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IEEE Sensors Journal

The Implementation of a Compact Cold Atom Interference Gyroscope Based on Miniaturized Quartz Vacuum Chamber

Yingpeng Zhao, Dianrong Li, Jingyu Niu, Shuning Bao, Kaijun Zhang, Yuchen Wang, Bing Cheng, Cheng Zhang, Kexiao Niu, Yuanzheng Liu, Yazhou Yue, Xiaolong Wang, Bin Wu, Qiang Lin

Published Oct 25, 2024• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The cold atom interference gyroscope (CAIG) offer substantial potential for rotation measurement due to the high sensitivity and stability. The CAIG with a fountain configuration realized by four-pulse could provide a larger interference-loop area, and enhanced performance. However, this kind of CAIG is usually much larger and higher since it requires a vacuum chamber with sufficient height to achieve a long Raman pulse interval. We demonstrate a four-pulse CAIG based on a miniaturized vacuum chamber that enables portable and transportable rotation rate measurements. The main vacuum chamber is realized by whole glass material. The height of the vacuum unit is 0.7 m, the volume is${{8}.{86} \times {10}^{{4}}}~{{\textrm {cm}}^{{3}}}$, and the mass is 75 kg. Then, we estimated the performance of our portable CAIG in the environment of the underground laboratory and the fifth-floor office building. In the laboratory, the sensitivities of the homemade CAIG is${4}.{44}\times {10}^{-{6}}$rad/s$/(\text {Hz})^{1/2}$with an interrogation time of 55 ms and an interference area of 25 mm2. In addition, we measured the angular velocity of the Earth, the relative error is 2.4%. Furthermore, we transported the CAIG to the fifth floor of the office building, which is near the subway. Ultimately, the CAIG achieved a sensitivity of${5}.{47}\times {10}^{-{4}}$rad/s$/(\text {Hz})^{1/2}$. Additionally, the theoretical maximum interrogation time achieved by this CAIG is 124 ms corresponding to a sensitivity of${{5}.{62}\times {10}^{-{8}}}~{/(\text {Hz})^{1/2}}$. Our new design of the compact CAIG could provide novel insights into the miniaturization of CAIGs, while also pointing out areas for further improvement.

