Award Data

This project will develop a new scientific instrument optimized for the advanced characterization of near-infrared fluorescent nanoparticles that can exist as left- or right-handed structures (enantiomers). Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are the leading current example of such nanomaterials. Applied NanoFluorescence, LLC (ANF) proposes a novel multi-mode chiroptical spectrometer that can ...

Modern Model-Based Enterprise / Engineering (MBE) systems rely on freeform surfaces built as complex combinations of geometric primitives to define engineered objects. Unfortunately, the intersection of freeform surfaces in MBE applications results in highly approximated solutions, degrading models that cost billions annually by US industry to fix. Current technology limits the abilities of users ...

In this Phase I SBIR proposal, SandBox Semiconductor™ proposes to develop an Advanced Manufacturing and Material Measurements software tool called Weave ™ for accelerating and automating SEM image analysis for the semiconductor industry. During the development of a new manufacturing process line for a semiconductor device, tens of thousands of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images are take ...

Conventional characterization and test methods are increasingly ineffective when applied to structures less than 100 nanometers, causing challenges across R&D, process control and failure analysis. An increasing number of subtle defects become prominent drivers of failure as device size and operating margins decrease, e.g., processing anomalies in thin gate oxides, substrate problems related to do ...

We propose a fiber-pigtailed strained silicon platform for tunable difference frequency generation (DFG) in mid-infrared (MIR) with tunable continuous wave near-infrared (NIR) sources. Stress exerted by silicon nitride induces second-order nonlinear susceptibility c(2) on underlying centro-symmetric silicon. NIR light is coupled into silicon and MIR light is coupled out of silicon using sub-wavele ...

Chemical manufacturers require high accuracy/high sensitivity pressure sensors to efficiently monitor the various manufacturing systems and processes in the chemical plant, to ensure any changes proceed in a safe and reliable manner, adhering to expected standards and practices. NIST also has a need for highly accurate pressure measurements, especially determining the thermo-physical properties of ...

Low Thermal Electronics, Inc. proposes to design a stand-alone, programmable voltage source capable of supplying precision voltages in the range of zero to 1,000 volts direct current (DC), with options for scaling up to 10,000 volts, and with a total expanded uncertainty (k=2) of less than 10uV/V for the 10,000 volt version. This instrument will improve state-of-the-art measurements in high resist ...

During Phase I, Management Sciences, Inc. (MSI) proved feasibility of adapting their current technology into a product capable of improving performance resulting in increased efficiency and extended life cycles of heat pumps. The resultant product is a tool named the Heat Pump Sentient (HP-Sentient). The HP-Sentient will improve performance and reduce maintenance costs through aggressive goal-seek ...

methyst Research Inc. will design, fabricate and test a high uniformity, large area, low noise infrared trap-detector detector for the 1- 4.5 μm wavelength range. This state of the art detector will have a large area (e.g., 1-1.8 cm diameter active area) with a spatial variability of internal quantum efficiency of less than 0.1 % between 1 μm and 4.5 μm. In addition, the internal quantum effici ...

Standards and specifications are widely used in government and industry to define requirements for products and processes and insure interoperability, safety, and quality of industrial and domestic products. Specifications and standards documents almost always cross-reference other standards and specification. Taken together, the web of interdependent standards forms an immensely important knowled ...