Research/Patents/US 5386288
US 5386288Tier 2 — Research Body

SPLIT GAIN MULTIMODE RING LASER GYROSCOPE AND METHOD

Assignee

Litton Systems

Filed as: LITTON SYSTEMS, INC.

Filed

Oct 28, 1987

Granted

Jan 31, 1995

Location

CANOGA PARK CA US

Abstract

A ring laser gyroscope uses a lasing-mode suppression technique to circumvent frequency locking rather than more common frequency biasing methods. The device operates with a four-mirrored nonplanar optical path that allows left and right circularly polarized, on-axis modes to lase in each direction when an included gaseous gain medium is electrically discharged. A uniform axial magnetic field is applied to the gain region in order to produce a splitting of the gain curve into two parts separated in frequency by the cavity free spectral range. By small adjustments to the cavity length the two gain curves are centered about consecutive cavity longitudinal mode sets, each consisting of four modes. Consequently only two modes from each set can lase, thus creating a four-mode ring laser gyroscope with arbitrarily large lasing mode frequency spacings controlled primarily by the cavity geometry. The device may be configured to operate with a single isotope of neon in the gain medium. A simple magnetic field servo mechanism provides a high degree of immunity to external magnetic field charges.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Imposed

May 17, 1988

Rescinded

May 23, 1994

Duration

6 years

Inventor

  • 1GRAHAM J. MARTIN

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Back to patent indexSource: USPTO 35 USC §181 secrecy order records