Author: Ding Wei 

Publisher: College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering

Date: April 16, 2025

A collaborative research effort led by Ding Wei and Wang Yingying from the College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering at Jinan University has culminated in significant advancements in high-precision air core fiber optic gyroscopes (Air core FOGs). Working in conjunction with teams from the 707th Research Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, including researchers Zhao Xiaoming, Luo Wei, and Li Maochun, the team achieved a groundbreaking milestone by developing the world’s first navigation-grade hollow core fiber optic gyroscope.

(Screenshot of the paper)

Remarkable Achievements

The newly designed gyroscope boasts an unprecedented zero bias instability of just 0.0017 °/h, a record nearly 30 times lower than existing models. The prototype has successfully operated continuously for over 185 hours without stability issues. These remarkable findings were published in the top-tier journal Nature Communications in a paper titled Navigation grade interferometric air core anti-resonant fiber optical gyroscope with enhanced thermal stability. Jinan University is acknowledged as the second completion unit for this work.

Key Contributions

The study's co-first authors include Lecturer Sun Yizhi, Associate Researcher Gao Shoufei, and Researcher Li Maochun from the 707th Institute, while Researcher Ding Wei and Researcher Zhao Xiaoming serve as co-corresponding authors.

Abstract Highlights

The research presents an innovative navigation-grade interferometric air-core fiber optic gyroscope (IFOG) that utilizes a quadrupolar-wound coil of four-tube truncated double nested antiresonant nodeless fiber (tDNANF). This advanced design achieves:

•Low Loss and Low Bend Loss: The tDNANF provides exceptional linear polarization purity across a wide wavelength range.

•Performance Metrics: A 469 m tDNANF coil demonstrated a polarization extinction ratio (PER) of approximately 20 dB when illuminated by an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) source spanning 1525-1565 nm.

The device recorded an angular random walk (ARW) of 0.00383 deg h⁻¹/² and a bias instability (BI) drift of 0.0017 deg h⁻¹, a notable achievement marking the first instance of navigation-grade performance in air-core FOGs. The team also demonstrated the low thermal sensitivity of their air-core FOGs, achieving reductions of 9.24/10.68/6.82 compared to conventional polarization-maintaining solid-core FOGs across various temperature ranges.

Significance

This achievement marks a significant transition from theoretical concepts to engineering applications in the realm of hollow fiber optic gyroscope technology in China, contributing to advancements in global inertial navigation systems. The research not only exemplifies cutting-edge technological innovation but also places a distinct Chinese mark on the development of high-precision navigation technology.

For those interested in further details, the full paper can be accessed:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-025-01513-z#Abs1