Abstract: One example includes an instrument system. The system includes instrument components at least partially disposed in an evacuated chamber within an instrument housing. The system also includes a barrier that is configured to seal the evacuated chamber. The barrier includes a plurality of instrument electrodes that are electrically coupled to the instrument components and extending through the barrier. The system further includes a diffusion block formed of a non-diffusive material and coupled to the instrument housing to seal an evacuated cavity within the instrument housing between the barrier and the diffusion block.

Abstract: One example includes an instrument system. The system includes instrument components at least partially disposed in an evacuated chamber within an instrument housing. The system also includes a barrier that is configured to seal the evacuated chamber. The barrier includes a plurality of instrument electrodes that are electrically coupled to the instrument components and extending through the barrier. The system further includes a diffusion block formed of a non-diffusive material and coupled to the instrument housing to seal an evacuated cavity within the instrument housing between the barrier and the diffusion block.

Abstract: A gyroscope sensor is provided that comprises a resonator including a stem extending along an axis and a shell extending from the stem. The shell includes a hemispherical portion extending from the stem and a cylindrical portion extending from the hemispherical portion. The cylindrical portion includes an outer surface and an inner surface and terminates at an axial end surface that is perpendicular to the outer surface and the inner surface. The resonator further comprises an inner cylindrical substrate that extends along an axis and includes a set of inner electrodes arranged annularly about the axis, and a passage that extends along the axis through a central region of the inner cylindrical substrate. The stem extends through the passage to position the inner cylindrical substrate within the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the resonator forming gaps between the set of inner electrodes and the inner surface.

Abstract: A gyroscope sensor is provided that comprises a resonator including a stem extending along an axis and a shell extending from the stem. The shell includes a hemispherical portion extending from the stem and a cylindrical portion extending from the hemispherical portion. The cylindrical portion includes an outer surface and an inner surface and terminates at an axial end surface that is perpendicular to the outer surface and the inner surface. The resonator further comprises an inner cylindrical substrate that extends along an axis and includes a set of inner electrodes arranged annularly about the axis, and a passage that extends along the axis through a central region of the inner cylindrical substrate. The stem extends through the passage to position the inner cylindrical substrate within the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the resonator forming gaps between the set of inner electrodes and the inner surface.

Abstract: The uniformity of individual layers of multiple coating materials deposited on a substrate in a vacuum deposition process (such as for manufacturing mirrors for use in ring laser gyroscopes) is improved by an apparatus and method that include changing the masks placed in front of the substrate upon which the coating materials are to be deposited. Separate masks are tuned for each particular coating material to compensate for the unique plume shape of the material, and provide a uniform deposition of that particular coating material. Each mask is positioned in front of the substrate when the material for which the mask has been tuned is being deposited. The masks are changed when the coating material is changed, without venting the chamber.