Award Data

"Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, though built using semiconductor equipment, have a different set of failure mechanisms and reliability concerns than integrated circuits. One major concern is stiction, a term that describes the propensity oftwo silicon surfaces to stick to each other if they touch.To solve this problem, AST is proposing to develop organic coatings with Teflon-like ...

"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will investigate a promising new technique for fabricating periodic domain gratings in stoichiometric lithium tantalate(SLT). The key innovation in this SBIR effort is the use of externally mountedmicro-electrodes to electrically pole the material. This poling technique, made possible because of the low coercive field found in SLT, will sign ...

Aerodyne Research will develop, demonstrate and market HySPAR, the HyperSpectral Polarimeter for Aerosol Retrievals. Our HySPAR commercial market will comprise both product sales (selling copies of the sensor) and R&D-level aerosol field measurement services. HySPAR employs snapshot multi-angle (passive optical) spectropolarimetry to retrieve atmospheric aerosol macro and microphysical properties. ...

Aerodyne Research will develop, demonstrate and market HySPAR, the HyperSpectral Polarimeter for Aerosol Retrievals. Our HySPAR commercial market will comprise both product sales (selling copies of the sensor) and R&D-level aerosol field measurement services. HySPAR employs snapshot multi-angle (passive optical) spectropolarimetry to retrieve atmospheric aerosol macro and microphysical properties. ...

This project concerns the development of a sensor intended to remotely monitor plant stress using active stimulation of plant chlorophyll fluorescence. The intensity and spectral band shape of leaf chlorophyll fluorescence in green plants has been linked to the physiological status of the plants and thus provides a good indicator of plant health. The proposed sensor will measure the relative inten ...

This project concerns the development of a sensor intended to remotely monitor plant stress using active stimulation of plant chlorophyll fluorescence. The intensity and spectral band shape of leaf chlorophyll fluorescence in green plants has been linked to the physiological status of the plants and thus provides a good indicator of plant health. The proposed sensor will measure the relative inten ...

"High performance fiberoptic switches are in great demand for use in both modern commercial and defense communication networks and next-generation military sensing systems. Current fiberoptic switches lack reliability and operation speed. Carrie-classreliable switch matrix has not been realized because of the intrinsic limitation of existing technologies. Agiltron Corporation proposes to develo ...

"The terahertz (THz) wave region is an underutilized electromagnetic spectrum in which generation is difficult. The existing THz sources are generated either by large and expensive free electron laser or by pulsed optical radiations. There is an increasedneed for continuous THz wave source of high temporal and spatial coherence. The practical use of THz spectrum requires new laser technology th ...

Scientists have used laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) over the past decade to perform elemental analysis of soil, water and gases. The formation of laser-induced plasma, which produces a localized blackbody source for atomic emissions, enables this technology. Collection of the plasma's spectral signature by a lens or optical fiber allows examination for elemental components of numerous ...

Scientists have used laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) over the past decade to perform elemental analysis of soil, water and gases. The formation of laser-induced plasma, which produces a localized blackbody source for atomic emissions, enables this technology. Collection of the plasma's spectral signature by a lens or optical fiber allows examination for elemental components of numerous ...