Award Data

ABSTRACT: The objective of this project is to design and fabricate multi-signal in-situ ablation sensors based on an acoustic transducer system, thermal measurement system (i.e., either photonic technology or in-situ thermal sensors based on ultra small thermocouples), and fast inverse heat transfer algorithms. This project will use the following approaches: Utilize commercially available opt ...

ABSTRACT: Robust optical coatings are of great importance across a broad spectrum of applications. Hard, durable, stress-free coatings are needed and used in everything from ophthalmic polymers to infrared optics. One of the principal shortcomings of typical inorganic oxide, nitride, and sulfide coatings when applied to polymeric substrates is the large difference in the coefficient of thermal ...

ABSTRACT: The objective of this STTR Phase I proposal is to investigate the feasibility of a hybrid organic/inorganic gradient index anti-reflective (GRIN-AR) coating on both rigid and flexible substrates, based on the resonant infrared matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (RIR-MAPLE) process. The hybrid organic/inorganic material approach enables both optical index control, as well as mechan ...

ABSTRACT: This project will apply resonant infrared pulsed laser ablation techniques to deposit environmentally-durable, adherent and conformal anti-reflection (AR) coating on a plastic (polycarbonate) substrate. The proposed broadband AR coating is based on a multilayer architecture of low-refractive index polymer and high-refractive index polymer or polymer hybrid materials. High quality poly ...

ABSTRACT: The work proposed involves the design and prototype concept creation of a high-performance thermal energy storage device (TES) based on graphene/ultrathin graphite and organic phase change materials. To achieve these goals, the following specific tasks will be accomplished: 1. Fabrication and design: use of emerging fabrication processes to develop a sub-scale three-dimensional struc ...

ABSTRACT: In this program, we propose to develop a miniaturized Electromagnetic (EM) wave sensor based on defect engineered slotted photonic crystal waveguide (PCW) Mach Zehnder interferometer (MZI). EO polymers with large EO coefficient (r33>150pm/V) will be designed and synthesized to refill the slot PCW in order to take advantage of high field concentration in the narrow slots. Band engineered ...

ABSTRACT: In this program, Omega Optics, Inc., in collaboration with the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and the University of Texas at Austin, proposes low-cost, high-throughput roll-to-roll (R2R) printing of integrated photonic devices by using a high-rate R2R ink-jet printing system in conjunction with a high-rate R2R nanoimprint lithography (R2RNIL) system and demonstrate fabrication of pho ...

ABSTRACT: The main objective of this project is to design metamaterial-based MEM phase shifters, and to enable their application in phased-array radar and communications systems. A compact, low-loss, low-power-consumption, and non-dispersive Ka-band 4-bit phase shifter is chosen as the demonstration vehicle. To determine the feasibility of the overall project, the objective during Phase I will be ...

ABSTRACT: A Novel Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) system is proposed. The Tai-Yang Research Company (TYRC) of Tallahassee, FL in collaboration with the Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS) also of Tallahassee, FL proposes in Phase 1 to design a prototype SMES system with significantly enhanced energy storage capacity over earlier SMES concepts. With this design the potential ex ...

ABSTRACT: This Phase I SBIR will produce a concept, and algorithms, for a Sensor Suite which can be used as a research tool to characterize strong atmospheric turbulence. Previous and on-going theories, statistics, and empirical data will be evaluated to arrive at an optimal Sensor design concept. That Sensor may exploit the superior resolution and performance inherent in the Radio-Hydro-Physi ...