Abstract: A laser gyro includes an amplifying solid element and a device for vibrating said amplifying solid element at a predetermined frequency, along an axis of revolution of said amplifying solid element. The geometry of said amplifying solid element is such that a natural mode of mechanical vibration of said amplifying solid element corresponds to said predetermined frequency.

Abstract: A laser gyro having a solid-state amplifying medium and an optical ring cavity includes an assembly encompassing the optical cavity and able to experience an oscillating rotational motion, as well as at least one external optical device for longitudinal injection of energy into the solid-state amplifying medium. The laser gyro also includes a fixing assembly adapted for translationally and rotationally binding said assembly encompassing the optical cavity and said external optical device for longitudinal injection of energy.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to position translatable mirrors in a laser gyrometer device is provided. For example, the method includes prepositioning three mirrors at an initial triplet of predetermined respective positions, simultaneously moving in translation the three mirrors within ranges having an amplitude that is lower than or equal to an intermode of an optical cavity, to ensure that the amplification medium provides a maximum gain. The intensities of the laser waves flowing respectively through each of the optical cavities are measured for each triplet of positions. The method includes determining, from the three triplets of mirror positions, the length of each of the three cavities at which the cavity provides a maximum intensity. The method includes determining a single final triplet of mirror positions for simultaneously imparting to the three lengths at which they provide a maximum intensity. The method includes positioning the mirrors according to the final position triplet.

Abstract: The general field of the invention is that of gyrolasers comprising at least one ring-shaped optical cavity comprising at least three mirrors, a solid state amplifying medium pumped by a laser diode whose optical emission power is determined by a current supply source, the cavity and the amplifying medium being such that two so-called contra-rotating optical modes propagate in opposite directions to each other within the said optical cavity, the gyrolaser being a class B gyrolaser, the gyrolaser also comprising means of measuring the difference in optical frequency existing between the two optical modes. The gyrolaser comprises means of measuring the total optical power circulating in the optical cavity and first means of control of the current delivered by the supply source in such a way as to maintain the total optical power substantially constant in a narrow spectral band centred on the relaxation frequency of the laser.

Abstract: Solid-state gyrolaser having a device for stabilizing the intensities making it possible to maintain equilibrium of the two counter-propagating modes having at least a means for calculating a rotation measurement (?, I?) of the gyrolaser on the basis of the counter-propagating modes having a frequency difference (??mes) between them, by assuming that the frequency difference (??mes) between the two counter-propagating modes is induced only by the rotation of the cavity.

Abstract: A laser gyro having a solid-state amplifying medium and an optical ring cavity includes an assembly encompassing the optical cavity and able to experience an oscillating rotational motion, as well as at least one external optical device for longitudinal injection of energy into the solid-state amplifying medium. The laser gyro also includes a fixing assembly adapted for translationally and rotationally binding said assembly encompassing the optical cavity and said external optical device for longitudinal injection of energy.

Abstract: A laser gyro includes an amplifying solid element and a device for vibrating said amplifying solid element at a predetermined frequency, along an axis of revolution of said amplifying solid element. The geometry of said amplifying solid element is such that a natural mode of mechanical vibration of said amplifying solid element corresponds to said predetermined frequency.

Abstract: In a method for positioning three translatable mirrors in a device that includes three laser cavities arranged in a ring, each of the three laser cavities includes an optical amplification medium that can be excited to generate light waves. Each of the three laser cavities also includes an optical cavity formed by a set of mirrors including two of the translatable mirrors, the length of the optical cavity depending on the position of the two translatable mirrors, wherein the two translatable mirrors can be moved within position ranges imparting to the optical cavity lengths at which the amplification medium generates at least one laser wave. Each of the three translatable mirrors is used in the formation of two of the three optical cavities. The method includes the phase of prepositioning the three mirrors at an initial triplet of predetermined respective positions.

Abstract: Solid-state gyrolaser having a device for stabilizing the intensities making it possible to maintain equilibrium of the two counter-propagating modes having at least a means for calculating a rotation measurement (?, I?) of the gyrolaser on the basis of the counter-propagating modes having a frequency difference (??mes) between them, by assuming that the frequency difference (??mes) between the two counter-propagating modes is induced only by the rotation of the cavity.

Abstract: The general field of the invention is that of gyrolasers comprising at least one ring-shaped optical cavity comprising at least three mirrors, a solid state amplifying medium pumped by a laser diode whose optical emission power is determined by a current supply source, the cavity and the amplifying medium being such that two so-called contra-rotating optical modes propagate in opposite directions to each other within the said optical cavity, the gyrolaser being a class B gyrolaser, the gyrolaser also comprising means of measuring the difference in optical frequency existing between the two optical modes. The gyrolaser comprises means of measuring the total optical power circulating in the optical cavity and first means of control of the current delivered by the supply source in such a way as to maintain the total optical power substantially constant in a narrow spectral band centred on the relaxation frequency of the laser.

Abstract: The field of the invention is that of solid-state ring lasers or laser gyros. The laser gyro according to the invention comprises at least one optical cavity in the form of a ring and a solid-state amplifying medium which are designed so that two counterpropagating optical modes can propagate in opposite directions one with respect to the other inside said optical cavity and pass through the amplifying medium, said amplifying medium being coupled to an electromechanical device imparting on said amplifying medium a periodic translational movement along an axis substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of said optical modes. Thus, the population inversion grating, written by the standing wave into the amplifying medium, which disturbs the nominal operation of the laser gyro, is greatly attenuated.

Abstract: A laser cavity optical architecture of a solid-state laser gyro measures rotational velocity or angular position and is based on a global conservation of the scale factor so that each parameter varies with temperature and avoids optical mode hops.

Abstract: The field of the invention is that of solid-state ring lasers or laser gyros. The laser gyro according to the invention comprises at least one optical cavity in the form of a ring and a solid-state amplifying medium which are designed so that two counterpropagating optical modes can propagate in opposite directions one with respect to the other inside said optical cavity and pass through the amplifying medium, said amplifying medium being coupled to an electromechanical device imparting on said amplifying medium a periodic translational movement along an axis substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of said optical modes. Thus, the population inversion grating, written by the standing wave into the amplifying medium, which disturbs the nominal operation of the laser gyro, is greatly attenuated.

Abstract: The field of the invention is that of solid-state laser gyros used for measuring rotational velocities or angular positions. This type of equipment is used in particular for aeronautical applications. The performance of a laser gyro depends on the temperature stability of its scale factor S which equals 4A/?·L, L and A being respectively the optical length and the area of the laser cavity and ? the average wavelength of laser emission with no Sagnac effect. Conventionally, in gas lasers, each parameter of the scale factor is chosen so as to be independent of temperature. In solid-state lasers which are of a very different nature to that of gas lasers, it is not possible to do this. The invention proposes a laser cavity optical architecture based on the global conservation of the scale factor, it being possible for each parameter to vary with temperature. It also proposes an architecture that makes it possible at the same time to avoid optical mode hops.