THIS GRANT IS A CONTINUATION OF N000141410804 - Quantum Spin Gyroscope
Abstract
Approach:The operational principles of MEMS gyroscopes are based on the Coriolis force and the fact that a vibrating mass will continue to vibrate in the same plane as its support rotates. Despite several advantages ? including small sizes, low current drives (~ 100?A) and large bandwidths (& 200deg/s) ? that have allowed MEMS gyroscopes to gain ubiquitous usage, they suffer from one critical drawback: the sensitivity drifts after a few minutes of operation, making them unattractive for geodetic applications [3]. The intrinsic reason for these drifts ? formation of charged asperities at the surface of the capacitive transduction mechanism ? is endemic to MEMS. Other physical systems that can be used as gyroscopes, are not affected by the same causes of drift. Ring laser [4] and fiber optics [5] gyroscope are based on the Sagnac effects and do not present any moving part, thus allowing for more robust operations. However, these types of gyroscopes do not reach the same accuracy as MEMS. Atom interferometers [6?8] or nuclear spins [9?11] promise to achieve better sensitivities but have not gained ainstream use because of other limitations. Indeed, to achieve sensitivities comparable to MEMS, these systems require large volumes (~cm3), long startup times, and large power and space overheads for excitation and detectionObjective:The proposed research will take important steps toward achieving a compact quantum spin gyroscope based on the NV center in diamond. This device could complement existing MEMS gyroscopes, enhancing their performance over longer times via an integrated device in diamond. A further extension would be to develop an inertial sensor completely based on the NV system, combining a clock with acceleration and rotation measurements.Naval Relevance:The proposed research effort aims at contributing to the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Atomic, Molecular and Quantum Physics Program goal by developing a novel sensor combining coherence properties and control techniques of atomic systems with the small size and ease of fabrication of solid-state devices. This novel sensor will contribute to the navigation capabilities of the Navy and Marine Corps. In addition, the proposed gyroscope could become part of a broader array of sensors based on the NV center in diamond. While the most prominent application to date has been in magnetic field sensing, this system is also able to measure electric fields, temperature, as well as strain fields (thus forces and accelerations) and to work as a clock. It is thus well poised to become an integrated inertial sensor for navigation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 26, 2018
- Source ID
- N000141612226
Entities
People
- Paola Cappellaro
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy