Frequency Stabilization of a Helium-Neon Laser to a High-Finesse Ring Cavity.

Abstract

Research is ongoing to develop a passive Ring Laser Gyroscope RLG) capable of detecting rotation rates on the order of 10 to the 7th to the 10 to the 10th power of the earth's rotation rate. To obtain such sensitivity, a large high finesse resonant cavity is required. Using a high finesse cavity in a passive RLG configuration leaves the stability of the source laser as the limiting factor of performance. Recent experiments have demonstrated the ability to narrow the laser linewidth by locking the laser frequency to a high finesse cavity via feedback control to the source laser from the cavity in resonance. In this experiment, techniques were implemented to further reduce the linewidth of a Helium neon laser locked to a 25,000 finesse ring cavity. Results indicate that the sensitivity of a passive RLG with these modifications would improve through an increased signal to noise ratio. (Theses).

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1986
Accession Number
ADA177741

Entities

People

  • Alan H. Ratcliff

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cavity Resonators
  • Feedback
  • Frequency
  • Gyroscopes
  • Helium Neon Lasers
  • Lasers
  • Resonance
  • Ring Lasers
  • Rotation
  • Sensitivity

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Inertial Navigation Systems.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy