Company
Portfolio Data
Back to Company SearchCITY LABS, INC.
UEI: LD55BB3D8EM7
Number of Employees: 8
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
SBIR/STTR Involvement
Year of first award: 2018
5
Phase I Awards
6
Phase II Awards
120%
Conversion Rate
$546,604
Phase I Dollars
$8,295,240
Phase II Dollars
$8,841,844
Total Awarded
Awards
Tritium-Powered Nanowatt Crypto Key Retention and Security COMSEC System that Requires No Battery Replacement for Life of Equipment
Amount: $1,250,000 Topic: AFX234-DCSO2
The Air Force needs COMSEC devices that do not require battery replacement for their battery-backed key retention and security. City Labs is proposing the adaptation of its Model P100 tritium betavoltaic power source along with an adapted version of L3Har
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2023
DOD
USAF
NanoTritium Betavolatic Power Systems - TACFI
Amount: $376,250 Topic: J201-CSO1
In summary, the effort will improve City Labs’ tritium power source to provide long-term power for small space satellites. The stacking methodology for robust assembly of devices with multiple layers of metal hydride and semiconductor material will be enhanced in this project. The effort will also result in an adequate helium diffusion mechanism in the electronic package which will enable the use of higher amounts of tritium in the power source devices. City Labs is the only licensed manufacturer of betavoltaic power sources which carries a General License allowing distribution to anyone in the United States without requiring the recipient to possess a radiation license. The proposed tritium betavoltaic power source will meet the AF customers’ requirement for an ultra-small, temperature resilient, continuous 5-10 year power capability.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2023
DOD
USAF
Tritium Battery AA Form-Factor for Continuous 20+ Year Operation for COMSEC Crypto Key Security
Amount: $75,000 Topic: AFX235-CSO1
The AFLCMC needs a battery to provide a lifetime of continuous power to COMSEC devices for its backup key retention and security. The proposed adaptation of City Labs’ tritium betavoltaic battery (Model P100) power source will provide consistent power (at
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2023
DOD
USAF
Nuclear Beta Emitter Ion Engine for Small Satellites
Amount: $75,000 Topic: AFX235-CSO1
Satellites continue to be miniaturized to mitigate cost and procurement cycle times. Additionally, smaller satellites enable missions not feasible with larger satellites. For example, multi-point-simultaneous global sensing is achievable via constellation
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2023
DOD
USAF
Self-Powered Wireless Autonomous Imaging Sensor for Satellites
Amount: $1,700,000 Topic: AFX234-DCSO1
Space Force needs an autonomous self-powered imaging sensor with onboard processing capabilities and wireless communication for satellites that can operate continuously under broad temperature conditions for the life of the space vehicle. The ability to a
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2023
DOD
USAF
Tritium Power Source for Small CubeSats P2
Amount: $850,000 Topic: J201-CSO1
The Air Force has a need for a compact sized power source (≤ 35 cc’s) for ultrasmall satellites (e.g. femtosatellites) that can provide continuous power for 5-10 years under broad temperature conditions while operating in the dark (i.e., no exposure to l
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2021
DOD
USAF
Leadless Pacemaker Betavoltaic Power Source
Amount: $3,368,990 Topic: NHLBI
PROJECT ABSTRACT Leadless cardiac pacemakers (LCPs) represent a revolutionary leap forward in cardiac pacing technology because they circumvent transvenous leads. The current size of lithium-carbon mono-fluoride (Li/CFX) batteries results in an overall LCP device size of ~1 cc, and which only has a 10-year lifetime. LCPs are currently limited to single-chamber pacing, representing only 10-20% of current pacemaker users. To achieve dual-chamber and multi-chamber leadless pacing, a size reduction of the LCP is required. However, smaller batteries are required to shrink the LCP. This Phase 2 effort will result in a betavoltaic battery for LCPs that is one-sixth the size of Li/CFX batteries, enabling LCPs with a size of less than half the current LCP. Additionally, this new battery technology will have greater than twice the energy capacity compared to Li/CFX batteries, and also will have double the LCP lifespan, to a 20-year lifetime. This size reduction and increased longevity will allow for 2-3 implants