Optical fiber technologies for inertial sensing: leading the way to innovation
At the occasion of the 11th IEEE International Symposium on Inertial Sensors & Systems (IEEE Inertial 2024), held in Hiroshima from March 25-28, Exail is glad to announce new product developments in its portfolio of Polarization Maintaining (PM) fibers, PM coils and Polarizing (PZ) fibers.
Exail leverages 30 years of experience in the manufacturing of PM gyro fibers and PM coils for its own fiber-optic gyroscopes (FOG). Today, Exail is a globally recognized manufacturer of FOG-based inertial navigation systems and equips systems in various markets and environments. Exail’s products are operating from the deepest oceans to outer space, some of which have clocked more than 6 million hours in orbit on more than 30 satellites without incident.
Discover how Exail can be a partner of choice for innovative developments implying polarization maintaining (PM) and polarizing (PZ) fibers.
New high birefringence polarization maintaining (PM) fibers for more compact Fiber-Optic Gyroscopes (FOG)
Exail releases a new highly birefringent PM fiber for compact FOG, featuring the highest birefringence, and shortest beat length available in the industry (1 mm at 633 nm). It offers high Polarization Extinction Ratio (PER) for fiber-optic gyro coils over operational temperature range, even for below 30 mm radius coils.
This fiber is available with a standard 80 µm cladding, but also with a remarkable small cladding of only 60 µm for even smaller footprint gyros.
New coatings for PM fibers used in harsh environments
Exail can add new types of coatings to PM fibers, to increase the temperature range at which they can operate.
A polyimide coating added to a 125 µm cladding optical fiber (1550 nm / 0.2 NA / Panda in stock) will enable operations between -60°C up to 300°C. The coating will maintain high PER (> 25 dB) over several hundred meters.
From 2024, fibers with aluminum coating are also available in Exail’s portfolio. They are adapted for application in even higher temperature environments, up to 400°C.
Leveraging Exail expertise in the development of optical fibers for harsh environments, such coatings are available for the drawing of PM fibers as well as for radiation-hardened fibers.
New polarizing patchcords
Exail has built the latest generation of Polarizing (PZ) fibers: it offers polarizing effect with short lengths (down to 1,5 m) and straight use. But how to get the advantages of a full polarizer combined with the flexibility of using a PM patchcord?
Exail polarizing patchcord is the solution. It is as easy to use than a standard PM patchcord, offering more than 30 dB of extinction ratio, with optical connectors on both sides (more than 60 dB without optical connectors). It is available at 780 nm, 850 nm, 940 nm, 1064 nm, 1550 nm but also at custom wavelengths on request.
