OREANDA-NEWS. Shvabe Holding has developed a high-technology, polarization preserving anisotropic optical fiber to be used in gyroscopes for maritime navigation systems.

"This optical fiber has unique features preserving radiation polarization, which is essential for the accuracy of inertial and satellite navigation systems based on fiber optic gyroscopes. The point is anisotropic optical fibers of medium and small diameter can be produced for appropriately sized sensors. Their production technology has higher quantitative indicators and their cost is three times lower than that of similar foreign-made products," said Nikolay Rakovich, Shvabe Deputy CEO for R&D and innovative development.

The fiber is produced and marketed by OJSC Research and Development Institute of Optical Materials Technology of the All-Russia Research Center "S.I. Vavilov State Optical Institute", a Holding enterprise, under order of the State Research Center of the Russian Federation - Concern CSRI Elektropribor, JSC.

Orientation and navigation systems based on fiber optic gyroscopes are installed on all types of seacraft, including high-speed seacraft, to determine the geographical course and measure roll, pitch and heave angles and many other ship motion parameters. They are also used for depth surveys and laying of subsea cables and pipelines.