Three-axis Fiber Optic Gyroscope

The emerging Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG) technology has demonstrated performance that can meet the requirements of current and future navigation and alignment systems. The performance comes at the cost of significant size and weight with resulting system packaging problems. The FOG Triad system proposed by System Engineering Sol., Inc. addresses this problem by configuring a compact nested 3-axis FOG configuration that yields a substantial size and weight reduction. An additional innovation that is introduced to reduce cost and complexity of the FOG configuration includes the implementation of a Glass Integrated Optics Circuit (GIOC) Module that integrates the traditional FOG discrete components (source, detector, Integrated Optics Circuit and coupler) into a single glass integrated circuit. The GIOC will mount the source & detector and eliminate the need for a separate coupler. It accesses the low cost and highly reliable technologies used in optical communication applications. Electronic complexity is reduced by implementing a novel synthetic heterodyne signal processing architecture. The proposed SES FOG Triad will achieve 0.01 ¿/h bias stability and 0.002¿/+h Angle Random Walk performance in a 0.6 lb unit. The proposed Phase I efffort will encompass the design, development and fabrication of a FOG Triad that embodies these novel features and the delivery of a brassboard Triad with electronics to the U.S. Army. The realization of small, high performance, low cost, highly reliable FOG Triad will have broad application potentials for navigation, alignment, guidance and instrumentation systems. It will provide significant advantages for military and commercial aviation applications.