Title :
Toward the “perfect square” ring laser gyroscope
Author :
Beverini, N. ; Carelli, G. ; Maccioni, E. ; Cuccato, D. ; Ortolan, A. ; Santagata, R. ; Solimeno, S. ; Passeggio, G. ; Porzio, Alberto ; Belfi, J. ; Bosi, F. ; Di Virgilio, A.
Author_Institution :
INFN - Pisa, Pontecorvo, Italy
Abstract :
He-Ne ring lasers are, actually, the most sensitive devices for inertial rotation measurements. Depending on their linear dimensions, they find applications in different fields: from inertial navigation to structural engineering, from metrology to geophysics and fundamental physics. Here we report the recent progresses toward the development of GINGER- Gyroscopes IN GEneral Relativity, a triaxial ultra-sensitive ring laser gyroscope whose primary target is a ground measurement the Lense-Thirring effect, a small shift of the Earth rotation rate foreseen by Einstein´s General Relativity. This target implies a measurement of the Earth rotation rate with a sensitivity better than one part over 1010 and so requires a high level of stability and accuracy of the laser array and of the gyroscope stability. The main part of the research activity presented in this paper involves, then, a strict control of the systematic errors related to the fluctuation of the optical cavity geometry and of the laser parameters.
Keywords :
Earth rotation; gas lasers; general relativity; gyroscopes; laser arrays; laser stability; optical sensors; ring lasers; rotation measurement; Earth rotation measurement; Earth rotation rate; Einstein general relativity; GINGER; He-Ne ring laser gyroscope; fundamental physics metrology; geophysics metrology; gyroscope stability; gyroscopes in general relativity; inertial navigation; inertial rotation measurement; laser array; lense-thirring effect; optical cavity geometry; structural engineering; triaxial ultrasensitive ring laser gyroscope; Actuators; Arrays; Cavity resonators; Geodesy; Navigation; Laser noise; Lense - Thirring; Optical cavities control; Ring Laser Gyroscope; Sagnac effect;
Conference_Titel :
Photonics Technologies, 2014 Fotonica AEIT Italian Conference on
Conference_Location :
Naples
Print_ISBN :
978-8-8872-3718-4
DOI :
10.1109/Fotonica.2014.6843890