Abstract: An embodiment of a waveguide has a Brillouin bandwidth, and includes cladding and a core. The cladding includes first layers of a first material, each first layer having a physical characteristic of approximately a first value, and includes second layers of a second material, each second layer having the physical characteristic of approximately a second value, the second layers alternating with the first layers such that the Brillouin bandwidth is wider than the Brillouin bandwidth would be if the cladding excluded the first layers or excluded the second layers. For example, the first and second cladding layers can be formed from different materials, or can be formed having different values of a physical characteristic such as thickness, acoustic velocity, or index of refraction. Such a waveguide can facilitate alignment of the waveguide's optical bandwidth with the waveguide's Brillouin bandwidth because the Brillouin bandwidth is widened compared to conventional waveguides.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided.

Abstract: An embodiment of an integrated waveguide is configured for reducing the level of Brillouin scattering, and for reducing the levels of at least some of the unwanted effects of Brillouin scattering. Such an integrated waveguide has a Brillouin gain, includes a cladding, and includes a core disposed within the cladding and configured to cause the Brillouin gain to be less than the Brillouin gain would be if the core were straight. For example, the core can be configured as a non-straight (e.g., meandering) core to reduce the Brillouin gain in an integrated waveguide, and, therefore, to reduce a level of coherent Brillouin scattering of an electromagnetic wave propagating through the waveguide. Therefore, a core so configured can reduce the energy of a counter-propagating Stokes wave induced by the propagating electromagnetic wave as compared to an otherwise comparable waveguide having a straight core.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided.

Abstract: An embodiment of an integrated waveguide is configured for reducing the level of Brillouin scattering, and for reducing the levels of at least some of the unwanted effects of Brillouin scattering. Such an integrated waveguide has a Brillouin gain, includes a cladding, and includes a core disposed within the cladding and configured to cause the Brillouin gain to be less than the Brillouin gain would be if the core were straight. For example, the core can be configured as a non-straight (e.g., meandering) core to reduce the Brillouin gain in an integrated waveguide, and, therefore, to reduce a level of coherent Brillouin scattering of an electromagnetic wave propagating through the waveguide. Therefore, a core so configured can reduce the energy of a counter-propagating Stokes wave induced by the propagating electromagnetic wave as compared to an otherwise comparable waveguide having a straight core.

Abstract: A waveguide device comprises a substrate having an upper surface and a first width; a cladding layer over the upper surface of the substrate, the cladding layer comprising a first material having a first refractive index, wherein the cladding layer has a second width that is less than the first width; and an optical core surrounded by the cladding layer, the optical core comprising a second material having a second refractive index that is higher that the first refractive index such that an optical signal will propagate through the optical core. The cladding layer that surrounds the optical core has a thickness configured to substantially confine acoustic waves to the cladding layer when the optical signal propagates through the optical core.

Abstract: An embodiment of a waveguide has a Brillouin bandwidth, and includes cladding and a core. The cladding includes first layers of a first material, each first layer having a physical characteristic of approximately a first value, and includes second layers of a second material, each second layer having the physical characteristic of approximately a second value, the second layers alternating with the first layers such that the Brillouin bandwidth is wider than the Brillouin bandwidth would be if the cladding excluded the first layers or excluded the second layers. For example, the first and second cladding layers can be formed from different materials, or can be formed having different values of a physical characteristic such as thickness, acoustic velocity, or index of refraction. Such a waveguide can facilitate alignment of the waveguide's optical bandwidth with the waveguide's Brillouin bandwidth because the Brillouin bandwidth is widened compared to conventional waveguides.

