Spin-Exchange Pumped NMR Gyros

TL;DR

This paper reviews the fundamental physics, modeling, and systematic error mitigation of spin-exchange pumped NMR gyros, highlighting their operation, noise characteristics, and practical implementation for precision rotation sensing.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive theoretical framework, analyzes noise and systematic errors, and discusses practical implementation and future prospects of spin-exchange pumped NMR gyros.

Findings

Analysis of dynamic response and noise properties

Identification of primary systematic errors and mitigation methods

Overview of a practical NMR gyro implementation

Abstract

We present the basic theory governing spin-exchange pumped NMR gyros. We review the basic physics of spin-exchange collisions and relaxation as they pertain to precision NMR. We present a simple model of operation as an NMR oscillator and use it to analyze the dynamic response and noise properties of the oscillator. We discuss the primary systematic errors (differential alkali fields, quadrupole shifts, and offset drifts) that limit the bias stability, and discuss methods to minimize them. We give with a brief overview of a practical implementation and performance of an NMR gyro built by Northrop-Grumman Corporation, and conclude with some comments about future prospects.