Passive ring resonator method for sensitive inertial rotation measurements in geophysics and relativity

Abstract

As part of a program to develop sensitive laser inertial rotation sensors, we have studied the performance of a passive-resonator technique using a 0.7-m × 0.7-m optical cavity. For an averaging time τ of 10 sec, the random drift was 1.1 × 10⁻² deg/h, which was consistent with the shot-noise limit for the present setup. For a longer averaging time the random drift was 5.6 × 10⁻³ deg/h (τ = 90 sec), showing a slight departure from the shot-noise limit. The problems encountered in the present apparatus, as well as those that are critical in the development of much larger resonators for geophysics and relativity applications, are discussed.

© 1981 Optical Society of America

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