Rotation and acceleration sensor based on superluminal ring lasers

A combined superluminal ring laser gyroscope and accelerometer device comprising:

• a clockwise resonant Raman laser pump module;
• a counter clockwise resonant Raman laser pump module;
• an optical pump module;
• a ring laser module;
• and
• a readout module,
• wherein each of the clockwise resonant Raman laser pump module and the counter clockwise resonant Raman laser pump module incorporate an element that produces a strong anomalous dispersion sufficient to cause the laser fields to propagate with group velocities in excess of the vacuum speed of light, wherein the anomalous dispersion is generated using a resonant Raman process in an alkali vapor,
• wherein the output from the clockwise resonant Raman laser pump module and the counter clockwise resonant Raman laser pump module combine with one of the two optical pump outputs on a dichroic beam combiner to form a combined set of beams,
• wherein the ring laser module receives the combined set of beams in a single cavity, wherein the ring laser module generates a pair of counter-propagating resonant Raman lasers in a single cavity, wherein the cavity contains a mirror mounted on an acceleration-sensitive element to generate acceleration detection,
• wherein the readout module receives the output of the ring laser module to produce a desired rotation and acceleration signal
• wherein the optical pump module includes a first 780 nm Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) laser and a second 780 nm DBR laser, wherein the output of the first 780 nm DBR laser is locked to an 85Rb absorption transition, wherein the output of the second 780 nm DBR laser is locked to an 87Rb absorption transition, wherein the output of the lasers is passed through a heated rubidium vapor cell.