Cryogenic nuclear gyroscope
AssigneeNational Research Development Corporation
InventorsJohn C. Gallop, Susan P. Potts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cryogenic nuclear gyroscope comprises a cylinder of niobium cooled within a helium cryostat so as to be superconducting and to provide a trapped, substantially homogeneous magnetic field, a helium-3 sample contained within a spherical pyrex cell having nuclei possessing a net magnetic moment, coils provided to polarize the sample to provide that net magnetic moment, a SQUID magnetometer coupled to the sample by a pick-up coil of a transformer and frequency sensitive means coupled to the SQUID to detect changes in the precession of the nuclear moments of the sample caused by rotation of the gyroscope about an axis parallel to the direction of the homogeneous magnetic field. A superconducting lead shield isolates the helium-3 sample from external magnetic fields.
Claims35
A cryogenic nuclear gyroscope comprising superconducting means to provide a substantially homogeneous magnetic field, a magnetic field sensitive substance having nuclei possessing a net magnetic moment, means to polarise the said substance to provide said net nuclear magnetic moment, detector means sensitive to the changes in magnetic flux caused by precession of the nuclear moments of said substance when in said homogeneous magnetic field and frequency sensitive means to detect changes in said precession caused by rotation of the gyroscope about an axis parallel to the direction of said homogeneous magnetic field.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.