Litton Systems, Inc.

Daniel Eugene Auerbach

Eric Lee Goldner

Amado Cordova

James R Steele

John E Higbee

Ka Kha Wong

An integrated optic gyro has a multi-level optical coil having a mounting plate, a top substrate, and a bottom substrate, the top substrate being bonded to the mounting plate, the bottom substrate being bonded to the mounting plate. The top substrate has a top waveguide coil. The bottom substrate has a bottom waveguide coil. A coupler has an input port, a first, second and third output port. A first optical fiber couples the top waveguide coil to the bottom waveguide coil. The coils are coupled to have a common rotational sense. A second optical fiber connects the coupler's first output port to the top waveguide coil. A third optical fiber for connects the coupler's second output port to the bottom waveguide coil. A light source couples a light wave into the coupler's first input port. The coupler splits the light wave into substantially equal first and second output waves. The first wave forms a wave with a first rotational sense in the top and bottom waveguides and the second wave does the same in an opposite direction. A modulator means for modulates the phase of the wave with a first rotational sense and the wave with a second rotational sense. A detector means provides a detected electrical signal.

Integrated optic gyroscope and method of fabrication

An interferometric rotation rate sensor is arranged to overcome effects of the unavoidable generation of intensity spikes in the modulated optical output. An electrooptical device is located within the optical path of the sensor for receiving the optical output signal from the sensor coil and transforming it prior to application to the photodetector. The electrooptical device is driven by a periodic electrical signal with a period equal to the loop transit time of light traveling through the sensor coil. By synchronizing the periods of attenuation with the predictable presence of spikes in the optical output, valid optical signal information is preserved while gyro electronics are sheltered from the results of optical intensity spiking.

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Thousand Oaks, CA, United States of America

Daniel Eugene Auerbach