Ring mirror optical rotation sensor

Description

An optical rotation sensor includes a Fabry Perot laser having an active gain medium for generating first and second light beams, a closed optical path through which the first and second light beams counter-propagate and first and second mirrors coupled to respective ends of the closed optical path. The first minor is a ring mirror having a complex valued reflectivity that varies with a rotation rate of a frame within which the optical rotation sensor is placed. A detector is coupled to an output of the Fabry Perot laser to measure an output intensity thereof.

Aspects

Embodiments of the present invention provide an optical rotation sensor including a Fabry Perot laser having an active gain medium for generating first and second light beams, a closed optical path through which the first and second light beams counter-propagate and first and second minors, each coupled to a respective end of the closed optical path. The first mirror is a ring minor that has a complex valued reflectivity that varies with a rotation rate of a frame within which the optical rotation minor is placed. The optical rotation sensor further includes a detector coupled to an output of the Fabry Perot laser to measure an output intensity thereof.

Patenting Status

Patent Granted

Status

Patented

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