Design of resonant microcavities: application to optical gyroscopes

Abstract

We study theoretically and numerically the effect of rotation on resonant frequencies of microcavities in a rotating frame of reference. Cavity rotation causes the shifts of the resonant frequencies proportional to the rotation rate if it is larger than a certain value. Below the value, a region of rotation rate exists where there is no resulting the frequency shifts proportional to the rotation rate. We show that designing cavity symmetry as $C_{nv}$ ($n\ge 3$) can eliminate this region.