TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Sensors

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA264 JMMES JCTD; PMA-290 P-8A Poseidon Multi-Mission Aircraft

OBJECTIVE: Develop an infrared (IR) detector array sensitive to, at a minimum, long wave and mid wave IR wavelengths and requires little to no cooling.

DESCRIPTION: A detector array with a low cost and high sensitivity across the IR spectrum that requires little to no cooling is desired. Sensitivity in the near IR would also be desirable. Broad band performance across the visible, near IR, short wave IR, mid wave IR, and long wave IR bands would be beneficial, but is not required. New technology advancements have the potential to provide focal plane arrays that do not require cooling and have increased sensitivity and lower cost than existing array techniques. Two of these new technologies include the use of: 1) Nano engineered photonic materials that can be engineered with specific bandgaps for optical wavelengths, particularly the long wave and IR where the atomic structures a still much smaller that the wavelengths. 2) Micro-machined array structures that can detect with, differential resonance techniques, very small thermal changes. These and other advances in material and manufacturing techniques can be applied to potentially improve IR image plane performance.

PHASE I: Determine the feasibility of developing an IR detector array requiring little or no cooling. Demonstrate that this array technology can be scaled to array sizes of at least 1000 by 1000 pixels with suitable development. Demonstrate the modeling of key performance parameters representing Phase II risk via an engineering model. Demonstration of key performance requirements is desired.

PHASE II: Design, build and demonstrate a prototype IR detector array. This demonstration may use a smaller array with a goal of approximately 500 by 500 pixels. A demonstration using a full sized array would be preferred. Utilizing information gathered during the demonstration, build the IR array into a usable camera for demonstration.

PHASE III: Integrate into an existing Navy Aircraft Turret for demonstration and comparison to current IR sensor systems. Transition technology by replacing sensors currently in use in the fleet.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Low cost imagers for IR would have a large commercial market for thermal imaging - including energy efficiency measurements and fire fighter imaging.

REFERENCES:
1. Uncooled Infrared Imaging Arrays and Systems, Volume 47, First Edition (Semiconductors and Semimetals) (Hardcover) by Paul W. Kruse (Editor), David D. Skatrud (Editor)

2. Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems : Modeling and Performance Prediction
Hardcover (Trade Cloth) Author: Ronald G. Driggers

3. TESTING AND EVALUATION OF INFRARED IMAGING SYSTEMS / Second edition by Gerald C. Holst, JCD Publishing. All Rights Reserved. 2932 Cove Trail | Winter Park, FL 32789-1159 | Ph. +407.629.5370 | Fax. +407.629.5370 |

4. website: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/

www_pa/pandaweb/research/phot_mat.htm - background in photonic materials

5. website: http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/0960-1317/11/5/320 - example micromachined imager

KEYWORDS: Long Wave Infrared; Mid Wave Infrared; Near Infrared; Imager; Array; Thermal; photonic materials; micro-machining

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between April 21 and May 18, 2008, you may talk directly with the Topic Author(s) to ask technical questions about the topics. Their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting May 19, 2008, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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