Rotation measurement in an inertial frame is an important technology for modern advanced navigation systems and fundamental physics research. Inertial rotation measurement with atomic spin has demonstrated potential in both high-precision applications and small-volume low-cost devices. After rapid development in the last few decades, atomic spin gyroscopes are considered a promising competitor to current conventional gyroscopes—from rate-grade to strategic-grade applications. Although it has been more than a century since the discovery of the relationship between atomic spin and mechanical rotation by Einstein [Naturwissenschaften, 3(19) (1915)], research on the coupling between spin and rotation is still a focus point. The semi-classical Larmor precession model is usually adopted to describe atomic spin gyroscope measurement principles. More recently, the geometric phase theory has provided a different view of the rotation measurement mechanism via atomic spin. The theory has been used to describe a gyroscope based on the nuclear spin ensembles in diamond. A comprehensive understanding of inertial rotation measurement principles based on atomic spin would be helpful for future applications. This work reviews different atomic spin gyroscopes and their rotation measurement principles with a historical overlook. In addition, the spin-rotation coupling mechanism in the context of the quantum phase theory is presented. The geometric phase is assumed to be the origin of the measurable rotation signal from atomic spins. In conclusion, with a complete understanding of inertial rotation measurements using atomic spin and advances in techniques, wide application of high-performance atomic spin gyroscopes is expected in the near future.
Rotation measurement in an inertial frame is an important technology for modern advanced navigation systems and fundamental physics research. Inertial rotation measurement with atomic spin has demonstrated potential in both high-precision applications and small-volume low-cost devices. After rapid development in the last few decades, atomic spin gyroscopes are considered a promising competitor to current conventional gyroscopes—from rate-grade to strategic-grade applications. Although it has been more than a century since the discovery of the relationship between atomic spin and mechanical rotation by Einstein [Naturwissenschaften, 3(19) (1915)], research on the coupling between spin and rotation is still a focus point. The semi-classical Larmor precession model is usually adopted to describe atomic spin gyroscope measurement principles. More recently, the geometric phase theory has provided a different view of the rotation measurement mechanism via atomic spin. The theory has been used to describe a gyroscope based on the nuclear spin ensembles in diamond. A comprehensive understanding of inertial rotation measurement principles based on atomic spin would be helpful for future applications. This work reviews different atomic spin gyroscopes and their rotation measurement principles with a historical overlook. In addition, the spin-rotation coupling mechanism in the context of the quantum phase theory is presented. The geometric phase is assumed to be the origin of the measurable rotation signal from atomic spins. In conclusion, with a complete understanding of inertial rotation measurements using atomic spin and advances in techniques, wide application of high-performance atomic spin gyroscopes is expected in the near future.
With the rapid development of modern physics, atomic gyroscopes have been demonstrated in recent years. There are two types of atomic gyroscope. The Atomic Interferometer Gyroscope (AIG), which utilizes the atomic interferometer to sense rotation, is an ultra-high precision gyroscope; and the Atomic Spin Gyroscope (ASG), which utilizes atomic spin to sense rotation, features high precision, compact size and the possibility to make a chip-scale one. Recent developments in the atomic gyroscope field have created new ways to obtain high precision gyroscopes which were previously unavailable with mechanical or optical gyroscopes, but there are still lots of problems that need to be overcome to meet the requirements of inertial navigation systems. This paper reviews the basic principles of AIG and ASG, introduces the recent progress in this area, focusing on discussing their technical difficulties for inertial navigation applications, and suggests methods for developing high performance atomic gyroscopes in the near future.
The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center is one of the major platforms in the evolving field of quantum technologies. The inertial surveying technology based on NV centers in diamond is a developing field with both scientific and technological importance. Quantum measurement using the solid-state spin of the NV center has demonstrated potential in both high-precision and small-volume low-cost devices. In terms of rotation measurement, the optically detected magnetic resonance has provided a perspective of the rotation measurement mechanism via the solid-state spin of the NV center. A new type of gyroscope based on the solid-state spin in diamond according to the theory has attracted considerable attention. In addition, combined with the ingenious quantum mechanics manipulation and coupling mechanism, acceleration measurement can be achieved through an efficient quantum detection technology of the NV center. This review summarizes the recent research progress in diamond-based inertial measurement, including sensitivity optimization methods for inertial measurement systems based on the NV center.
