Solid state ring laser gyroscope using rare-earth gain dopants in glassy hosts
US10739137B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 17, 2018 |
| Grant date | Aug 11, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 12, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/177
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A solid state ring laser gyroscope comprises a laser block including a resonant ring cavity having an optical closed loop pathway; a plurality of mirror structures mounted on the block and including respective multilayer mirrors that reflect light beams around the closed loop pathway; and a pump laser assembly in optical communication with the closed loop pathway through one of the mirror structures. One or more of the multilayer mirrors includes a rare-earth doped gain layer operative to produce bidirectional optical amplification of counter-propagating light beams in the closed loop pathway. In some embodiments, the gain layer comprises a rare-earth dopant other than neodymium that is doped into a glassy host material comprising titania, tantalum oxide, alumina, zirconia, silicate glass, phosphate glass, tellurite glass, fluorosilicate glass, or non-oxide glass. Alternatively, the gain layer can comprise a neodymium dopant that is doped into a glassy host material other than silica.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.