Patent ID: 8422022

Claim:
A ring laser gyroscope comprising: a cavity containing a gain medium; a first plurality of reflective surfaces coupled to the cavity, the first plurality of reflective surfaces including at least a first reflective surface, a second reflective surface, and a third reflective surface, wherein the first reflective surface, the second reflective surface, and the third reflective surface of the plurality of reflective surfaces are positioned to reflect light along a path defined in the cavity between the plurality of reflective surfaces; at least one medium exciter operable to excite the gain medium, wherein the excited gain medium induces first and second laser fields within the cavity; a saturation beam source, the saturation beam source emitting a saturation beam that intersects the first and second laser fields at a first interaction region of the cavity, wherein the saturation beam interacts with the gain medium to reduce the gain of the first and second laser fields at a first range of frequencies; wherein a bandwidth of the first range of frequencies is related to an angle of incidence between the saturation beam and the first and second laser fields; and wherein the saturation beam intersects the first and second laser fields at an angle of incidence that is oblique.