Award Data

Vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) will be selectively applied at interfaces in laminated composite structures to effect locally the mechanical properties that limit rotorcraft structures, such as fatigue and damage tolerance. In Phase I this work will quantify these effects in CFRP and CFRP/GFRP hybrid coupons. The VACNT material will be transferred directly onto prepreg plies, but also ...

Quantum cascade laser optical output power is limited by laser facet catastrophic optical damage (COD). In edge-emitting semiconductor lasers COD is a thermal runaway process wherein the front facet of the laser heats under high power operation. This facet heating reduces the semiconductor bandgap which increases the optical absorption and also increases the electrical injection current in the fac ...

In this program, we will develop solutions to optimize QCL fabrication processes, such as facet passivation and high thermal conductivity coatings, that will mitigate the reliability issues for high power QCL applications. In phase I, we will first evaluate all concepts and efforts that have been largely investigated for GaAs based high power diode lasers and transfer the knowledge to InP based QC ...

The development of a catastrophic optical damage model for quantum cascade lasers describing instantaneous laser damage at high optical power levels is proposed. The model will be validated by comparison to experimental data. Based on obtained results, changes to laser design and laser fabrication resulting in an increased damage threshold will be implemented. The work will ultimately result into ...

Pendar Technologies proposes to develop the next generation of compact, high power quantum cascade laser (QCL) sources with output power exceeding 10 Watts at a wavelength of 4.6 microns. The proposed subsystem will include a DFB QCL array integrated monolithically with power amplifiers, low-loss passive waveguides resulting from ion implantation and optical elements aimed at realizing on-chip wav ...

The Navy seeks technology that is oriented toward a deeper experimental and theoretical understanding of marine turbulence and laser light propagation in the marine boundary. Current measurement techniques, such as Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) technique, are limited to resolutions of 0.5 meters or greater and fall short of the required millimeter level resolution. A new type of spectral imaging modal ...

The littoral and specifically surf zone regions with breaking waves, bathymetry, weather, currents, tides, obstacles, etc. create a dynamic environment that can be very challenging for conducting operations. Systems are being developed to increase situational awareness in this region, however expensive physical testing to verify performance is limited to specific areas and conditions. To supplemen ...

Waste heat from Naval diesel generators provides significant opportunity to introduce organic Rankine cycles (ORC) to increase their fuel efficiency. The objective of the proposed effort is to design and demonstrate a high-speed, spinning scroll expander (HiSSSE) ORC as a power dense waste heat recovery system for diesel generators on ships. The system will leverage Air Squared’s spinning scroll ...

Our solution will provide an automated system driven by advanced analytics and machine learning techniques to capture network traffic (including potential malicious events), perform forensic analysis of the events to identify threat actor tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), create a database of classified events and TTPs (threat models) from which connections can be made between events, ac ...

In this program, Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) will team with Professor Ali Adibi’s group at the Georgia Institute of Technology to develop a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) spectrometer that can simultaneously achieve high-resolution over wide-bandwidths using a scalable and foundry-ready approach. While a PIC-based spectrometer is a key component for on-chip Raman, fluorescence, and absorptio ...