Monolithically integrated semiconductor unidirectional ring laser rotation sensor/gyroscope
US6937342B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 11, 2002 |
| Grant date | Aug 30, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 29, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01C19/72
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A monolithically integrated semiconductor laser rotation sensor/gyroscope that includes at least two isolated, nonsynchronized semiconductor lasers; at least one being unidirectional and at least a further one being either a straight-line laser or a second unidirectional ring laser configured to propagate lasing light waves in the direction opposite to the first unidirectional ring laser; semiconductor directional waveguide couplers; a semiconductor Y-junction mixing region; and a semiconductor photodetector. Evanescently outcoupled signals are routed to a photodetector for detection of the Sagnac shifted frequencies to discern a beat frequency resulting from rotation of the chip structure. The straight-line semiconductor laser serves as frequency reference insensitive to rotation. Directing, filtering, and radiating unwanted reflections or backscattered light to highly absorbing regions is carried out with waveguide coupler designs and nonreciprocal couplers and filters.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.