Award Data

High performance infrared detectors in the LWIR regime are highly needed in a number of missile defense missions. In order to image targets from long distance, it is important that imagers have high sensitivity and high resolution. This leads to technical goals of having low noise, low dark current in small size pixels in large arrays. While saturated performance levels of traditional systems base ...

The primary objective of Phase I work performed by the team of CU Aerospace and the University of Illinois is to produce a powerful and easy to use, parallel, fluid-dynamic, chemical-kinetic, and optical simulation software package that will function on any modern computational platform (Unix, Linux, Windows, MacOS), be applicable to a wide range of laser systems and other technical problems of in ...

We propose to develop algorithms to improve debris management for electro-optical/infrared sensors (EO/IR) within C2BMC. Our goal is to improve fire control solutions, increase the quality of communicated sensor information, and reduce communication demands. We characterize the pre-intercept debris field mathematically by expressing the debris fields viewed on the sensor"s focal plane as 2D elli ...

The potential threat of directed energy weapons (DEW) and other high peak power electromagnetic transient signals require radar systems to implement front door protection against high power signals. Fast ultra wideband (UWB) and high power microwave (HPM) signals are not successfully blocked by most current protection technologies. The Phase I work demonstrated a quasi-passive, solid state e ...

Under the work proposed here, we will develop a physics based comprehensive software for modeling the behavior of a diode pumped alkali laser: DPAL. The software will be designed primarily for a He-Rb DPAL. However, it could easily be applied to DPALs based on other alkali atoms, such as Cs. Furthermore, the model would be versatile enough to be applicable to other high energy lasers as well. ...

In Phase I, Sivananthan Laboratories (SL) demonstrated the ability to polish Si(211) wafers, as supplied by a vendor with an already fine polish, to an even better surface smoothness and uniformity. SL also demonstrated the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of CdTe films with better crystalline quality and uniformity using SL-polished 2 cm x 2 cm Si(211) samples, compared to those grown on the ...

Three dimensional (3D) imaging and single-wavelength active sensors are very effective for distinguishing moving targets, such as missiles, from decoys and for cutting through natural clutter and thermal noise. For systems equipped with ALS to accurately acquire, track and point moving objects, extremely sensitive detectors are required to be able to provide the bandwidth and resolution necessary ...

Atmospheric refractive index fluctuations directly impact the propagation of laser beams through the atmosphere. A key parameter of interest to be directly acquired or derived from atmospheric measurements is the refractive index structure parameter CN2. Atmospheric refractive index, and therefore CN2, can theoretically be derived as a function of temperature, humidity, and pressure measurements ...

Accurate prediction of aero-thermal demise of post-intercept debris is a high priority for the United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA). Predictive tools for assessing the aero-thermal demise of intercept debris are needed to support BMDS effectiveness evaluations, flight test and range safety operations, and consequence mitigation assessments. During this Phase I effort, Shearwater Technology ...

Tracking and recognition of fast moving targets require fast, sensitive, uniform focal plane arrays (FPAs). However, high performance single-band FPAs are sometimes unable to discriminate a target from its background when they present similar infrared radiation at a given wavelength. This may occur even if the temperature of the objects is very different. In such a case, two-color FPAs offer an ad ...