Gyroscopes find wide applications in everyday life from navigation and inertial sensing to rotation sensors in hand-held devices and automobiles. Current devices, based on either atomic or solid-state systems, typically impose a choice between long-time stability and high sensitivity in a miniaturized system. Thanks to their optical properties, nuclear spins associated with NV centers in diamond have been proposed to overcome this challenge. While optical polarization improves these devices' sensitivities, further improvement is needed. Here, we propose a gyroscope protocol based on a two-spin system that includes a spin intrinsically tied to the host material, while the other spin is effectively in an inertial frame. The rotation rate is then extracted by measuring the relative rotation angle between the two spins starting from their population states, which are robust against spin dephasing. Importantly, the relative rotation rate between the two spins is enhanced by their hyperfine coupling by more than an order of magnitude, further boosting the achievable sensitivity. The ultimate sensitivity of the gyroscope is limited by the lifetime of the spin system and is compatible with a broad dynamic range, even in the presence of magnetic noises or control errors due to initialization and qubit manipulations. Our result enables precise measurement of slow rotations and exploration of fundamental physics.
In recent years, developments in quantum sensing, laser, and atomic sensor technologies have also enabled advancement in the field of quantum navigation. Atomic-based gyroscopes have emerged as one of the most critical atomic sensors in this respect. In this review, a brief technology statement of spin exchange relaxation free (SERF) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) type atomic comagnetometer gyroscope (CG) is presented. Related studies in the literature have been gathered, and the fundamental compositions of CGs with technical basics are presented. A comparison of SERF and NMR CGs is provided. A basic simulation of SERF CG was carried out because of its high theoretic bias stability limit. Besides, some highly critical challenges for CGs were examined and reported with compensation methods. The objective of this review is to offer a guide for researchers to develop high-precision atomic gyroscopes and to encourage further research.
Atomic gyroscopes can be used to measure carrier's rotation information by atomic spin or Sagnac interference effect, which have the characteristics of high precision, small volume, and so on. In the first part, atomic gyroscopes are discussed with their principles, and recent research statues. In the second part, it is presented that the progress of nuclear magnetic resonance gyro (NMRG), spin-exchange relaxation free gyro (SERFG) and cold atomic interferometer gyro (CAIG) have been achieved in Beijing institute of control devices (BICD). For the NMRG, the key technologies are introduced, which include long relaxation time of small sized vapor cell manufacture, non-magnetic electronic heating system, static magnetic field stabling with double working materials, and the frequency of the laser stabling. The research achievements of NMRG in BICD are presented that, the Earth's Rotary Rate (ERR) has been sensed, the bias drift is better than 3°/h(1 σ). For the SERFG, the key technologies are introduced about high pressure vapor cell manufacture, and nuclear magnetic field compensation. The SERFG prototype in BICD is shown. For the CAIG, the key technologies are introduced about cold atoms maintaining in free space, chip for atoms manufacture, Raman pulse preparation, and cold atoms interference. The research achievements of CAIG in BICD are presented that the temperature of the cold atomic cluster achieved to 3 μ K, the number of the atoms in the cluster reaches 107. At last, the future applications and the development trends of atomic inertial systems are prospected with the remarkable performance of NMRG, SERFG, and CAIG.
Summary form only given. A collaboration between European research groups is developing novel atomic inertial quantum sensors based on matter-wave optics and Raman interferometry. For this purpose we are implementing a gravimeter and a gyroscope using ultra cold atoms as test masses. Inertial quantum sensors could represent a new tool for the precise detection of faint forces and tiny rotations. According to the principle of these sensors, the measured physical quantity will be converted into a frequency, which can be measured with highest accuracy. The items of atom interferometry will range from fundamental physical tests to many practical applications such as: local gravity measurements, allowing a precise underground mapping, and space navigation. In this contest the main goal is to realize modular and portable systems.