LASER ANGULAR RATE SENSOR

摘要

Laser rotational speed counter wherein two light beams propagate in opposite directions describing a polygone at the apex of which are provided reflectors. From the frequency difference, a signal is obtained depending on the rotation speed. One of the reflectors is intended to suppress the "lock-in" effect, and is arranged as a magneto-optical element. According to this invention, said reflector contains a prism (5a) of which the base surface (5b) carries a layer (5c) of a material of which the refraction index is lower than that of the prism material. At least one of those materials is gyrotrope. The prism is built so that no reflection occurs since the Brewster condition is fulfilled when the light penetrates by the lateral sides (5b) and that the incidence angle of the beam at the separation surface (5d) on the layer (5c) is sufficiently large for the total reflection to occur. Examples are described wherein the layer adjacent to the prism is a multiple layer.