quantum Optics

Background:

• Ring laser gyroscopes (RLGs) utilize the Sagnac effect for rotation sensing.
• The lock-in phenomenon limits RLG performance at low rotation rates.
• Existing solutions require external components, hindering miniaturization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a self-biased method for overcoming RLG lock-in without external components.
• To demonstrate deterministic chirality switching synchronized with rotation direction.
• To achieve high-precision rotation sensing at near-zero rates.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing chiral spontaneous symmetry breaking and nonlinear frequency pulling in a He-Ne RLG.
• Developing a theoretical model for phase transitions and bistable chiral states.
• Experimental validation of deterministic chirality switching and frequency response.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a self-biased RLG overcoming the lock-in phenomenon.
• Achieved deterministic chirality switching synchronized with rotation direction.
• Obtained an open-loop bias instability of 2.2 × 10⁻² degrees per hour.

Conclusions:

• The developed method enables all-solid-state, high-precision, and miniaturized laser gyroscopes.
• This work offers insights into nonlinear dynamics and spontaneous symmetry breaking in photonic systems.
• Potential applications in advanced motion sensing and exploration of fundamental physics.