Abstract: A system and method for providing a rotation sensor for use in a fiber optic gyroscope including a centrally-located cylindrical hub having an improved slip interface positioned there around. The central hub has a substantially planar mounting flange extending from one of its ends, where the axis of rotation of the central hub is orthogonal to the plane of the mounting flange. A sensor coil comprising a plurality of layers of coaxial turns of optical fiber embedded in a potting material is formed around an outer surface of the interface. The interface allows the potted coil to expand or contract along the axial direction of the central hub due to thermal expansion while maintaining a constant thermal and mechanical connection between the interface and the potted coil. In this manner, the present invention maintains the integrity of the potted coil and its connection to the interface during thermal expansion of the potted coil, thus minimizing temperature-induced Shupe bias errors in the rotation sensor.

Abstract: A wavelength stabilization apparatus and method for a superfluorescent source comprising a SFS (superfluorescent source) comprising a fiber with a core doped with lazing material. The SFS source produces SFS light with an SFS wavelength when pumped with pump light from a pump light source having a pump light wavelength. An output controller responds to a sample of the SFS light and operates to maximize the power of the sample of SFS light by automatically adjusting the pump light wavelength. The output controller also has a pump power controller responsive to a sample of the pump light from the pump light source for stabilizing the output power of the sample of the pump light with respect to a predetermined reference output power level.

Abstract: A wavelength stabilization apparatus and method for a superfluorescent source comprising a SFS (superfluorescent source) comprising a fiber with a core doped with lzaing material. The SFS source produces SFS light with an SFS wavelength when pumped with pump light from a pump light source having a pump light wavelength. An output controller responds to a sample of the SFS light and operates to maximize the power of th esample of SFS light by automatically adjusting the pump light wavelength. The output controller also has a pump power controller responsive to a sample of the pump light from the pump light source for stabilizing the output power of the sample of the pump light with respect to a predetermined reference output power level.