Abstract: A radio-frequency atomic magnetometer comprises a laser, a photodetector, a vapor chamber, wherein the vapor chamber is in an optical path of laser light between the laser and photodetector, a circular polarizer configured to circularly polarize laser light emitted by the laser, wherein a circularly polarized laser beam is configured to pump into an oriented state, spins of atoms in the vapor chamber and to probe the atoms of the vapor chamber, wherein probing includes detecting a local radio frequency field; and a set of direct current (DC) field coils comprising at least one DC field coil, wherein the set of DC field coils is configured to generate a DC magnetic field oriented at 45 degrees relative to the optical axis of the laser light emitted by the laser and directed toward the vapor chamber; the set of DC field coils further configured to have adjustable DC magnetic field strength.

Abstract: A ring laser gyroscope (RLG) is provided. The RLG includes a primary resonator, a secondary resonator, and an optical source to provide a pump field. The pump field in the primary resonator stimulates an optical gain curve at a first stokes wave frequency. A first order SBS field stimulates a second optical gain curve at a second stokes wave frequency. The second order SBS gain gives rise to a frequency-shifted field propagating in the first direction. The fraction of the pump field that couples out of the primary resonator, through the secondary resonator, and out of the secondary resonator is larger than the fraction of: the first order SBS field that couples out of the primary resonator, through the secondary resonator, and out of the secondary resonator; and a second order SBS field that couples out of the primary resonator, through the secondary resonator, and out of the secondary resonator.

Abstract: A ring laser gyroscope (RLG) is provided. The RLG includes a primary resonator, a secondary resonator, and an optical source to provide a pump field. The pump field in the primary resonator stimulates an optical gain curve at a first stokes wave frequency. A first order SBS field stimulates a second optical gain curve at a second stokes wave frequency. The second order SBS gain gives rise to a frequency-shifted field propagating in the first direction. The fraction of the pump field that couples out of the primary resonator, through the secondary resonator, and out of the secondary resonator is larger than the fraction of: the first order SBS field that couples out of the primary resonator, through the secondary resonator, and out of the secondary resonator; and a second order SBS field that couples out of the primary resonator, through the secondary resonator, and out of the secondary resonator.

Abstract: A ring laser gyroscope is provided. The ring laser gyroscope includes an optical ring resonator, an optical source to provide a pump beam at a pump frequency, a beat detector, and an optical clock detector. The pump beam is coupled to the optical ring resonator in the first direction and stimulates a first optical gain curve at a first stokes wave frequency downshifted by a Brillouin stokes frequency from the pump frequency. A first order stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) beam propagates in the second direction and a second order SBS beam propagates in the first direction. The beat detector produces an optical beat signal that varies as a function of a frequency difference between the first order SBS beam and the second order SBS beam. The optical clock detector generates a reference frequency signal based on two co-propagating beams.

Abstract: A ring laser gyroscope is provided. The ring laser gyroscope includes an optical ring resonator, an optical source to provide a pump beam at a pump frequency, a beat detector, and an optical clock detector. The pump beam is coupled to the optical ring resonator in the first direction and stimulates a first optical gain curve at a first stokes wave frequency downshifted by a Brillouin stokes frequency from the pump frequency. A first order stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) beam propagates in the second direction and a second order SBS beam propagates in the first direction. The beat detector produces an optical beat signal that varies as a function of a frequency difference between the first order SBS beam and the second order SBS beam. The optical clock detector generates a reference frequency signal based on two co-propagating beams.

Abstract: Systems and methods for an optical frequency comb stimulated Brillouin scattering gyroscope with a rigid optical waveguide resonator are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises: a light source that produces an optical frequency comb comprising a multiple-frequency light field; a rigid optical waveguide resonator coupled to the light source, wherein a recirculating optical frequency comb produced from the optical frequency comb propagates in a first direction around the rigid optical waveguide resonator and generates within the rigid optical waveguide a SBS light field comprising at least one SBS frequency component, and wherein one or more optical frequency components of the recirculating optical frequency comb are locked on resonance peaks of the rigid optical waveguide resonator; and an optical mixer configured to produce an optical beat signal that varies as a function of a frequency difference between the stimulated Brillouin scattering light field and the recirculating optical frequency comb.

