Award Data

This SBIR Phase II project will manufacture and test under high power laser loading a full-scale DM matched to ABL requirements. This TRL 6 prototype will be 30 cm in diameter with 1.875 cm spaced actuators – identical to the current ABL DM. However, the new DM has 14 microns stroke compared to 8 microns currently and has a negligible thermal ripple of 0.006 microns peak-to-valley after 200 se ...

Optical Physics Company is proposing to implement and demonstrate its novel tunable spectral sifting (TSS) filter design to enhance the capabilities of space sensors for the Space Tracking and Surveillance System Follow-On (STSS F/O) program. During the Phase I effort, a single stage of the TSS filter was assembled and tested in the laboratory in visible, NIR wavelengths, showing its switching an ...

Future missile detection systems will require improved thermal management for cooling gimbal-mounted sensors and optics. Current systems utilize cryocoolers placed on the gimbal, which necessitates the cryocooler heat to be rejected directly from the gimbal. A far superior approach in terms of payload mass would locate the warm elements of the cryocooler on the stationary platform near the space ...

To address the MDA’s need for an ultraprecise, compact, and lightweight fiber optic gyroscope (FOG), Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Micro-Fiber Optical Gyroscope (MIFOG). This proposed device is based on miniaturizing the size of the rotation-sensing fiber loop by replacing the conventional 80-micron fiber with a micro-fiber having a diameter of only 15-20 microns. ...

Integrated Circuits in sensitive defense systems need to address the consequences of diverse and constantly evolving security threats from out-sourced overseas foundries, globalized supply chains, hostile operating environments and, furthermore, must be resistant to high levels of radiation exposure. In our Phase I SBIR effort we investigated: (a) devising a testing methodology to assess how susce ...

Missile seekers would benefit from a focal plane array (FPA) that allowed high-speed single or multiple-windowing acquisition of the target or targets while maintaining situational awareness of the rest of the field of view. Such data reduction helps where bandwidth is limited, e.g. arrays with formats larger than 1Kx1K, allowing tracking of high-speed missiles at high frame rates. Readout multi ...

We propose to develop a high-performance longwave infrared focal plane array (FPA) based on Type-II InAs/(In)GaSb strained-layer-superlattice (SLS) technology and deliver it packaged in a portable handheld CAMERA. In Phase 1, a matrix of recipes was designed and grown, several wafers were processed, arrays were fabricated and characterized, and material and process issues identified. In Phase 2, ...

We propose to develop a 2Kx2K 2-Color focal plane array (FPA) that provides pixel-registered and simultaneous imaging in two MIDWAVE infrared spectral bands. We will use a novel bandgap-engineered sensor that minimizes spectral crosstalk between the two midwave bands better than current sensor technologies. The FPA also uses a readout multiplexer that provides massive on-chip data compression by ...

Quallion currently manufactures hermitically sealed, prismatic 15Ah and 72Ah lithium-ion cells for the aerospace community. The cells are undergoing real-time life testing at various government agencies, in which the 15Ah cell has demonstrated over 12,000 LEO cycles at a 60% depth of discharge (DOD). Under these conditions, Quallion expects the cell to perform over 50,000 cycles. In this effort, ...

In response to this solicitation, Quallion is proposing the introduction of lithium ion battery technology elements into a reserve type battery application. Lithium ion rechargeable batteries have been in commercial use since 1995 when Sony Corporation first introduced them into their product lines. Since that time, lithium ion batteries have grown to become one of the most popular types of batt ...