Laser Gyroscope Based on Synchronously Pumped Bidirectional Fiber Optical Parametric Oscillator
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LASER GYROSCOPE BASED ON SYNCHRONOUSLY PUMPED BIDIRECTIONAL FIBER OPTICAL PARAMETRIC OSCILLATOR By Jeffrey Noble ___________________________ Copyright © Jeffrey Scott Noble 2017 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the COLLEGE OF OPTICAL SCIENCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTERS OF SCIENCE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2017 1 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR The thesis titled ‘Laser Gyroscope based on Synchronously Pumped Bidirectional Fiber Optical Parametric Oscillator’ prepared by Jeffrey Noble has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for a master’s degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: Jeffrey Noble APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: 5/22/17 Khanh Kieu Date Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences 2 Acknowledgement First, I would like to thank Dr. Khanh Kieu for advising me during my time as a graduate student at the University of Arizona. It was only with his help and guidance I could complete this project. Dr. Kieu was always willing to help with tests experiments in lab while inciting knowledge that expanded my understand of the subjects that were needed to complete this program. I would also like to thank everyone that I worked in the Ultrafast Fiber Lasers and Nonlinear Optics Group. It was always a pleasure working alongside all of them during my time at the University. Next, I would like to thank Chase and Lauren Salsbury. Without their support, I would not have been able to make it through the master’s program or the undergrad program. Finally, thank you to my family. Always being there with encouraging words, love and support. Thank you. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 1) Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 8 1.1 Sagnac Effect ...................................................................................................................................... 8 1.2 Ring Laser Gyroscope ....................................................................................................................... 10 1.3 Lock In Bias and Dither .................................................................................................................... 11 1.4 Fiber Optic Gyroscope ...................................................................................................................... 12 1.5 Polarization and Fiber Optics ............................................................................................................ 14 1.6 Fiber Optical Parametric Oscillator .................................................................................................. 17 1.7 Mode-Locked Laser Gyroscope ........................................................................................................ 20 2) Experimental Design .............................................................................................................................. 23 2.1 Mode Lock Laser Design .................................................................................................................. 24 2.2 Bidirectional Fiber Optical Parametric Oscillator Design ................................................................ 30 2.3 Housing Design ................................................................................................................................. 31 3) Results .................................................................................................................................................... 34 4) Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................. 43 References ................................................................................................................................................... 44 4 List of Figures Figure 1.1 Basic Sagnac Effect Example ........................................................................................................ 8 Figure 1.2 Shows that a triangle shape (as well as others) can used for a closed loop interferometer....... 9 Figure 1.3 Left: Ring Laser Gyroscope Right: Better image of an active ring laser gyroscope. These two show that the cavity can be constructed in multiple shapes [6], [7] .......................................................... 10 Figure 1.4 Interferometric Fiber Optic Gyroscope [9] ................................................................................ 12 Figure 1.5 Resonant Fiber Optic Gyroscope [12] ........................................................................................ 13 Figure 1.6 Different Cladding and Core designs for optical fibers. [14] ...................................................... 15 Figure 1.7 Shows the attenuation in silica fibers over a range of wavelengths. [14] ................................. 16 Figure 1.8 The three most common designs of polarization maintaining fiber [18] .................................. 17 Figure 1.9 To the left is schematic for a bulk, free-space optical parametric oscillator. The image on the right shows a simple plot of the input and output of an OPO [RP Photonics] ........................................... 18 Figure 1.10 An experimental design for a bidirectional, synchronously pump, ring optical parametric oscillator [20] .............................................................................................................................................. 18 Figure 1. 11 Normal Dispersion FOPO [21] ................................................................................................. 19 Figure 1.12 a) Degenerate FWM in the frequency domain b) Non-degenerate FWM in the frequency domain c) Degenerate FWM in an energy level diagram d) Non-degenerate FWM in an energy level diagram [22] ................................................................................................................................................ 20 Figure 2.1 Schematic of the experiment consisting of the mode locked laser pump, fiber amplifier, and a bidirectional OPO ........................................................................................................................................ 23 Figure 2.2 Schematic of Mode-Lock Fiber Laser ......................................................................................... 24 Figure 2.3 Setup for testing polarization, and the resulting voltage outputs ............................................. 25 Figure 2.4 Mode-Locked Laser's output power .......................................................................................... 25 Figure 2.5 Multiple OSA readings for output spectrum of the Mode-Locked Laser ................................... 26 Figure 2.6 Top: Oscilloscope Reading Bottom: Autocorrelation of the Mode-Locked Laser...................... 27 5 Figure 2.7 Isolator and Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier ............................................................................... 28 Figure 2.8 Output power after the amplifier. The pump current for the Mode-Locked laser remained constant while the pump for the amplifier was adjusted. ......................................................................... 28 Figure 2.9 OSA readings after the amplifier ................................................................................................ 29 Figure 2.10 Couplers and Bidirectional Optical Parametric Oscillator ........................................................ 30 Figure 2.11 Layout in the bottom layer of foam ......................................................................................... 32 Figure 2.12 CAD drawing of the housing with the material components .................................................. 32 Figure 3.1 OSA reading for both arms and the recombined signal ............................................................. 35 Figure 3.2 Left: shows the beatnote around the Repetition Rate. Right is a closer look at the beatnote signal ........................................................................................................................................................... 36 Figure 3.3 Time Signal and Fourier Transform ............................................................................................ 37 Figure 3.4 Frequency Counter readings with and without the foam ......................................................... 38 Figure 3.5 Power Readings from both arms ..............................................................................................