Attitude Determination and Control Systems (ADCS)
Integrated Optical Gyroscopes (IOGs) represent a transformative advancement in inertial navigation technology, offering substantial advantages over conventional systems such as Hemispherical Resonator Gyroscopes (HRGs) and Fiber Optic Gyroscopes (FOGs). Unlike HRG devices, which rely on macroscopic mechanical or optical components, IOGs exploit photonic integrated circuits (PICs) to achieve unprecedented levels of miniaturization, mechanical robustness, and reduced power consumption. In comparison to FOGs – which require long fiber coils to sense rotation via the Sagnac effect – IOGs implement the same physical principle on a chip-scale platform, dramatically reducing system size while enhancing resilience to environmental perturbations and mechanical vibrations. Moreover, integrated photonic technologies enable high-volume, low-cost manufacturing, supporting scalable deployment in size-, weight-, and power-constrained environments such as unmanned aerial vehicles, satellites, and autonomous navigation systems.
At the core of the IOG is a resonant cavity acting as the primary sensing element, whose performance—especially its quality factor (Q) – directly impacts the overall gyroscope sensitivity and accuracy. Since the 1980s, our research group has investigated various resonator configurations, both active [1, 2, 3] and passive [4, 5, 6, 7, 8], achieving Q-factors in the range of 10⁶ to 10⁹. These results have been demonstrated across multiple material platforms, including Indium Phosphide (InP) and silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), enabling angular velocity resolutions below 0.01 °/h. The Si3N4 resonator has been exposed at Expo 2020 Dubai. Current research efforts are also intensively focused on optimizing the gyroscope architecture, exploring advanced frequency and phase modulation schemes to further enhance performance and noise immunity.
References:
[1] M. N. Armenise, M. Armenise, V. M. N. Passaro, and F. De Leonardis, “Integrated Optical Angular Velocity Sensor,” European Patent EP1219926B1, 2000.
[2] M. Armenise, and P. J. R. Laybourn, “Design and Simulation of a Ring Laser for Miniaturised Gyroscopes,” Proceedings of SPIE, 3464, 81–90, 1998. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.323129
[3] M. Armenise, “Study and Design of an Integrated Optical Sensor for Miniaturized Gyroscopes for Space Applications,” master’s degree thesis, Bari Polytechnic, 1997.
[4] C. Ciminelli, C. E. Campanella, and M. N. Armenise, “Optical Rotation Sensor as well as Method of Manufacturing an Optical Rotation Sensor,” European Patent EP056933, 2013.
[5] C. Ciminelli, F. Dell’Olio, M. N. Armenise, F. M. Soares, and W. Passenberg, “High Performance InP Ring Resonator for New Generation Monolithically Integrated Optical Gyroscopes,” Optics Express, 1, 556-564, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.21.000556
[6] C. Ciminelli, D. D’Agostino, G. Carnicella, F. Dell’Olio, D. Conteduca, H. P. M. M. Ambrosius, M. K. Smit, M.N. Armenise, “A High-Q InP Resonant Angular Velocity Sensor for a Monolithically Integrated Optical Gyroscope,” IEEE Photonics Journal, 8, 1, 1-19, 2016. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7352311
[7] C. Ciminelli, F. Dell’Olio, and M. N. Armenise, “High-Q Spiral Resonator for Optical Gyroscope Applications: Numerical and Experimental Investigation,” IEEE Photonics Journal, 4, 5, 1844-1854, 2012. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6297989
[8] G. Brunetti, F. Dell’Olio, D. Conteduca, M. N. Armenise, and C. Ciminelli, “Comprehensive mathematical modelling of ultra-high Q grating-assisted ring resonators,” Journal of Optics, 22, 3, 2020. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2040-8986/ab71eb/meta