Real-Time In Situ Quantum Feedback Control of Electron Spin in Atomic Spin Gyroscopes

The atomic spin gyroscope (ASG), based on spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) co-magnetometers, is poised to become the next generation of high-precision inertial sensors. However, the long-term stability of the gyro can be limited by electron spin polarization. In this study, we investigate a novel real-time, in situ quantum feedback control technique for electron spin polarization in ASGs. By varying the pumping rates, we analyze the gyroscope’s response to the modulation magnetic field, finding that electron polarization dramatically affects the magnetic field response properties of ASGs. It’s demonstrated that the amplitude or phase of the electron spin resonance can be locked for in situ control of electron spin polarization in real-time. A K-Rb-21Ne co-magnetometer is established to implement the proposed method, where a transverse modulating magnetic field is applied to resonate with the electron spin. The lock-in amplification (LIA) technique is used to obtain the amplitude or phase of the electron spin resonance, and the electron spin polarization is closed-loop controlled by locking the second harmonic resonance amplitude or phase. The gyro signal is extracted from the first harmonic of the electron spin resonance. Our experimental results show that real-time in situ feedback control of electron spin significantly improves ASG’s long-term stability and suppresses low-frequency noise. This proposed method has broad application prospects, including optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs), nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscopes (NMRGs), and co-magnetometers.