The Passive Resonator Fiber Optic Gyro and Comparison to the Interferometer Fiber Gyro

Theoretical and experimental work at The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. (CSDL) indicates that it is feasible and very attractive to operate the fiber optic gyro in the passive resonant cavity mode. Recent advances in the coherent communications field indicate promise for the ready availability in the near future of narrow line diode lasers, single polarization fibers, and electro-optical waveguide signal processing circuits at the 1.3 and 1.55 micron wavelengths. The purpose of this paper is to describe the operation, characteristics, and performance of a closed loop fiber optic resonator gyro and compare it to the interferometric fiber optic gyro. The limitations and potential of the passive resonator gyro will be discussed.