Research/Patents/US 4658401
US 4658401

THIN FILM PASSIVE RING RESONATOR LASER GYRO

Assignee

NORTHROP CORPORATION, CENTURY CITY, LOS ANGELES, CA. 90067 A CA CORP.

Filed

Mar 15, 1984

Granted

Apr 14, 1987

Location

NEWTON CENTER MA US

Abstract

Passive ring resonator laser gyro in which the clockwise and counterclockwise beams do not coexist in the resonator. The laser gyro employs thin film technology. In particular, the preferred laser is a gallium aluminum arsenide laser. Light from the laser is phase-modulated by means of a thin film electro-optic modulator comprising a channel waveguide disposed on an electrically active material and flanked by electrodes for modulating the phase of light from the laser. An electro-optic switch is provided for switching light from the laser to inject alternatingly clockwise and counterclockwise beams into the resonator. The resulting gyro is extremely compact and simply implemented into an integrated, thin film package. Because the clockwise and counterclockwise beams do not coexist in the resonator, various beam interaction effects such as beats, backscatter and feedback into the laser are eliminated.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Imposed

Aug 20, 1984

Rescinded

Jun 17, 1985

Duration

10 months

Inventor

  • 1JOSEPH P. SEGRE

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Back to patent indexSource: USPTO 35 USC §181 secrecy order records