Suppression of frequency locking noise in resonator fiber optic gyro by differential detection method

• DDM is proposed to suppress the frequency locking noise.
• The frequency locking noise induced by frequency locking error is analyzed.
• The model of DDM is set up and analyzed.
• The frequency locking noise of the RFOG is effectively suppressed by DDM.

The performance of the resonator fiber optic gyro (RFOG) is influenced by frequency locking noise. This paper proposes a differential detection method (DDM) to suppress the frequency locking noise. First, the frequency locking noise induced by the frequency locking error is described theoretically; the description indicates that it acts as the common-mode noise in the RFOG. In the traditional signal-path detection method (SDM), there is a trade-off between suppressing the frequency locking noise and improving the gyro sensitivity. Thus, a model of the DDM is set up and analyzed. The frequency locking noise can be suppressed using the DDM by adjusting the gains of two lock-in amplifiers. Finally, the experimental setup is established, and the SDM and DDM are compared. When the tested equivalent frequency locking noise is 10.6°/h, the bias stability of the RFOG is improved from 12.9°/h to 1.1°/h by the DDM.