Investigation on Rotation Response of Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free Atomic Spin Gyroscope

Yuanhong Yang,Dongying Chen,Jiancheng Fang,Wei Quan,Feng Liu,Wei Jin

doi:10.1109/access.2019.2946379

Abstract

Spin-exchange relaxation-free atomic spin gyroscope (SERF gyro) has ultrahigh theoretical sensitivity and is regarded as one of the most potential atomic gyroscopes. To investigate its rotation response, a high linear atomic spin precession detection module was developed firstly by modifying the fiber reflective Sagnac interferometer for atomic spin precession detection and operating it in closed-loop mode. The SERF gyro based on K-Rb- 21 Ne comagnetometer was built and tested and appeared obvious nonlinear response feature. The nonlinear rotation response model was deduced by assuming the rotation-induced nuclei spin procession detecting as an in-situ magnetometer inside the SERF gyro and the fitting curves are in good agreement with the experimental results. The optimized pump power for maximum sensitivity and measurable dynamic range were analyzed theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. The investigation results show that the nonlinear rotation response is an intrinsic property of SERF gyro and its measurable dynamic range is limited due to the saturation characteristic of the sum of pumping and relaxation rate. This indicates that SERF gyro is propitious to a position gyroscope with high sensitivity.

Highlights

Gyroscopes are considered as core components of the inertial system which play an important role in the inertial navigation system [1]–[3]
The investigation shows the nonlinear rotation response is an intrinsic property of SERF gyro and it is propitious to a position gyroscope with high sensitivity
The experimental setup of SERF gyro based on K-Rb-21Ne comagnetometer with this detection module was built and its rotation response under different pump powers was tested experimentally

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Gyroscopes are considered as core components of the inertial system which play an important role in the inertial navigation system [1]–[3]. Our group proposed and experimentally demonstrated a single-fiber Sagnac-like interferometer for atomic spin precession detection with two oppositely circularly polarized beams instead of linear polarized light. We improved the detection system further and operated it in closed-loop mode with excellent linearity in large measure range. Based on this technology, the rotation response of a SERF gyro was investigated successfully. The investigation shows the nonlinear rotation response is an intrinsic property of SERF gyro and it is propitious to a position gyroscope with high sensitivity

LINEAR ATOMIC SPIN PRECESSION DETECTION

ROTATION RESPONSE MODEL

Findings

CONCLUSION