DOI
10.1109/jsen.2024.3483828

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The cold atom interference gyroscope (CAIG) offer substantial potential for rotation measurement due to the high sensitivity and stability. The CAIG with a fountain configuration realized by four-pulse could provide a larger interference-loop area, and enhanced performance. However, this kind of CAIG is usually much larger and higher since it requires a vacuum chamber with sufficient height to achieve a long Raman pulse interval. We demonstrate a four-pulse CAIG based on a miniaturized vacuum chamber that enables portable and transportable rotation rate measurements. The main vacuum chamber is realized by whole glass material. The height of the vacuum unit is 0.7 m, the volume is8.86×104 cm3{{8}.{86} \times {10}^{{4}}}~{{\textrm {cm}}^{{3}}}8.86×104 cm3, and the mass is 75 kg. Then, we estimated the performance of our portable CAIG in the environment of the underground laboratory and the fifth-floor office building. In the laboratory, the sensitivities of the homemade CAIG is4.44×10−6{4}.{44}\times {10}^{-{6}}4.44×10−6rad/s/(Hz)1/2/(\text {Hz})^{1/2}/(Hz)1/2with an interrogation time of 55 ms and an interference area of 25 mm2. In addition, we measured the angular velocity of the Earth, the relative error is 2.4%. Furthermore, we transported the CAIG to the fifth floor of the office building, which is near the subway. Ultimately, the CAIG achieved a sensitivity of5.47×10−4{5}.{47}\times {10}^{-{4}}5.47×10−4rad/s/(Hz)1/2/(\text {Hz})^{1/2}/(Hz)1/2. Additionally, the theoretical maximum interrogation time achieved by this CAIG is 124 ms corresponding to a sensitivity of5.62×10−8 /(Hz)1/2{{5}.{62}\times {10}^{-{8}}}~{/(\text {Hz})^{1/2}}5.62×10−8 /(Hz)1/2. Our new design of the compact CAIG could provide novel insights into the miniaturization of CAIGs, while also pointing out areas for further improvement.
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.
We present a precision atom interferometry gyroscope with a Sagnac area of 6.0 cm 2 . To drive the cold atom interferometry gyroscope, we utilize two sets of Raman beams with a pulse sequence of π /2- π - π - π /2. We present a procedure for aligning the two sets of Raman beams at the microradian level by making use of the atom interferometer itself in different configurations. Additionally, we measured the atomic cloud trajectory and implemented a spatial symmetry alignment for the atom interferometer. With these improvements, we construct a sensitive atom gyroscope with a stability of 1 nrad/s at an integration time of 10000 s. We analyzed the influence of Raman beams and the limitations of the system, and present the technical limits to the sensitivity and long-term stability. Finally, we point out the primary sources of noise in the atom interferometry gyroscope, clearing the way for the construction of further large-area atom gyroscopes.
We present an experimental demonstration of the rotation measurement using a compact cold atom gyroscope. Atom interference fringes are observed in the stationary frame and the rotating frame, respectively. The phase shift and contrast of the interference fringe are experimentally investigated. The results show that the contrast of the interference fringe is well held when the platform is rotated, and the phase shift of the interference fringe is linearly proportional to the rotation rate of the platform. The long-term stability, which is evaluated by the overlapped Allan deviation, is 8.5 × 10 −6 rad/s over the integrating time of 1000 s.
High-precision gyroscopes in space are essential for fundamental physics research and navigation. Due to its potential high precision, the cold atom gyroscope is expected to be one of the next generation of gyroscopes in space. Here, we report the first realization of a cold atom gyroscope, which was demonstrated by the atom interferometer installed in the China Space Station (CSS) as a payload. By compensating for the CSS's high dynamic rotation rate using a built-in piezoelectric mirror, spatial interference fringes in the interferometer are successfully obtained. Then, the optimized ratio of the Raman laser's angles is derived, the coefficients of the piezoelectric mirror are self-calibrated in orbit, and various systemic effects are corrected. We achieve a rotation measurement resolution of 50 μrad/s for a single shot and 17 μrad/s for an average number of 32. The measured rotation is -1142 ± 29 μrad/s and is compatible with that recorded by the classical gyroscope of the CSS. This study paves the way for developing high-precision cold atom gyroscopes in space.
High-precision gyroscopes in space are essential for fundamental physics research and navigation. Due to its potential high precision, the cold atom gyroscope is expected to be the next generation of gyroscopes in space. Here, we report the first realization of a cold atom gyroscope, which was demonstrated by the atom interferometer installed in the China Space Station (CSS) as a payload. By compensating for CSS's high dynamic rotation rate using a built-in piezoelectric mirror, spatial interference fringes in the interferometer are successfully obtained. Then, the optimized ratio of the Raman laser's angles is derived, the coefficients of the piezoelectric mirror are self-calibrated in orbit, and various systemic effects are corrected. We achieve a rotation measurement resolution of 50*10^-6 rad/s for a single shot and 17*10^-6 rad/s for an average number of 32. The measured rotation is (-1142+/-29)*10^-6 rad/s and is compatible with that recorded by the classical gyroscope of the CSS. This study paves the way for developing high-precision cold atom gyroscopes in space.
Using the technique of point source atom interferometry, we characterize the sensitivity of a multi-axis gyroscope based on free-space Raman interrogation of a single source of cold atoms in a glass vacuum cell. The instrument simultaneously measures the acceleration in the direction of the Raman laser beams and the component of the rotation vector in the plane perpendicular to that direction. We characterize the sensitivities for the magnitude and direction of the rotation vector measurement, which are 0.033 ∘/s^{\circ}/\mathrm{s}∘/s and 0.27 ∘^{\circ}∘ with one second averaging time, respectively. The sensitivity could be improved by increasing the Raman interrogation time, allowing the cold-atom cloud to expand further, correcting the fluctuations in the initial cloud shape, and reducing sources of technical noise. The unique ability of the PSI technique to measure the rotation vector in a plane may permit applications of atom interferometry such as tracking the precession of a rotation vector and gyrocompassing.