Low-Cost, Microfabrication-based, Biodetectors: Integrating micro-APD Detector Arrays with micro-Fluidics

This proposal responds to a key challenge faced by the U.S. Army in fielding L-band HPM devices: the need for a high peak-power (>100 MW), pencil-beam (G ~ 30 dB) antenna, which is also lightweight (< 250 kg), rapidly-steerable, and compact enough to bedeployed on a standard Army land vehicle or air platform. During Phase I, SARA applied a powerful combination of analytical, numerical, and experimental tools to simulate and/or measure the electromagnetic behavior of all the key components of ourproposed approach. We performed in-depth assessments of gain, power-handling, steerability, bandwidth, polarization, and more. This work led to improvements in our initial parameter choices, resulting in higher gain, greater compactness, and greaterefficiency. Our conclusion is clear: we can definitely meet the Army's requirements for a practical, deployable, compact, lightweight, rapidly-steerable, high-gain, L-band HPM antenna. In Phase II, SARA will construct two prototype antennas forexperimental pattern characterizations and high-power tests, the latter to be performed with an ARL-supplied HPM source. The resulting data, in concert with more sophisticated numerical modeling and analyses, should drive additional improvements. Themechanical support structure and steering/folding mechanisms will be engineered with a strong emphasis on suitability to tactical field applications.