Award Data

Thermal decomposition of hydrogen peroxide may provide significant weight, operability, envelope, and cost benefits over traditional catalytic decomposition units used in propulsion and energy systems. However, no proven methods exist for the design ofreliable and efficient thermal decomposition devices. A validated engineering design model and definition of safe operating regimes are pressing n ...

Despite numerous recent developments in the area of thermal management, there is now a critical shortage of cooling schemes that can handle anticipated heat loads in many military and commercial applications. The lack of effective cooling schemes hasemerged as an obstacle to electronic packaging at the device, module, and system levels. This study incorporates liquid cooling techniques and capit ...

Multifunctional structure encompasses a revolutionary level of integration that improves performance and reduces cost. Subsystem functionality is integrated into structural members to eliminate the need for subsystem interconnecting wires, cables, lines,and supporting brackets. Avionics support racks can be eliminated. Large modular structure with embedded subsystem functionality will eliminate ...

Failure of solid rocket motor propellants due to structural or chemical breakdown from either manufacturing or aging effects can result in potential failure of the rocket and significant maintenance requirements. Defects in rocket propellants are asignificant issue particularly for new propellants, which may suffer from short experiential histories, frequently unknown lifecycle parameters and the ...

We propose to optimize the design of a highly versatile active/passive multi-color focal plane array (FPA). The device integrates, within a single pixel, both avalanche photodiode (APD) and two-color LWIR/VLWIR sensing capabilities. The design is based onwell proven HgCdTe heterostructure techniques and manufacturing methods.In Phase I, we will investigate both two-terminal and three-terminal, bac ...

Polarization will increasingly be an important tool in ballistic missile defense. However, in practice, implementing a robust polarimetric system necessitates addressing a number of complex issues and challenges. Furthermore, polarimetric systems,traditionally have relied on spatial or sequential scanning mechanisms to record the multi-dimensional datacube. Due to spatial and/or temporal aliasing, ...

To engender future developments in space-based ladar systems, innovative approaches to realizing high-density, radiation-hard readout integration circuits (ROIC) are required. The object of this proposed effort is to support space-based ladar sensingsystems by developing a radiation hard, high-performance, ladar ROIC based on wafer-stacked, rad-hard, SOI CMOS integrated circuits that achieve high- ...

Electron-bombarded sensors have been researched for over thirty years and the general theory of operation has been proven and prototype devices demonstrated. However thus far, they have yet to be manufactured in a cost effective manner with optimizedperformance characteristics. Furthermore, the state of the art EBCCD device has no proven reliability.In this Phase I program, we propose to develop a ...

To satisfy the demand for a reliable, high sensitivity, radiation hardened imager for space vehicle navigation star tracking tasks, we will design, simulate and optimize a radiation hard, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), fully-depleted, back-illuminatedstartracking sensor with enhanced sensitivity and centroiding capability. The device is unique in its performance and its radiation hardness. Radiation ...

Conventional InGaAs/InP based APDs have very poor multiplication noise performance. While InGaAs is an excellent infrared absorber, it is a poor signal multiplier. InGaAs/InP APD devices also exhibit poor dark current and afterpulsing characteristics,which result in false signals and makes their utility for Geiger mode detection problematic. In contrast, silicon is an excellent multiplier, but unf ...