Award Data

To fully understand the combustion dynamics when chemical warfare agents are detonated, fast time-scale diagnostics are needed. While computational modeling may provide insight into the different processes, experimental measurements are needed to verify and validate these models. Since the detonation or combustion of chemical agents can result in optically thick fireballs, innovative techniques mu ...

With the advent of high-density low-power sub-20nm technology processes and circuits with tens-of-billions of transistors, radiation-induced single-event effects present a new set of design challenges for terrestrial applications. Developing reliable single-event effect resilient microelectronics in these modern technology nodes is a resource and time-intensive endeavor that further requires valid ...

The use of WMDs and IEDs by covert insurgents and terrorists poses a significant risk to U.S. military forces and civilians. The capability to execute rapid forensic DNA analysis to identify individuals who manufactured and transported these threatening devices is of paramount importance to military mission, homeland security and civilian safety. Current DNA forensic analyses are time-consuming, b ...

Terrorist use of radioactive nuclear materials via nuclear and/or radiological dispersion devices (dirty bombs) is a serious threat. Therefore, it is crucial to detect proliferation of nuclear material. Critical challenges include: (a) high sensitivity detection of signature emissions from radioactive isotopes, and (b) cost-effectiveness for deployment of sensor networks across large storage facil ...

TDA Research, Inc. (TDA), designed, built, and tested a dense array of 100 very low cost infrasonic sensors. Due to their low cost (1/100x-1/10x the cost of other infrasound sensors), they can be economically deployed in very large numbers; such large arrays can gather more information than a few expensive sensors. They are sensitive from 0.1 Hz - 100 Hz down to 0.08 Pa. We tested the sensors in s ...

Reliable automated pattern recognition in the current system is limited by excessive noise and clutter combined with insufficient and/or ambiguous features. Our team consisting of AcornSI and Leidos thus propose a multi-step approach based on the combined effects of improved detection, feature extraction, phase identification, and global association. A key innovation here is creating a new classif ...

Future high-performance integrated circuits in DoD satellite systems will require non-planar nano-technology devices, such as MultiGate Field Effect Transistors (MuGFET) or FinFET, which can decrease pattern area of logic circuits below 50% of the conventional planar technologies. The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors predicts that such devices will be the cornerstone of sub-32nm ...

For applications in DoD satellite systems, devices based on novel nanomaterials offer significant advantages over traditional technologies in terms of light-weight and efficiency. Examples of such novel devices include quantum dot (QD) based solar cells, photodetectors, radars and sensors. However, the response of these devices to radiation effects is not well understood, and radiation effects mod ...

PNTS proposes to develop a truly novel implementation of eye-safe terahertz (THz) spectroscopy that is unprecedented in the standoff detection regime for accuracy, low cost, and portability. PNTS has teamed with SC&A, Inc., and researchers from the University of Memphis to create a world class team of research and development personnel. We are proposing a continuous wave terahertz (THz-CW) spect ...

Current high energy, multi-room test facilities operated in support of Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) efforts suffer from a lack of robust sensors that can provide a cost-effective approach to obtaining dynamic pressure induced gas flows during internal detonations events. Exquadrum, Inc proposes a new sensor package that utilizes existing piezoelectric sensor technologies, but incorporat ...