Award Data

In this Phase II SBIR effort we will dramatically reduce the size, weight, and power requirements of a passive millimeter wave imaging system based on optical upconversion. To this end, we will integrate custom silicon-germanium low noise amplifiers that have been designed to efficiently couple with our high performance lithium niobate upconversion modules. In Phase I we analyzed the design requ ...

Commodity graphics processing units (GPUs) offer tremendous computational throughput for relatively little cost. They have been shown to outperform microprocessors in the important metrics of FLOPS/dollar, FLOPS/Watt, and FLOPS/unit space and have already been applied to a wide range of numerically intense problems. In Phase I of this project, we demonstrated their potential to enhance complex C ...

The proposed multi-spectral IFF beacon will use 40 to 50 % effient high power laser diodes at 863, 1064, and 1550 nm wavelengths. Thermal emitters including diamond-like carbon thin films, photonic crystals, and quantum cascade lasers will be characterized and compared. Finally a model to predict the detection range of IFF beacons will be developed using proprietary emitter power and atmospheric ...

Many large-scale numerical simulations can be broken down into common mathematical routines. While the applications may differ, they often need to perform standard functions such as system solves, Fourier transforms, or eigenvalue calculations. Consequently, producing fast, efficient implementations of these methods will benefit a broad range of Air Force applications. Graphics Processing Units (G ...

QuantaSpec, Inc., proposes to produce a highly efficient, compact, personnel-worn combat ID beacon visible to a large variety of overhead imaging pods. Multiple incidents of fratricide have highlighted the need for improved combat ID and Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) technology. Recent advances in emitter technology have enabled a new class of signaling device to become practical. QuantaSpec, Inc., ...

Diffraction LTD will develop a multi-spectral battery powered combat ID beacon. Key emitter technologies will include vacuum encapsulated photonic crystals in the MWIR and LWIR spectral bands. In Phase 1, a complete optical, electrical, and mechanical design of the beacon will be produced. A model taking into account emitter characteristics, atmospheric transmission, ambient lighting, and vario ...

Optical components for RF-photonic applications such as communication satellites, avionics, optical networks, sensors and phase array radar will require high speed, high capacity and low power. Due to the nature of crystalline electro-optic materials (LiNbO3, GaAs, InP, etc.) today’s commercial electro-optical devices do not perform well above 40 GHz. This limitation can be circumvented by utili ...

Microbial contamination in kerosene based aviation fuels has been a problem for the USAF since the 1960’s. Antimicrobial effect of earlier used fuel system icing inhibitor (FSII) became an initial solution to this problem, but later, such fuel additives were banned due to their extreme toxicity towards humans. Newer FSIIs, being more eco-friendly, do not possess the antimicrobial properties of ...

Under the DARPA sponsored Naval Advanced Amorphous Coating (NAAC) program, a novel, thermal sprayed amorphous metal coating has been developed. Such a coating has demonstrated superior mechanical and corrosion resistance properties. Although the coating is designed to be life-of-ship, the application and operational conditions may compromise the integrity of the coating. For example, the applicati ...

Thermal barrier coatings have been widely used to provide thermal protection to superalloy components in gas turbine engines. After certain amount of service time, the coating experiences a reduction in thickness by processes such as wear, erosion and foreign/domestic object damage. When the thickness decreases below a critical value, the thermal barrier effect provided by the coating is no longer ...