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Defence Technology

The noise analysis and multi-physical field coupling study of high-precision SERF atomic gyroscopes

Jiaxin Liu, Xusheng Lei, Yu Yuan, Yizhe Zhou, Haoying Pang, Zhihong Wu

Published Apr 26, 2025• 17 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The spin-exchange relaxation-free atomic gyroscope, with its exceptionally high theoretical precision, demonstrates immense potential to become the next-generation strategic-grade gyroscope. However, due to technological noise, there is still a significant gap between its actual precision and theoretical precision. This study identifies the key factor limiting the precision of the SERF gyroscope as coupling noise. By optimizing the detection loop structure, a distinction between the dual-axis signals' response to optical and magnetic fields was achieved—where the optical errors responded similarly, while the response to magnetic noise was opposite. Based on the differences in the optical-magnetic response of the dual-axis signals, empirical mode decomposition was used to decompose the dual-axis gyroscope signals into multiple intrinsic mode functions, and Allan deviation analysis was applied to analyze the noise characteristics of the intrinsic mode functions over various periods. This study successfully reveals that optical errors caused by thermal-optical coupling and long-period magnetic noise induced by thermal-magnetic coupling are the dominant factors limiting the long-term stability of the SERF gyroscope. Based on these analyses, the study concludes that to achieve strategic-grade precision for the SERF gyroscope, it is essential to effectively address the noise issues caused by multi-physical field couplings.