Abstract: A laser gyroscope comprising includes a first solid waveguide; a gain medium interaction region where light traveling through the first solid waveguide interacts with non-solid Doppler-broadened gain medium molecules positioned outside of the first solid waveguide; at least one medium exciter configured to excite the non-solid Doppler-broadened gain medium at the gain medium interaction region, wherein the excited non-solid Doppler-broadened gain medium induces first and second laser fields within the first solid waveguide, wherein the first laser field travels in a clockwise direction within the first solid waveguide and the second laser field travels in a counter-clockwise direction within the first solid waveguide; and a photodetector communicatively coupled to the first solid waveguide and configured to detect the portions of the first and second laser fields.

Abstract: In an example, a chip-scale atomic clock physics package is provided. The physics package includes a body defining a cavity having a base surface and one or more side walls. The cavity includes a first step surface and a second step surface defined in the one or more side walls. A first scaffold mounted to the base surface in the cavity. One or more spacers defining an aperture therethrough are mounted to the second step surface in the cavity. A second scaffold is mounted to a first surface of the one or more spacers spans across the aperture of the one or more spacers. A third scaffold is mounted to a second surface of the one or more spacers in the cavity and spans across the aperture of the one or more spacers. Other components of the physics package are mounted to the first, second, and third scaffold.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sideband heterodyning detection are provided. In certain embodiments a system includes an optical resonator configured to allow light to resonate therein; at least one light source that is controlled to form multiple optical fields, wherein each field is phase or frequency modulated at a common modulation frequency and is at a different frequency. The system also comprises multiple heterodyne modulators that phase or frequency modulate a respective field in the multiple fields at a respective heterodyne frequency to form multiple sidebands, wherein the corresponding heterodyne frequency is different for each heterodyne modulator; at least one coupler that couples the multiple sidebands into the optical resonator; and a feedback control that is configured to detect the multiple sidebands transmitted out of the resonator to create multiple detected sideband signals and adjust frequencies of the plurality of fields based on the multiple detected sideband signals.

Abstract: An apparatus for inertial sensing is provided. The apparatus comprises at least one atomic inertial sensor, and one or more micro-electrical-mechanical systems (MEMS) inertial sensors operatively coupled to the atomic inertial sensor. The atomic inertial sensor and the MEMS inertial sensors operatively communicate with each other in a closed feedback loop.

Abstract: A resonator fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) is provided.

Abstract: A radio-frequency atomic magnetometer comprises a laser, a photodetector, a vapor chamber, wherein the vapor chamber is in an optical path of laser light between the laser and photodetector, a circular polarizer configured to circularly polarize laser light emitted by the laser, wherein a circularly polarized laser beam is configured to pump into an oriented state, spins of atoms in the vapor chamber and to probe the atoms of the vapor chamber, wherein probing includes detecting a local radio frequency field; and a set of direct current (DC) field coils comprising at least one DC field coil, wherein the set of DC field coils is configured to generate a DC magnetic field oriented at 45 degrees relative to the optical axis of the laser light emitted by the laser and directed toward the vapor chamber; the set of DC field coils further configured to have adjustable DC magnetic field strength.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sideband heterodyning detection are provided. In certain embodiments a system includes an optical resonator configured to allow light to resonate therein; at least one light source that is controlled to form multiple optical fields, wherein each field is phase or frequency modulated at a common modulation frequency and is at a different frequency. The system also comprises multiple heterodyne modulators that phase or frequency modulate a respective field in the multiple fields at a respective heterodyne frequency to form multiple sidebands, wherein the corresponding heterodyne frequency is different for each heterodyne modulator; at least one coupler that couples the multiple sidebands into the optical resonator; and a feedback control that is configured to detect the multiple sidebands transmitted out of the resonator to create multiple detected sideband signals and adjust frequencies of the plurality of fields based on the multiple detected sideband signals.