Heterodyne fiber-optic gyroscope using orthogonally polarized two-frequency beams
Abstract
A new type of heterodyne fiber-optic gyroscope using orthogonally polarized light components with different frequencies is described. Each counterpropagating beam consists of the orthogonal components transmitted in the principal axes of a polarization-maintaining fiber coil. A pair of beat signals containing Sagnac phase shifts with opposite signs can be produced by selectively superimposing the counterpropagating components. Detection of the difference between the two beat signals allows a doubling of the Sagnac phase shift free from noise sources raised from differences in frequency and path. In a preliminary experiment, a long-term stability of 5 deg/h was attained.
- Publication:
-
Applied Optics
- Pub Date:
- August 1987
- DOI:
- 10.1364/AO.26.002962
- Bibcode:
- 1987ApOpt..26.2962I
- Keywords:
-
- Fiber Optics;
- Optical Gyroscopes;
- Optical Heterodyning;
- Orthogonality;
- Polarized Light;
- Sagnac Effect;
- Acousto-Optics;
- Backscattering;
- Beams (Radiation);
- Helium-Neon Lasers;
- Phase Shift;
- Rayleigh Scattering;
- Instrumentation and Photography;
- FIBERS: APPLICATION;
- FIBER OPTICS;
- HETERODYNING;
- GYROSCOPES