DOI
10.1016/j.dt.2025.04.015

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The spin-exchange relaxation-free atomic gyroscope, with its exceptionally high theoretical precision, demonstrates immense potential to become the next-generation strategic-grade gyroscope. However, due to technological noise, there is still a significant gap between its actual precision and theoretical precision. This study identifies the key factor limiting the precision of the SERF gyroscope as coupling noise. By optimizing the detection loop structure, a distinction between the dual-axis signals' response to optical and magnetic fields was achieved—where the optical errors responded similarly, while the response to magnetic noise was opposite. Based on the differences in the optical-magnetic response of the dual-axis signals, empirical mode decomposition was used to decompose the dual-axis gyroscope signals into multiple intrinsic mode functions, and Allan deviation analysis was applied to analyze the noise characteristics of the intrinsic mode functions over various periods. This study successfully reveals that optical errors caused by thermal-optical coupling and long-period magnetic noise induced by thermal-magnetic coupling are the dominant factors limiting the long-term stability of the SERF gyroscope. Based on these analyses, the study concludes that to achieve strategic-grade precision for the SERF gyroscope, it is essential to effectively address the noise issues caused by multi-physical field couplings.
The ultra-sensitive atomic co-magnetometer based on the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) regime is a valuable tool for inertial measurements and fundamental physics research. However, the optical magnetic misalignment effect is a significant source of error in SERF co-magnetometers, limiting their magnetic field suppression ability and long-term stability. This paper establishes a response model of angular velocity and magnetic field for the SERF co-magnetometer. The impact of optical magnetic misalignment on the scale factor, magnetic field amplitude-frequency response, and angular velocity errors caused by magnetic noise is systematically investigated. The results indicate that the scale factor and magnetic field suppression ability decrease as the optical magnetic misalignment angle increases, while the angular velocity errors caused by magnetic noise increase as the misalignment angle increases. Finally, experimental results demonstrate that the optical-magnetic misalignment effect significantly compromises the long-term stability of SERF co-magnetometers, underscoring its substantial influence on the overall performance. This work contributes to understanding the mechanism of optical magnetic misalignment effects on the SERF co-magnetometer and enhances its performance.
Spin-exchange relaxation-free atomic spin gyroscope (SERF gyro) has ultrahigh theoretical sensitivity and is regarded as one of the most potential atomic gyroscopes. To investigate its rotation response, a high linear atomic spin precession detection module was developed firstly by modifying the fiber reflective Sagnac interferometer for atomic spin precession detection and operating it in closed-loop mode. The SERF gyro based on K-Rb-21Ne comagnetometer was built and tested and appeared obvious nonlinear response feature. The nonlinear rotation response model was deduced by assuming the rotation-induced nuclei spin procession detecting as an in-situ magnetometer inside the SERF gyro and the fitting curves are in good agreement with the experimental results. The optimized pump power for maximum sensitivity and measurable dynamic range were analyzed theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. The investigation results show that the nonlinear rotation response is an intrinsic property of SERF gyro and its measurable dynamic range is limited due to the saturation characteristic of the sum of pumping and relaxation rate. This indicates that SERF gyro is propitious to a position gyroscope with high sensitivity.
The atomic comagnetometers (ACMs) based on the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) regime exhibit extremely high sensitivity in angular velocity measurements, positioning them as leading candidates for next-generation precision inertial sensing. However, magnetic noise remains a significant factor that contributes significantly to long-term bias drift. Here, a comprehensive model in full-frequency band of the angular velocity measurement error induced by magnetic noise in ACMs is established. Based on the proposed model, what we believe to be a new method is proposed to reduce magnetic noise error by suppressing the magnetic field response in the mid-frequency range. After optimizing the temperature of the vapor cell to minimize the magnetic field response in the mid-frequency range, the angular velocity measurement error caused by magnetic noise was reduced by 20.4%, and the bias drift was improved by 34.8%. The theories and methods proposed in this study innovatively highlight the critical role of mid-frequency magnetic field responses in suppressing magnetic noise errors, and provide important guidance for improving bias drift in SERF ACMs.
Abstract The frequency-response and dynamics of a dual-axis spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer are investigated by means of transfer function analysis. The frequency-response at different bias magnetic fields is tested to demonstrate the effect of the residual magnetic field. The resonance frequency of alkali atoms and magnetic linewidth can be obtained simultaneously through our theoretical model. The coefficient of determination of the fitting results is superior to 0.995 with 95% confidence bounds. Additionally, step responses are applied to analyze the dynamics of the control system and the effect of imperfections. Finally, a noise-limited magnetic field resolution of 15 f T H z − 1 has been achieved for our dual-axis SERF atomic magnetometer through magnetic field optimization.
Abstract Atomic spin comagnetometers based on the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) effect offer significant potential for inertial sensing and support the development of long-endurance, high-precision navigation technologies. However, limited nuclear spin polarization constrains the long-term stability of these systems. Here, a flat-top optical pumping configuration is introduced for SERF comagnetometers, expanding the uniform-intensity region of the beam to approximately 62 % , which enhances atomic polarization by around 19 % and improves magnetic noise suppression by 32 % . Experimental results demonstrate notable improvements in both sensitivity and long-term stability, highlighting the effectiveness of flat-top beams in overcoming atomic polarization uniformity limitations and advancing SERF co-magnetometer performance.
Spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometers operated under a near-zero magnetic field are used for vector magnetic field measurements with high sensitivity. Previously, the cross-axis coupling error evoked by a nonzero background magnetic field has been verified to be adverse in modulated single-beam magnetometers. Here, in a dual-beam unmodulated SERF magnetometer, we propose a somewhat different solution model for the cross-axis coupling effect where the field of interest couples with the interference field. Considering two cases where the transverse or longitudinal background field exists, the cross-axis coupling effect dependence on multiple factors is investigated here based on the dynamic response under a background magnetic field within ±5 nT. The theoretical and experimental investigation suggests that it has an adverse impact on the output response amplitude and phase and tilts the sensitive axis by several degrees, causing a measurement error on the dual-beam magnetometer. To suppress this effect, the background magnetic field is compensated through the PI closed-loop control. The coupling effect is effectively suppressed by 1.5 times at the 10–40 Hz low-frequency band and the sensitivity reaches 2.4 fT/Hz1/2.