Resonator fiber optic gyros with light time-division input and multiplexing output in clockwise and counterclockwise directions

A resonator fiber optic gyro with the light time-division input and multiplexing output (TDM-RFOG) in the clockwise (CW) and counterclockwise (CCW) directions is proposed. The light time-division input in the CW and CCW directions can effectively suppress the backscattering induced noise. The TDM-RFOG is implemented with the 2 x 2 Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) optical switch. The response time of the fiber ring resonator is analyzed, and it is demonstrated by experiments that light time-division input in the CW and CCW directions can reduce the backscattering induced noise. The suppression effectiveness of backscattering induced noise in the TDM-RFOG is determined by the extinction ratio of the optical switch, so a closed loop is designed to adjust the phase shift difference between the two arms of the MZI optical switch to control the extinction ratio. The method using two arms of the MZI optical switch with twin 90 degrees polarization-axis rotated splices is proposed to make the extinction ratio along both slow and fast axes greater than -70 dB.