Controllable Dispersion in an Optical Laser Gyroscope

Optical gyroscopes use Sagnac interferometry to make precise measurements of angular velocity. Increased gyroscope sensitivity will allow for more accurate control of aerospace systems and allow for more precise measurements of the Earth's rotation. Severalfold improvements to optical gyroscope sensitivity were predicted for fast light regimes ($n_g < 1$). We evaluated the feasibility of these improvements in the N-bar dual pump scheme in ${}^{87}$Rb vapor. We were able to modify the stimulated gyroscope response via tuning the experimental parameters. Gyroscope sensitivity was shown to be dependent on several parameters including pump power, pump detunning, and vapor density.