<title>Application Of CW Single-Mode GaAlAs Lasers To Rb-Xe NMR Gyroscopes</title>

Abstract

Commercial CW single-mode GaAlAs diode lasers tuned to the 795 nm Rb line were used in the optical pumping and magnetometric detection of the nuclear magnetic resonance of Xe in a Rb-Xe NMR gyroscope. Besides reduced size, weight and power requirement, the diode laser has the advantage over a conventional rf Rb lamp of frequency tunability and high beam collimation. A gain of 20 dB in signal to noise was measured. Frequency-locking of the laser output to the Doppler-broadened Rb absorption line stabilized the drift over 13 hours to within 10 MHz. The diode laser was also used, with spectral shaping by current modulation, to optically pump the Rb-Xe system.