N101-012 TITLE: Strained Layer Superlattice Dual Band Mid-Wavelength Infrared/Long Wavelength Infrared (MWIR/LWIR) Focal Plane Arrays

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Sensors, Weapons

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA-263, Navy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Program

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted." The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate a Strained Layer Superlattice (SLS) dual band, large format, Focal Plane Array (FPA) operating in the Mid-Wavelength Infra-Red (MWIR) and Long Wavelength IR (LWIR) regions.

DESCRIPTION: Focal Plane Arrays are the critical element in modern Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) sensors that convert radiation from the scene/target into electrons. Using the latest technologies it is now possible to fabricate a new class of FPAs which not only hold the promise of being less expensive, but also exceed the capabilities of current FPAs. The Strained Layer Superlattice (SLS) has already been demonstrated in smaller (240x320) FPAs with higher quantum efficiencies and operability than other dual band FPAs (e.g. Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT)). This technology would build on MDA development efforts to demonstrate large format dual band (LWIR/LWIR) FPAs for a wide variety of applications.

Proposed concepts should be able to utilize the dual band Readout Integrated Circuits (ROIC) developed for the LWIR/LWIR (two Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) sub bands in the 8-14 micron region) application, and focus on MWIR/LWIR ( a Mid Wavelength Infrared (MWIR) band in the 3-5 micron region and a Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) band in the 8-14 micron region) material development and FPA fabrication.

The current emphasis on developing these SLS FPAs is sponsored by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) who is interested in Dual Band (LWIR/LWIR) devices for their unique applications. MDA has a $20M development effort underway addressing materials, ROICs, and fabrication processes. This SBIR is intended to build on the MDA work, but emphasize demonstration of Dual Band operation across the Mid-Wavelength IR and Long Wavelength IR regions.

PHASE I: Design and develop an approach for MWIR/LWIR material fabrication, interfacing with large format ( 1k x 1k ) ROICs under development by MDA, and demonstrate the technical feasibility of a fabrication process.

PHASE II: Develop, demonstrate, and validate dual band material (MWIR/LWIR) integrated with the large format ROICs (provided by MDA), and fabricated into SLS Dual Band FPAs. Install developed prototype in a suitable dual band camera for evaluation and demonstration. For this evaluation, a non-optimized cooler/dewar assembly would be used.

PHASE III: Fully develop and integrate the Dual Band FPA into a detector, dewar, cryo-cooler assembly suitable for flight testing. Perform validation and certification testing in an airborne IR system and transition the capability into the next generation of IR sensors for airborne platforms.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: Affordable Dual Band IR technology could find several commercial applications in collision avoidance applications, in agricultural surveying, and imaging applications in hostile environment (weather, fire and smoke).

REFERENCES:
1. Zheng, L., Tidrow, M., et al, "Type II strained layer superlattice: a potential infrared sensor material for space", SPIE Proceedings, Vol. 6900, paper 69000F-1, 2008.

2. Delaunay P., Razeghi, M., "High performance focal plane array based on type-II InAs/GaSb superlattice heterostructures", Proc. of SPIE Vol. 6900, paper 69000M, 2008.

3. Hill, C., et al, "MBE grown type-II superlattice photodiodes for MWIR and LWIR imaging applications", Proc. of SPIE Vol. 6660, 66600H, 2007.

4. Aifer, E., et al, "Recent progress in W- structured type-II superlattice photodiodes", Proc. of SPIE Vol. 6479, 64790Y, 2007.

5. Aifer, E., et al, "Very-long wave ternary antimonide superlattice photodiode with 21 mm cutoff", Applied Physics Letters Volume 82, Number 25 23 June 2003.

6. Nguyen, B., et al, "Dark current suppression in type II InAs/GaSb superlattice long wavelength infrared photodiodes with M-structure barrier", Applied Physics Letters 91, 163511, 2007.

KEYWORDS: strained layer superlattice; quantum efficiency; operability; focal plane array; dual band MWIR/LWIR; affordability

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between November 12 and December 9, 2009, you may talk directly with the Topic Authors 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 December 10, 2009, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

However, proposers may still submit written questions about solicitation topics through the DoD's SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS), in which the questioner and respondent remain anonymous and all questions and answers are posted electronically for general viewing until the solicitation closes. All proposers are advised to monitor SITIS (10.1 Q&A) during the solicitation period for questions and answers, and other significant information, relevant to the SBIR 10.1 topic under which they are proposing.

If you have general questions about DoD SBIR program, please contact the DoD SBIR Help Desk at (866) 724-7457 or email weblink.