Fiber Optic Rotation Sensor (FORS) Laboratory Performance Evaluation

Abstract
A single axis rotation sensor, utilizing a 200 m single mode optical fiber in a 30 cm diameter coil has been constructed and tested in the laboratory. A HeNe laser is the light source for the Sagnac interferometer-mode sensor. The outputs of Si detectors viewing two complementary interference patterns are electronically differenced to obtain a rotation dependent signal. Linear response over a rotation rate range of about 10-4 to 10-1 rad s-1 was obtained.