Quantum Limits of Inertial Sensors

This proposal aims at the highest performance inertial instrument for space navigation.
More specifically, achieving a sensitivity for these instruments beyond the quantum limits fits ideally the critical needs of NASA for improved onboard autonomous navigation technologies, to support the next generation space missions. The final instruments will be based on mode-locked fiber lasers in the cavity of which two pulses circulate; a linear cavity for the accelerometer, a ring for the gyroscope. In both cases, the response to rotation or acceleration is a beat frequency between the two frequency combs corresponding to each of the circulating pulses. While in the ring laser the gyro response is proportional to the linear dimensions, the beat frequency response of the accelerometer is inversely proportional to the linear dimensions. The accelerometer will benefit from miniaturization (integrated optics), while the gyroscope can be made of a fiber ring laser covering a large area (still a very small volume). The scientific challenge involves devising new methods to (i) enhance the response (i.e. a larger beat frequency for the same rotation rate or acceleration) and (ii) reducing the noise below the quantum limit. Fiber lasers do not have the flexibility to act as model systems needed for this basic investigation. Therefore, we will initiate the research with discrete component lasers - specifically optical parametric oscillators, synchronously pumped by a Ti:sapphire laser. The first operation will be to eliminate all sources of mechanical noise until the quantum noise limit has been achieved (and identified). Next, different means of noise squeezing will be attempted. One method involves the use of a degenerate optical parametric oscillator. Another method involves interfering a soliton (with noise characteristic deformed by Kerr effect) with a dispersed pulse. Once the most successful noise reduction scheme has been identified, it will be applied to a fiber system in a linear and ring cavity.

Increasing the fundamental precision of gyroscopes and accelerometers that utilize optical cavities could benefit autonomous navigation and open up new science possibilities. In particular this project could lead to faster, smaller, more precise inertial sensors with cross cutting benefits to a variety of missions including situations such as entry, descent, and landing, surface operations with rovers, formation flying, and missions to small bodies, with particular benefits in situations where tight controls, rapid accelerations, or where knowledge of the environment is limited. Applications in defense include operations in GPS-denied environments. Science possibilities include improved measurements of fundamental physical constants, ground-based measurements of general relativistic effects, as well as gravity wave detection.

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