Investigation of a ring confocal resonator sample designed to work as an optical resonator gyroscope sensitive element

Abstract

A sample of a ring confocal resonator designed to operate as a sensitive element of an optical resonator gyroscope is studied. The sample has a monoblock design - the resonator is a single block (prism) with reflective surfaces operating on the effect of total internal reflection. The optical contour of the resonator has the shape of a square with a side length of 10 mm and is formed by four reflective surfaces. Three reflecting surfaces are flat, and one is toroidal with curvature radii in the meridional and sagittal planes that satisfy the confocality condition. The resonator is designed to operate at wavelengths of about 1.55 μm. The advantages of using a of a ring confocal resonator as a sensitive element of an optical resonator gyroscope are analyzed. In particular, it is shown that the reduction of the angular velocity measurement error caused by the optical Kerr effect becomes possible (compared to the use of a waveguide cavity and a whispering gallery mode cavity). The resistance of the system to external influences also improves.