title: Mirrors movement-induced equivalent rotation effect in ring laser gyros.
abstract: In this letter, the relationship between the change of the closed-loop optical path and the movement of two adjacent spherical mirrors in ring laser gyros is investigated by matrix optical approach. When one spherical mirror is pushed forward and the other is pulled backward to maintain the total length of the closed-loop optical path constant, an equivalent rotation of the closed-loop optical path is found for the first time. Both numerical simulations and experimental results show the equivalent rotation rate is proportional to the velocities of the mirrors' movement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, College of Optoelectrics Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China.
authors.forename: Guangfeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Zhenfang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Shaomin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D061725:Accelerometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007834:Lasers; D007909:Lenses; D008027:Light; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012399:Rotation; D012542:Scattering, Radiation