Rfog employing serrodyne frequency shifting

A system, comprising:

• a fiber optic resonator;
• at least one optical signal source configured to produce at least one optical signal;
• a plurality of optical components configured to introduce a first optical signal derived from the at least one optical signal and a second optical signal derived from the at least one optical signal for propagation within the fiber optic resonator wherein the first optical signal and the second optical signal propagate in opposite directions;
• first resonance tracking electronics configured to control a frequency of the first optical signal;
• second resonance tracking electronics configured to control a frequency of the second optical signal;
• serrodyne modulation electronics configured to receive at least one of a first serrodyne control signal from the first resonance tracking electronics and a second serrodyne control signal from the second resonance tracking electronics;
• wherein the serrodyne modulation electronics are further configured to generate at least one serrodyne modulation control signal, wherein a first serrodyne modulation signal and a second serrodyne modulation signal are generated from the at least one serrodyne modulation control signal, wherein a sign of a slope of the first serrodyne modulation signal is opposite a sign of a slope of the second serrodyne modulation signal, wherein the sign of the slope of the first serrodyne modulation signal and the sign of the slope of the second serrodyne modulation signal periodically switch;
• a first phase modulator configured to phase modulate the first optical signal with the first serrodyne modulation signal before the first optical signal propagates within the fiber optic resonator;
• and
• a second phase modulator configured to phase modulate the second optical signal with the second serrodyne modulation signal before the second optical signal propagates within the fiber optic resonator.

A method, comprising:

• producing at least one optical signal;
• introducing a first optical signal derived from the at least one optical signal and a second optical signal derived from the at least one optical signal for propagation within a fiber optic resonator wherein the first optical signal and the second optical signal propagate in opposite directions;
• generating at least one serrodyne modulation control signal, wherein a first serrodyne modulation signal and a second serrodyne modulation signal are generated from the at least one serrodyne modulation control signal, wherein a sign of a slope of the first serrodyne modulation signal is opposite a sign of a slope of the second serrodyne modulation signal;
• periodically switching the sign of the slope of the first serrodyne modulation signal and the sign of the slope of the second serrodyne modulation signal;
• phase modulating the first optical signal with the first serrodyne modulation signal before the first optical signal propagates within the fiber optic resonator;
• and
• phase modulating the second optical signal with the second serrodyne modulation signal before the second optical signal propagates within the fiber optic resonator.