Award Data

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 ...

The goal of the proposed work is to demonstrate 100 kHz to MHz rate nonlinear spectroscopy for measurements of molecular energy distributions, energy transfer, major species, and temperature in transient combusting and nonequilibrium flows. This will be accomplished, in part, by extending burst-mode laser technology to the fs/ps regime for three-orders of magnitude higher probe-pulse energy at MHz ...

Our team proposes to develop, test, and commercialize a Micro Air Vehicle Tether Recovery APparatus (MAVTRAP). This system operates by deploying an instrumented MAV capture device attached via a tether system from a mothership unmanned air vehicle (UAV). The instrumented MAV capture device contains an integrated avionics suite. Our team will determine and control the precise mother ship UAV loi ...

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 ...

U.S. forces are benefiting from automation systems of unprecedented sophistication, empowered by advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and human-systems interaction. In air combat operations, onboard intelligent assistants monitor the aircraft, interpret and carry out commands, and report aircraft and system status, mission progress, threats and alerts. Because pilots and agents are part of a n ...

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 ...

Jet engine disk components are increasingly subjected to higher operating temperatures. To meet the demands of increasing thrust and higher operating temperatures, a newer generation of nickel based superalloys such as LSHR, Alloy 10, Rene104 and RR1000 are being processed with dual microstructure distributions. Fine grain, high strength, fatigue resistant bore properties are contrasted with co ...

A novel method of fabricating carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced polymer matrix composites is proposed. It includes growing super-aligned carbon nanotube arrays on a flat substrate, using NCSU proprietary shear pressing method to compress the grown arrays into a layer of densely packed, highly aligned CNTs inclined at an angle of several degrees to the substrate, separating the produced CNT sheet fr ...

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 ...

The goal of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of new multi-scale models for linking higher order micro-structure descriptions to failure initiation and crack propagation for high cycle fatigue of high strength titanium alloys. This includes new high temperature materials such as the lightweight intermetallic titanium aluminide turbine blades to be used in the lower pressure sections ...