Miniaturized optical gyroscope using active three-dimensional vertically coupled resonators

We propose and analyze a gyroscope using active three-dimensional vertically coupled resonators (3D-VCRs), which allows for loss compensation, unidirectional propagation, and a larger sensing area while maintaining the same bulk volume. For the ideal uniform case, the minimum detectable rotation rate Delta Omega(min) of the active 3D-VCR gyroscope can be decreased by above three orders of magnitude after optimization compared with the passive case. The minimal measurable rotation rates of the 3D-VCR gyroscope, the loss-compensated coupled resonator optical waveguide (LC-CROW) gyroscope, and the equivalent resonant waveguide optical gyroscope (RWOG) decrease with a higher number N of the resonators. Finally, it is shown that the uniform active 3D-VCR gyroscope has a better resolution Delta Omega(min) than the equivalent LC-CROW and RWOG. (C) 2015 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)