Patent ID: 8798405
Filing Date: 2014-08-05
Classification: G01C,G02B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of making a fiber optic gyroscope comprising: positioning a continuous optical fiber coil defining an axis in proximity to a phase modulator semiconductor device, the continuous optical fiber coil extending along a fiber centerline from a first exposed end with a planar face aligned at a first non-perpendicular angle relative to the fiber centerline to a second exposed end, wherein the continuous optical fiber is spliceless between the first exposed end and the second exposed end, wherein the phase modulator semiconductor device defines a side surface aligned at a second non-perpendicular angle relative to the fiber centerline, the first and second angles being different; aligning the first end of the continuous optical fiber coil with an optical waveguide in the side surface of the phase modulator semiconductor device; attaching the first end of the continuous optical fiber coil to the side surface of the phase modulator semiconductor device with the planar face of the first end of the continuous optical fiber coil being non-parallel to the side surface of the phase modulator semiconductor device; providing a non-coherent light source configured to provide a non-coherent beam of light; and optically coupling a directional coupler to the non-coherent light source and to the phase modulator semiconductor device, wherein the directional coupler is configured to direct at least a portion of the non-coherent light beam from the non-coherent light source to a power monitoring photodiode and at least a portion of the non-coherent light beam from the non-coherent light source to the phase modulator semiconductor device, wherein the directional coupler is further configured to direct at least a portion of light from the phase modulator semiconductor device to a receiving photodiode to produce an electrical signal for use in computation of a rotational rate of the continuous optical fiber coil about its axis.