Award Data

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 ...

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 ...

High density wafer scale cryogenic probing solution for testing at 4.5K temperatures or below is needed for testing and characterization of devices and circuits employing superconducting electronic components (such as used for quantum processing, high speed classical processing, magnetic field sensors, etc.) as well as for testing of various particle and light detectors for astronomy, aerospace, d ...

Omega Optics will develop a fiber-coupled platform in strained silicon-on-sapphire (SoS) for tunable difference frequency generation in midwave infrared (MIR) with tunable continuous wave sources in the near-infrared (NIR). Stress exerted by silicon nitride on underlying silicon induces second-order nonlinear susceptibility. NIR light is coupled into silicon and MWIR light is coupled out of silico ...

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one out of every four Americans lives within three miles of a hazardous waste site. Recent developments in advanced treatment materials has led to improvements driving increased use of In Situ Chemical Reduction (ISCR) at Superfund sites in the US and other contaminated zones around the world. Nanoscale Zero Valent Iron (NZVI) holds great po ...

Chemical manufacturers require high accuracy and 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. In addition, NIST has a need for highly accurate absolute and differential pressure measurements, especially for det ...

While fluorocarbons are released in relatively small amounts, they can have half-lives in the atmosphere as long as 50,000 years. However, they have extremely high global warming potential relative to other greenhouse gases, so that even small atmospheric concentrations can have large effect on global temperatures. For this reason, monitoring atmospheric concentrations of these compounds, identify ...

Luna Innovations has developed for NIST a low-cost, yet high resolution acoustic sensor system capable of determining ten micro-degree changes in a water path caused by clinical medical radiation devices. A system will be delivered to NIST for their evaluation and testing. The sensors are external to the water and play a negligible role in error sources from thermal transfer in contrast to current ...