Award Data

In this program, we aim to pioneer a chip-scale packaged platform to enable efficient coupling from single-mode photonic integrated circuits (PICs) to a large-area (several millimeters in diameter or larger), diffraction-limited beam in response to Topic T8.07 Photonic Integrated Circuits. We further aim to leverage this technology to realize a chip-scale optical engine for light detection and ran ...

Quantum Sensors have use in a wide variety of applications including microscopy, positioning systems, communication technology, electric and magnetic field sensors, as well as geophysical areas. Significant gains from Quantum Sensors include technologies important for a range of NASA missions including efficient photon detection, optical clocks, gravimetry, gravitational wave sensing, ranging, and ...

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) will develop integrated optical frequency shifters to enable Quantum-memory Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (QWDM). Our approach will enable the connection of multiple quantum memory registers across a free-space or fiber optical channel, increasing the bandwidth of near-term quantum networks by 10ndash;100x. As m ...

NASA will use swarms of robot vehicles for future planetary exploration, including Moon explorations in support of a sustained lunar presence. Advanced robotic and autonomous systems can overcome challenges inherent in navigating extreme terrain. Other tasks, such as obtaining mineral or ice samples from a wide area of a planetary surface or exploring terrain that blocks the transmission of signal ...

Photonectrsquo;s novel technology described in this proposal permanently attaches an optical fiber to a silicon chip using fusion splicing with methods and components that are scalable to high volume manufacturing, tolerant to mechanical and thermal stress, and limit loss. NASA has conveyed their need for coupling approaches and components resulting in low misalignment tolerances, which is directl ...

Incomplete, noisy, or otherwise uncertain data is the way it is, no purely computational method can magically fix it. Numerous techniques developed by the database and programming languages communities exist to help users cope with uncertain data. Specifically, these tools allow users to define business logic over uncertain (i.e., incomplete, possibilistic, or probabilistic) data as if it were ide ...

The program will develop a spectrometer with chip-scale footprint and performance rivaling high-end benchtop spectrum analyzers leveraging an innovative digital Fourier Transform (dFT) architecture, which uniquely enables exponential scaling of performance. Specifically,nbsp;the Phase II project will build on the accomplishments from Phase I and fabricate the photonic circuits via AIM Photonicsrsq ...

The proposed project aims to use ultrafast laser inscription (ULI) technology to improve the fabrication flexibility and versatility of a critical photonic component, arrayed waveguide grating (AWGs). The fabricated AWGs can be directly integrated with other ULI-based photonics devices, such as waveguide lasers, photonic lanterns, and modulators, realizing monolithic transmitters. This direct on-c ...

The growing volume and quality of Earth observations offer improvements in data assimilation and weather forecasting that can only be fully realized by advances in AI. 3D atmospheric profiles, including temperature, humidity, and winds, are key missing observables in NASA#39;s Earth Observation System (EOS) and presents large initial condition uncertainties in numerical weather prediction (NWP).nb ...

Our proposal provides a measurement technology to detect atmospheric conditions that favor the formation and persistence of aircraft-induced cirrus clouds in real time. These clouds account for the major share of aviationrsquo;s climate impact via radiative forcing. We need aircraft equipped with our technology that fly along the busiest flight corridors combined with adaptive flight routing as mi ...