A low-level, but continuing, fiber-gyro development activity has been carried on at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory since 1977. The activity was originated because of a recognition of the potential for low-cost, high-performance gyros suitable for interplanetary spacecraft. An early decision was made to concentrate available resources on supporting the development of electro-optically active channel waveguide components which could be fabricated by mask diffusion processes. Titanium-indiffused lithium niobate waveguide components used at 0.83 μm wavelength were first tested and then abandoned because of instabilities caused by so-called optical damage. Components fabricated for use at 1.3 μm wavelength have proven to be stable. A gyro configuration concept based upon 1.3 μm channel waveguide components has evolved, and a baseline 1.3 μm all-fiber gyro has been assembled and tested.

Date Published: 11 March 1987
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 0719, Fiber Optic Gyros: 10th Anniversary Conf, (11 March 1987); doi: 10.1117/12.937546

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 0719:
Fiber Optic Gyros: 10th Anniversary Conf
Eric Udd, Editor(s)