Gyroscopes for rotation sensing are based on several design platforms, and advancements in optical fibers have enabled the fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) to become an attractive choice for demanding applications.  As this design platform matures, it can benefit from further advancements in optical fiber design.  In particular, hollow core fibers that allows light signals to propagate mainly in air overcome many of the limitations of conventional silica core fibers.  For FOGs, hollow core fibers offer the following advantages:

Improved packaging

• Reduced form factor  enabled by small coiling diameter 6x tighter than conventional fibers
• Low magnetic field sensitivity requires less shielding
• Index match to air enables low reflectance free space coupling

Improved stability (less drift)

• Low optical nonlinearities
• 7x lower temperature sensitivity (Shupe effect)
• 50x lower radiation sensitivity

More information can be found in our white paper on hollow core fibers for gyroscopes and in our section on hollow core fiber products.

Publications on using hollow core fibers in fiber optic gyroscopes:

• S. Yin, J. H. Kim, P. B. Ruffin, C. Luo “An Investigation on Fiber Optic Gyroscopes Using Microstructured Fibers” in Photorefractive Fiber and Crystal Devices: Materials, Optical Properties, and Applications XII. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6314, pp. 63141H (2006).

• G. A. Sanders, L. K. Strandjord, and T. Qiu “Hollow Core Fiber Optic Ring Resonator for Rotation Sensing” in Optical Fiber Sensors, OSA Technical Digest (Optical Society of America, 2006), paper ME6.

• M. J. F. Digonnet, H. K. Kim, S. Blin, V. Dangui, and G. S. Kino "Sensitivity and Stability of an Air-Core Fiber-Optic Gyroscope" in Optical Fiber Sensors, OSA Technical Digest (Optical Society of America, 2006), paper ME1.

• Hyang Kyun Kim, Michel J. F. Digonnet, and Gordon S. Kino "Air-Core Photonic-Bandgap Fiber-Optic Gyroscope" J. Lightwave Technol. 24, 3169- (2006)

• Stéphane Blin, Hyang Kyun Kim, Michel J. F. Digonnet, and Gordon S. Kino "Reduced Thermal Sensitivity of a Fiber-Optic Gyroscope Using an Air-Core Photonic-Bandgap Fiber" J. Lightwave Technol. 25, 861-865 (2007)