over a patient’s lifetime, with minimal invasive overhead, facilitating mainstream use of LCPs, while challenging traditional pacemakers. Dual or multi-chamber LCPs will dramatically increase the use of LCPs but will require a ~0.1cc battery providing a consistent ≥3.8 microwatts for 20 years. Chemical-based batteries do not have the energy density or reliability to meet this requirement, which the City Labs NanoTritiumTM betavoltaic medical implant battery will effectively address. In Phase 2 the construction of the LCP betavoltaic battery will comprise stacking ultrathin III-V betavoltaic cells that utilize a new, high beta-flux, tritium metal hydride film. The betavoltaic battery will be ~0.1 cc with ≥14.9 microwatts power at beginning-oflife and have a 20-year projected life at ≥ 3.8 microwatts. Phase 1 data shows that the target power density for a ~ 0.1 cc LCP battery will be reached, resulting in a power density sufficient to meet pacemaker manufacturers’ performance goals, resulting in continuous power output for 20 years within a ~0.1 cc formfactor. Tritium betavoltaic technology is a solid- state power source that does not lose energy density with decreasing size, which occurs with lithium batteries. Its principles of operation are similar to a solar cell, but in place of photons impinging on the semiconductor cell, the electrons from the radioisotope’s beta decay are utilized. In the NHLBI SBIR Phase 2, City Labs will construct a tritium betavoltaic battery consisting of ultra-thin stacked betavoltaic cell layers in a cylindrical form factor for easy insertion into a leadless pacemaker package and deliver it to a pacemaker manufacturer to assess overall system performance. Post Phase 2, integrated FDA testing and certification of the joint LCP and betavoltaic will be performed by the pacemaker manufacturer through a Premarket Approval. A bioinert package with electrical feedthroughs will be constructed. Packaging of the cell stack, sealing, and electrical/regulatory testing will be performed. Milestone: Delivery of the betavoltaic within a ~0.1cc package to pacemaker manufacturer for testing and inclusion into a leadless pacemaker.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2021
HHS
NIH
Tritium Power Source for Small CubeSats
Amount: $50,000 Topic: J201-CSO1
City Labs’ tritium power source, NanoTritiumTM P100 betavoltaic battery, provides continuous low power for decades. The power solution was commercialized by City Labs over 8 years ago and has been purchased for memory backup, low power sensors, and research applications. The Model P100 has been tested by independent third parties to extreme temperatures of -55°C to 150°C. Chemical based batteries cannot operate on such a wide temperature range making the Model P100 unique among small power sources. Recently, the Air Force has been investigating solutions for powering CubeSats for defense application. These satellites can be as small as a cell phone and need a small power source that can handle wide temperature conditions. Unfortunately, solar cells are not sufficient for this Air Force requirement due to the relatively small size of these satellites and concomitant lack of attitude control for solar power harvesting, and temperature control for secondary batteries. What is needed is a small, long-term, temperature independent, power solution. The enhanced Model P100 will be a diminutive power source that can handle extreme temperatures while providing long-term, continuous power for an Air Force CubeSat.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2020
DOD
USAF
5 Watt per Kilogram Tritium Betavoltaic
Amount: $750,000 Topic: S3
The central goal of this Phase II effort is to create the worldrsquo;s first milliwatt scale betavoltaic. This project will utilize an ultra-thin, light weight, betavoltaic p/n junction, developed in Phase I, that increases the efficiency of betavoltaic devices from 8% to greater than 10% based on the incident tritium beta flux.nbsp; Betavoltaic power sources offer advantages under conditions that render battery replacement difficult, impossible, or life-threatening, and in applications where long-lasting (20+ years), continuous, low-power sources are crucial to device operation. These applications include defense electronics, homeland security, intelligence sensors, aerospace, structural-health monitoring sensors, sub-sea sensors, satellites / deep space probes, and medical devices / implants.nbsp; City Labs is the only licensed manufacturer of betavoltaic power sources which carries a General License allowing distribution to