Intensity noise characteristics of lasers in fiber-optic gyroscopes

We report the first theoretical analysis and experimental results to our knowledge of the intensity noise of lasers due to signal-wave feedback in fiber-optic gyroscopes. It has been demonstrated that signal-wave feedback would cause a large amount of intensity noise in lasers and would thus limit the system performance. The relation of the intensity noise to various factors in the gyroscope has been clarified, and measures to reduce the noise are presented.