Optical fiber sensor coil using reverse quadrupoles and method of

Abstract

In a optical fiber coil arrangement for use in rotation sensors, for example, errors resulting from axial and/or radial time varying temperature gradients can be minimized or substantially eliminated by employing reverse quadrupoles for the sensor coil. One of the quadrupoles is wound in a + - - + winding configuration. However, the next adjacent quadrupole is wound in a - + + - winding configuration. This reverse quadrupole arrangement substantially eliminates radial time varying temperature gradient dependent errors and reduces axial time varying temperature gradient dependent errors. The axial time varying temperature gradient dependent errors can be substantially eliminated by winding a reverse octupole arrangement. Accordingly, a reverse octupole arrangement is wound with a + - - + - + + - - + + - + - - + winding configuration. Alternatively, the axial time varying temperature gradient dependent errors can be substantially eliminated by providing extra lengths of the '+' and '-' ends which are axially displaced so as to substantially eliminate this axial time varying temperature gradient dependent error.