Concept of MEMS Ring Laser Gyroscope with Movable Optical Parts

In this paper, we present the concept of a microelectromechanical systems ring laser gyroscope (MEMS-RLG) and its optical components. MEMS-RLG has a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) enclosed with mirrors that form an optical loop for an external laser oscillator in free space. To confirm the feasibility of MEMS-RLGs, we constructed an experimental device with commercially available SOA and mirrors for external oscillation. We also show the fabrication and characteristics of optical components such as movable mirrors and a lens-positioning device, which are required for a miniaturized MEMS-RLG.