KERR EFFECT COMPENSATION FOR AN INTERFEROMETRIC FIBER OPTIC GYROSCOPE

摘要

An interferometric fiber optic gyroscope having compensation electronics to virtually eliminate rotation rate sensing errors caused by Kerr effect in the IFOG due to differing intensities of the counter-propagating beams relative to each other. Compensation accounts for varying intensities of the beams due to all or some changes of: the light beam splitter ratio relative to temperature; fiber coil loss due to temperature and longevity; and the intensity of the light source because of age.