Award Data

"ALTAIR Center proposes to develop an innovative technology for fabrication of a micro-lens directly on the optical fiber employing a simple and efficient self-organization process of the lens formation based on Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). During thisprocess the micro-lens is automatically created exactly on the fiber core as a result of a chemical reaction. Geometrical parameters of the mic ...

"High performance fiberoptic switches are in great demand for use in both modern commercial and defense communication networks and next-generation military sensing systems. Current fiberoptic switches lack reliability and operation speed. Carrie-classreliable switch matrix has not been realized because of the intrinsic limitation of existing technologies. Agiltron Corporation proposes to develo ...

"This SBIR Phase I proposal addresses a need for improved UV and deep UV filters for aerospace and defense applications. A new approach to the design and fabrication short pass filters, based on a new photonic material, will allow filters to be made withtransmission at wavelengths as short as 130nm or less. Both these properties are unachievable by any other means. In Phase I, it is proposed to ...

"Advanced seeker systems for endo- and exo-atmospheric applications will utilize infrared and visible signature of ballistic threats in addition to LADAR ranging and imaging information for improved identification, discrimination and tracking. This futurecapability requires diffraction limited near visible performance for the optical system, while still maintaining the low cost production capabil ...

"The need for low mass, cost and complexity electric propulsion systems driven by the growing interest in microsatellites to perform high delta-V missions requiring north/south station keeping, orbit transfer, inclination changes and precise formationflying can be enabled by Busek's multi-mode low power Hall thruster. However, state-of-the-art electric propulsion technology is complex and costly ...

"Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) possess a unique combination of high strength, high modulus and high elongation. Before the benefits of these materials can be realized in BMD structural applications, SWNT fillers must be made compatible with thethermosetting resins traditionally used in these applications so that load transfer into the nanotubes can be accomplished. In the proposed progr ...

THE SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO OF INFRARED DETECTORS INCREASES DRAMATICALLYAS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE DETECTOR IS REDUCED TO CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES AND THERE HAS BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN CRYOCOOLERS TO MEET THIS NEED. HOWEVER, VALVES OF ONE TYPE OF CRYOCOOLER, THE JOULE-THOMPSON EXPANSION CRYOCOOLER, ARE PRONE TO PLUGGING BY THE FREEZING OF IMPURITIES IN THE HIGH-PRESSURE STREAM. TO ADDRESS THI ...

"The Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) is scoped to provide timely and accurate warning of missile attacks against the United States and Allied forces worldwide. The SBIRS Low component provides information to active defensive systems by detecting andtracking intercontinental, intermediate/medium, and short range ballistic missiles in their boost (TBR), post boost, mid-course and early terminal ...

"Mid¿ is proposing a novel and innovative strain-sensor-grid using pseudoelastic shape memory alloys. By embedding a grid of ultra-thin pseudoelastic wires in an epoxy and encapsulating the embedded grid between two layers of Kapton, the embedded sensorcan be used as a layer in a composite, thus forming a multi-functional structure. When one of the Kapton layers is replaced with a flex-circuit ...

"This Phase I SBIR proposal addresses the use of millimeter-wave radiometry to detect continuum radiation from rocket plumes at launch. Preliminary experiments carried out in a rocket test bed at Stennis AFB, showed that the radiometric signature of arocket plume can exceed 1000o C at 35, 60 and 95 GHz. These results suggest that rocket plumes can be readily detected using a millimeter-wave radiom ...