Effect of 60Co-gamma radiation on the random walk error of interferometric fiber optic gyroscopes

Two Co-60-gamma radiation experiments were launched to explore the radiation effect on optical components and interferometric fiber optic gyroscope (IFOG). In optical components radiation experiment, the result showed that polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber coil loss was the most affected parameter in all the RWC (random walk coefficient) related parameters, compared with the weak sensitivity of other components parameters. In the IFOG radiation experiment, the RWC performance degradation was found to be almost due to an increase of the PM fiber attenuation. Based on the experiment result, a RWC prediction model in radiation, which is obtained by embedding PM fiber loss expression into the RWC model, was built following a power law of dose and dose rate. An IFOG RWC in space radiation environment was predicted from radiation dose and dose rate by the RWC prediction model. This RWC value calculated from test data is fully accorded to the RWC value predicted from radiation dose.