anyone in the United States without requiring the recipient to possess a radiation license.nbsp; The specific power of tritium is 340 W/kg with a half-life of 12.3 years and is readily available for commercial applications such as luminous watch dials, exit signs, medical tracers, and betavoltaic batteries. Traditionally, tritium metal hydride films have had a power density of approximately 38 W/kg (e.g. titanium tritide) but City Labsrsquo; new metal tritide film has a power density approaching 70 W/Kg and can be expanded to 100 W/kg. The milliwatt scale betavoltaic will consist of a wide bandgap III-V p/n junction, developed in Phase I, and a high beta-flux metal tritide, stacked into layers of ultra-thin junctions. City Labs will perform this work in partnership with Microlink Devices, a leader in metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and epitaxial lift-off (ELO) junctions.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2019
NASA
Leadless Pacemaker Betavoltaic Power Source
Amount: $221,657 Topic: NHLBI
Leadless cardiac pacemakersLCPsrepresent a revolutionary leap forward in cardiac pacing technology via its circumvention of transvenous leadsCurrent LCP lithium CFX batteries arecc resulting in an overallcc LCP deviceThis Phase I effort will demonstrate the feasibility of acc betavoltaic battery for LCPs with ayear lifetimex lifetime of current LCP batteriesenabling LCPs with a volumetric size ofccThis size reduction and increased longevity will allow forimplants over a patient s lifetime with minimal invasive overheadFurthermoreLCPs are currently limited to single chamber pacingrepresenting onlyof the current transvenous implant marketDual chamber and multi chamber leadless pacing also require a size reduction of the LCP to meet the smaller volume space associated with the atriaA betavoltaic battery with acc form factor and a reliableyear life will facilitate mainstream use of LCPs while challenging traditional pacemakersPhase I will demonstrate feasibility via the construction of stackablemicron thick III V betavoltaic cells that utilize a new high beta fluxtritium metal hydride filmPreliminary data shows thatmicrowatts per cctarget power density for acc LCP batterymay be reached if the betavoltaic celli etritium film coupled to the semiconductor cellis thinned down to stackablemicron layersThe work in Phase I will lay the foundation for the design of the stackable cell unit to be developed in Phase IIwhich will result in a battery prototype for testing and integration by a pacemaker corporate partnerThe design will account for electrical parallel stacking of n p and p n cellsI V characteristic behavior from Phasecellspackaging considerationsLCP manufacturer inputand guidelines from regulatory agenciesTritium betavoltaic technology is a solid state power source that does not lose its energy density with volumetric reduction as in the case of lithium batteriesIts principles of operation are similar to a solar cellbut in lieu of photons impinging on the semiconductor cellthe electrons from the radioisotope s beta decay are utilizedSpecific AimDevelop n p and p n wide bandgap diode junctions that are thin and stackableTaskMetalOrganic Chemical Vapour DepositionMOCVDgrowth of n p and p n junctionsTaskThin down substrate and deposit back metalMilestonesCells withmicrons of thicknessDark I V measurements yieldingnanoamps cmatVolts in TasksandVolts in TaskSpecific AimDeposit metal hydride on cell surface to demonstrate thin and stackable betavoltaic cellsTaskDeposit metal hydride junction active area and investigate dark I V properties and loading capacityThe metal hydride will be loaded with a tritium surrogate of protium or deuteriumMilestonesDark I V criteria ofnanoamps cmatVolts and a loading capacity ofor higher by weight of hydrogen to metalThese two specific aims will demonstrate the feasibility of the betavoltaic layers to be stacked in Phase IIresulting in a betavoltaic battery for testing and integration into a revolutionary ultra small LCP with approximately double the lifetime of current batteries The demonstration of high power densityultra small betavoltaic batteries for leadless cardiac pacemakers will enable a new class of medical implants that will demonstrate a paradigm shift in cardiac rhythm managementThis size reduction and increased longevity will extend the benefits of LCPs to a younger patient populationFurthermoreit opens up potential use of LCPs for dual and multi chamber pacing due to the dramatic reduction in battery size
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2019
HHS
NIH