Resonance asymmetry phenomenon in waveguide-type optical ring resonator gyro

Abstract

The intensity output of a silica waveguide ring resonator (WRR) was found to show an asymmetric resonance characteristic. To further analyze and better design the resonator micro optic gyro (RMOG) with a waveguide-type ring resonator, in-depth research of the characteristics of the resonance asymmetry is fully developed for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Four possible sources of the resonance asymmetry are analyzed and their respective contributions are compared. These four error sources are differential normal mode losses in the coupler, the backscattering induced noises, the polarization fluctuations and the optical Kerr effect. The differential normal mode loss is suspected to be the major contributor to the observed resonance asymmetry in the fabricated silica WRR. Asymmetric resonance curve produces a large output bias error in the RMOG based on the phase modulation technique, which is related to the modulation frequency differences between the CW and CCW lightwaves. Theoretical analysis shows that replacing the reflector WRR with a transmitter one is helpful to eliminate the effect of the different normal mode losses in the coupler on the resonance asymmetry.