Award Data

ABSTRACT: Current and projected limitations on the maximum power from a high power single mode fiber laser amplifier impose architectural limitations on a high power phased array laser weapon system. Prior studies strongly indicate that when faced with this limitation the optimal approach is (to borrow the term for Paul McManamon) a Phased Array of Phased Arrays (PAPA) geometry wherein large(r) ...

The objective of this Phase I project is to evaluate the use of novel Laser Induced Surface Improvement (LISI) techniques to provide surface modification to substrate materials which will provide superior wear resistance in extreme conditions. The specific application of interest is the hypersonic metal-to-metal contact that occurs at high speed test track facilities that can and has lead to catas ...

Current continuous wave (CW) and pulse mid-wave infrared (MWIR) lasers have design and performance limitations that constrain their usability in some critical Air Force applications. There is an important need to create a new class of MWIR laser sources with less drawbacks and higher pulse energies and CW powers. The proposed work will demonstrate the technical feasibility of an innovative MWIR la ...

This Phase I STTR proposal will demonstrate nanostructured “metal-black” coatings to enhance absorption by thin film solar cells. The problem is that silicon has low absorption due to its indirect gap. The opportunity is that nano-scale metallic scattering centers increase the effective optical path length and enhance the solar electric-field strength in thin-film solar cells, leading to more ...

ABSTRACT: The overall program objective is to utilize the best available technologies to successfully develop the concept and design of a state of the art C-Band telemetry transmitter that meets or exceeds the performance qualification parameters and size constraints detailed in the AF12-BT07 solicitation. Specifically, the objective of the entire two-phase program is to develop, test, and deliv ...

Military applications for the use of directed electromagnetic energy, which include high power microwave (HPM), seek to disrupt electronic systems by exploiting non-linearity in semiconductors. While current mode second breakdown is a thermal non-linearity often exploited, it has been demonstrated that a broad class of semiconductors have more subtle non-linearities that can be utilized to induce ...

This Small Business Technology Transfer research project addresses the perception and learning of complex sound patterns within complex auditory scenes. The objective is to model auditory signal processing, pattern recognition and learning in the human auditory system. Our novel approach simulates the nonlinear signal processing that has been observed in auditory physiology. By mimicking functiona ...

The objective is to develop zonal multi-physics capability for turbulent combustion simulations. The foundation of the proposed work is a novel Pareto-Efficient Combustion (PEC) framework for fidelity-adaptive combustion modeling. The PEC model utilizes a combustion submodel assignment, combining the low-cost flamelet-based models with the more expensive finite rate chemistry models where necessar ...

The proposed effort aims to deliver a novel process model for carbon-carbon manufacturing to determine thermo-mechanical properties of these materials and their components, thereby enabling a faster cycle for material development for hypersonic platforms. The proposed solution consists of (1) requirement and functionality analyses, (2) a six-level model representing the key steps of the manufactur ...

Modern military and civilian aircraft technologies are pushing the performance envelope through design and use of new advanced materials with superior property combinations. Aircraft powerplant manufacturers are facing intense competition to efficiently deliver ever increasing thrust, while meeting the highest standards of reliability and performance over an expanded service life. These performanc ...