Award Data

This Small Business Technology Transfer Research phase I program will develop a new class of uncooled THz detectors for the 1-10THz band with a novel design using surface plasmon resonant cavities with integrated metal-insulator-metal tunneling diodes as the detecting element. Tunneling diodes provide ultrafast broadband response, potentially into the visible (300THz), but demonstrated performanc ...

We propose to develop a commercial weakly ionized plasma modeling capability based off of Tech-X’s high energy density plasma fluid code TxFluids. The new additions will be able to be used to model hypersonic vehicle physics including shock waves, plasma chemistry and innovative techniques for blackout mitigation and hypersonic vehicle control through the application of electric and/or magnetic ...

We apply the theory of partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs) to the design of guidance algorithms for controlling the motion of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with on-board sensors for tracking multiple ground targets. While POMDPs are intractable to optimize exactly, principled approximation methods can be devised based on Bellman’s principle. We introduce a new approximation ...

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 ...

Aerosol Jet printing is proposed as a method for printing large area, CNT-based transistor arrays on flexible substrate. The teaming relationship combines expertise in high resolution printing along with device and materials expertise. All semiconductor, dielectric, and conductive materials comprising the TFTs will be solution processed and printed with a single machine. This will lead to a cos ...

The present text proposes development of efficient, accurate and rapidly-convergent algorithms for the simulation of propagation and scattering of electromagnetic fields within and around structures that (i) Consist of complex combinations of penetrable materials as well as perfect and imperfect conductors, and, (ii) Possess complex geometrical characteristics, including open surfaces, metallic c ...

Existing computer combat wargames offer a sophisticated and high fidelity base platform for accurately modeling standard combat scenarios. However, the rapid development of UAV capabilities in terms of sizes, weapons, sensors, communications and flight ability is presenting a new challenge for these simulations. At the same time, the general state of world affairs is changing such that the likeli ...

This proposal is for the use of state-of-the-art computer wargames to be used in the research on the impact and optimal use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in realistic combat scenarios. High fidelity, historically calibrated wargames ranging from sub-tactical ground-centric game engines through operational, strategic, air campaign, and naval-centric game engines will be used to address the fu ...

The mission of this proposed research is to develop ultracapacitors (also known as electrochemical or supercapacitors) to address an array of military applications. These applications include pulsed power for directed-energy and kinetic-energy weapons, sensors, and power supplies and control systems for aircraft and spacecraft. The proposed innovation employs carbon nanotubes (CNTs) coated with p ...

Using its novel carbon nanosheet technology, Luna Innovations will develop a Supercapacitor with the highest energy densities available in the microsecond to millisecond response times. Nanosheets are vertically aligned graphene sheets that can be grown on a wide variety of substrates without catalyst and have an open, accessible surface area that eliminate the resistance due to pores that cause ...