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 ...

Herein, PSI propose a system-on-chip (SoC) solution for an entangled photon pair source (EPPS) based on thin-film lithium niobate on insulator (TFLNOI) photonic integrated circuits (PIC). Using integrated photonic devices such as fiber coupler, waveguide, modulator, splitter/combiner and micro-ring, the proposed EPPS can generate and process the entangled photons with high efficiency and speed. In ...

The innovation in this proposed effort is to capitalize on existing knowledge, AME equipment platforms, processes, and working devices to enhance the durability and ruggedness of AME produced products. The extreme temperature variations study and optimization will establish the material and process set to make AME products reliable. We will specifically study the material mismatch between diverse ...

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 ...

This Phase I SBIR will lead to the development of a bandwidth tailored pump source for high purity photon pair generation. Spontaneous parametric down conversion can be used to generate high purity photon pairs at wavelengths of interest to NASA and the broader scientific community. However, these sources are highly dependent on pulsed pump laser parameters. Traditional pulsed laser sources are la ...

New textile and material solutions are needed to withstand the challenging environments that will be encountered during extended duration Lunar exploration missions. We propose a novel textile technology for environmental protection garment (EPG) outer layers that leverages space-proven materials together with a novel sintered powder textile surface modification process to impart superior dust res ...

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 ...