RESONANT OPTICAL GYROSCOPE WITH A BROADBAND LIGHT SOURCE AND RIN REDUCTION TECHNIQUES

A gyroscope comprises a source emitting a broadband beam, and a first waveguide arrangement that splits the beam into CCW and CW beams. First and second phase modulators are coupled to the waveguide arrangement and provide phase modulations or frequency shifts to the CCW and CW beams. An optical resonator is in communication with the phase modulators such that the CCW and CW beams are optically coupled into the resonator. A second waveguide arrangement receives the CCW and CW beams transmitted from the resonator. First and second RIN detectors are coupled to the second waveguide arrangement and respectively receive the CCW and CW beams. A rate detector receives the CCW and CW beams. A rate calculation unit receives intensity noise signals from the RIN detectors, and rate and intensity noise signals from the rate detector. The rate calculation unit performs a RIN subtraction technique to reduce intensity noise limited ARW.