Award Data

This proposal addresses the need for miniature, low power, reagentless, robot-mounted, instruments for real-time detection and classification of trace concentrations of biological and chemical agents on surfaces. Deep UV laser induced native fluorescence (UVLINF) is the most sensitive technique for detection and rough classification of trace amounts of biological and organic materials. Photon Sy ...

The Air Force desires development of a commercial production source for nonlinear optical (NLO) gallium arsenide semiconductor crystals with orientation patterning, i.e., OP-GaAs. The need for these materials is driven primarily by applications for NLO laser frequency converters in Infrared Counter Measures (IRCM). The proposed Phase I project will demonstrate feasibility for a fabrication metho ...

Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is a region of transient electrical and metabolic failure that propagates through peri-lesional brain tissue. Although characteristics of CSD have been shown to be relevant to injury outcome, subdural electrode measurements currently in use restrict monitoring only to patients requiring craniotomy. A portable, noninvasive monitoring device applicable to all pa ...

The problem of detecting hazardous trace species rapidly and sensitively is a difficult spectroscopic problem. Potentially, this problem might be solved with an elemental detection method such as LIBS combined with a molecular detection method. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) might be a candidate for the detection of small molecules, but for larger polyatomic molecules, the resulting fluorescence ...

It is proposed to investigate an innovative mitigation technique for insensitive munitions through a new rocket motor case design. The proposed study will focus upon developing a motor case with sympathetic responses to unplanned thermal stimuli. This particular motor case design will be according to current operating mission parameters for a specific MDA rocket booster.

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) and Purdue University (PU) propose to synthesize, characterize, and investigate the efficiency, reactivity, and selectivity of new nanocatalysts in hydrocarbon fuel liquid for RBCC applications. The nanocatalysts will have higher surface area/volume compared to conventional microcatalysts and films, thereby leading to faster reaction rates. Decreased coking will occur ...

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes to develop a high speed laser machining process for ceramic matrix composites. The recent development of high rate, high pulse power lasers and the non-contact nature of the PSI process minimize the damage typical of other laser machining processes. It also enables precise placement of through holes, trenches and identification markings. The goal of the Phase ...

Physical Sciences Inc. proposes an innovative approach to rapidly concentrate (1000:1) bacterial spores from large volumes of water for identification. The technique is based on acoustophoresis – the separation of particles with sound. Since the technology has already been demonstrated on a small scale our primary focus is on scalability for large volumes (1000 L) in short periods of time (10 mi ...

Subretinal neovascular membranes (SRNM) are a deleterious complication of laser eye injury and retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, choroiditis, and myopic retinopathy. The membranes are difficult to treat with conventional photocoagulation because they form near the fovea directly below sensitive photoreceptors. Photodynamic therapy is a promising treatment that acts by sele ...

We propose to prove the feasibility of using time domain terahertz (THz) non destructive evaluation (NDE) to inspect turbine blade thermal barrier coatings (TBC). High speed, non contact THz inspection will be useful both during the manufacturing process, during maintaince, and during recoating. Low thermal conductivity ceramic coatings that are deposited on Ni-alloy turbine-engine blades to pr ...