Laser gyroscope

US4035081A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Gunther Sepp · Ottobrunn, DE
• Gunthard Born · Munich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 15, 1975
• Grant date: Jul 12, 1977
• Expiry date: Dec 15, 1995

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/083
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In a laser gyroscope it is desirable for precision operation to eliminate or effectively compensate temperature variations, as well as manufacturing tolerances. To this end the present laser gyroscope has two ring lasers physically arranged so close to each other that there is an optimal thermic contact between the two ring lasers. Temperature sensors are arranged in contact with the resonator circumference to control a piezoelectric resonator tuning device in response to temperature variations to compensate the same. The modulators of the lasers are periodically switched, for example, with the aid of Faraday cells to reverse the travel direction of the travelling waves to thereby compensate for manufacturing tolerances, and any remaining temperature variations.