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For navigation applications such as
» ships and submarines
» satellites and avionics
» land vehicles

Fiber Optic Gyroscopes for Inertial Navigation Systems

Fiber optic gyroscopes (FOGs) are the ideal inertial navigation solution for motion sensing, stabilization, navigation, and precision pointing and positioning applications. Fiber optic gyroscopes are mainly used in avionics and aerospace. They are the heart of the inertial navigation system’s very precise rotation measurement cabability. FOGs are based on the measurement of the Sagnac phase shift of the radiation propagating along a fiber optic coil when it is subjected to a rotation around the winding axis. When a fiber optic gyroscope is mounted within an inertial navigation system it allows the tracking of change of orientation. The basic elements within a fiber optic gyroscope are a light source, a single mode polarization maintaining fiber coil, a coupler and a detector. Superluminescent Light Emitting Diode (SLED) based fiber optic gyroscopes rely on the large bandwidth of the source to reduce the undesired effect of scattering along the fiber and of reflections at the facets of the internal optical components that could decrease the sensitivity for very low rotation rates.

Learn more about EXALOS SLEDs used in intertial navigation

Benefits of EXALOS's SLEDs for Fiber Optic Gyroscopes

The key requirements for fiber optic gyroscopes (FOGs) are typically low cost, reduced form factor, low power consumption, long term stability and high reliability.

All these requirements can only be met if the key fiber optic components, especially the light source, can fulfill these demands. EXALOS SLED performance proves ideal. In the past, wavelength stability over time has been one major drawback of semiconductor based broadband light sources, like SLEDs, when comparing with fiber based light sources, like Erbium-Doped-Fiber-Amplifiers (EDFAs). EXALOS has successfully overcome this drawback, developing SLEDs that are less sensitive to wavelength shift induced by temperature or aging.

Novel materials and structures have made it possible to improve wavelength stabilities of our devices by a factor of four, compared to conventional SLED devices. Further work is in progress, aimed at achieving wavelength stabilities in the 10 ppm (part per millions) range. SLEDs with this performance will substantially help to reduce size and costs in today's manufactured FOGs, and therefore, in today's Inertial Navigation Systems.

View SLED product specifications

EXALOS Products for Fiber Optic Gyroscopes

EXALOS has a portfolio of products qualified for Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG) applications that require extended operating temperature ranges, increased shock/vibrations levels and verified lifetimes due to their use in Space environments. Our SLED products have been qualified to BELLCORE GR-468-CORE and MIL-STD-883. By successfully passing these rigorous Telecom and Military qualification regimes,EXALOS has clearly demonstrated that our products have been robustly designed and manufactured and are ideal for use in fiber optic gyroscopes and intertial navigational systems.

In addition to the devices designed for Space environment, EXALOS offers a broad portfolio of other devices with various wavelengths, performance levels and packaging options. Therefore, EXALOS's portfolio addresses all segments of the Fiber Optic Fiber Optic Gyroscope and Inertial Navigation Systems markets, from customers requiring high performance ruggedized solutions to customers requiring a much lower performance, low-cost solution.

1. View EXALOS' standard product specifications for Fiber Optic Gyroscope and Inertial Navigation Systems Applications. EXALOS's standard products can be ordered directly from our website or by contacting our Sales department. Please contact our sales department to provide us with your technical requirement details.
   
   
2. View EXALOS' portfolio of products, then place your order online for immediate delivery.
   
   
3. EXALOS has considerable experience in developing SLED products for Fiber Optic Gyroscope and Inertial Navigation Systems applications with custom specific requirements. We can assure fast turnaround and short-time-to-market delivery. Please contact our sales department to provide us with your technical requirement details.