Miniature High-Performance Integrated Photonics IMU

We propose a radical new approach for to the design and fabrication of Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that will meet the requirements for future NASA applications. The IMU is based on photonic Planar Light Circuit (PLC) technology and will implement an Integrated Silicon-photonics interferometric Optical Gyroscope (iSOG). The iSOG includes all the sensor’s optical elements in one small optical chip and enables the development of a 5 cube inches IMU that combines high-tactical grade performance (better than 1 deg/hr over temperature) with higher reliability, high level of robustness and lower cost. Such an IMU will provide the best performance in a compact, ruggedized configuration suitable for the future low weight and harsh radiation environments experienced by satellite and space exploration. The iSOG based IMU will have more than an order-of-magnitude improvement in bias stability over temperature when compared to the highest performance commercially available MEMs and FOGs in the same volume and is also inherently radiation hardened, vibration and shock hardened and is best suited technology for future NASA and DoD missions.

Low cost, higher precision, high reliability and low weight and size inertial sensors are necessary components for future NASA applications that include SmallSat, CubeSat, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Sounding Rocket. The inherent solid state, ruggedized construction combined with radiation hardness offered by the on-chip implementation enables operation in harsh space environment and challenging landing and surface explorations. The proposed iSOG technology will result in the smallest volume better than tactical grade, vibration robust optical gyroscope on the market today. It enables new DoD applications for UAV, airborne PODs, Line of Sight stabilization, weapon designation, individual soldier navigation, and turret stabilization. Another large, expanding commercial opportunity is the autonomous vehicle market.

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