US 2014/0152994 A1 · OPTICAL FREQUENCY COMB STIMULATED BRILLOUIN SCATTERING GYROSCOPE

Abstract

Systems and methods for measuring rotation using an optical frequency comb stimulated Brillouin scattering gyroscope are provided. In certain embodiments, a system comprises a light source that produces a multiple-frequency light beam based on an optical frequency comb; and an optical fiber resonator coupled to the light source, the multiple-frequency light beam propagating in a first direction within the optical fiber resonator, wherein the multiple-frequency light beam generates stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) for a frequency, wherein the Brillouin scattering generates an SBS light beam to propagate in a second direction, the first direction being opposite in direction to the second direction. The system also comprises a servo to control the frequencies of the optical frequency comb to lock a plurality of component frequencies on resonance peaks of the optical fiber resonator; and a mixer that determines a frequency difference between the SBS light beam and the multiple-frequency light beam.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a light source configured to produce a multiple-frequency light beam based on an optical frequency comb;
an optical fiber resonator coupled to the light source, the multiple-frequency light beam based on an optical frequency comb generated by the light source propagating in a first direction within the optical fiber resonator, wherein the multiple-frequency light beam based on an optical frequency comb generates stimulated Brillouin scattering for at least one frequency, wherein the Brillouin scattering generates a stimulated Brillouin scattering light beam containing at least one frequency component to propagate in the optical fiber resonator in a second direction, the first direction being opposite in direction to the second direction;
at least one servo that controls the frequencies of the optical frequency comb so that a plurality of component frequencies of the optical frequency comb are locked on resonance peaks of the optical fiber resonator in the first direction;
and
a mixer configured to determine a frequency difference between the stimulated Brillouin scattering light beam and the multiple-frequency light beam.

2 more elements

A gyroscope comprising:

an optical fiber resonator;
a light source configured to provide a multiple-frequency light beam based on an optical frequency comb to the optical fiber resonator, the multiple-frequency light beam propagating through the optical fiber resonator in a first direction within the optical fiber resonator, wherein the multiple-frequency light beam stimulates Brillouin scattering for at least one frequency, the Brillouin scattering causing a stimulated Brillouin scattering light beam containing at least one frequency component to propagate in the optical fiber resonator in a second direction, the first direction being opposite in direction to the second direction,
wherein a plurality of frequency components in the multiple-frequency light beam are locked to resonance peaks of the optical fiber resonator and the plurality of frequency components have a frequency separation that tracks free spectral range drift of the optical fiber resonator;
a mixer configured to determine a frequency difference between the at least one stimulated Brillouin scattering light beam and the multiple-frequency light beam;
and
a rate output coupled to the mixer, the rate output configured to determine the rate of rotation based on the frequency difference.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical frequency comb stimulated brillouin scattering gyroscope

Life of this patent

Optical frequency comb stimulated brillouin scattering gyroscope

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20