Dual-polarization interferometric fiber-optic gyroscope with an ultra-simple configuration

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Optical Engineering
• Inertial Navigation

Background:

• Polarization nonreciprocity (PN) errors degrade performance in conventional interferometric fiber-optic gyroscopes (IFOGs).
• Existing IFOG designs often require polarizers and multiple couplers, increasing complexity and cost.
• Minimizing PN errors is crucial for achieving high-precision rotation sensing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel dual-polarization IFOG design.
• To eliminate the need for a polarizer and reduce coupler count.
• To effectively compensate for PN errors in a simplified IFOG architecture.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a dual-polarization IFOG utilizing a single coupler.
• Employing two balanced polarizations to counteract PN errors.
• Utilizing a 2 km fiber coil in an open-loop configuration for bias instability measurement.

Main Results:

• The novel IFOG design effectively compensates for PN errors without a polarizer.
• Achieved a bias instability of 0.02°/h in detecting Earth's rotation rate.
• Performance difference compared to two-coupler IFOGs is limited to a stable bias from coupler nonreciprocity.

Conclusions:

• A simplified and effective dual-polarization IFOG has been demonstrated.
• The proposed design offers a viable solution for high-performance rotation sensing with reduced complexity.
• Further research can explore mitigating residual coupler nonreciprocity for even greater precision.