TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Information Systems, Electronics

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA-274, Presidential Helicopter Programs

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a fast-tuning speed, compact, widely wavelength tunable, low dissipation power, wide temperature range, laser transmitter for fiber optic communications for avionic applications.

DESCRIPTION: Single-mode dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) optical networks are emerging as a leading solution for data, video and voice communication links in avionic systems. One key element for these optical links is a widely tunable laser transmitter capable of selecting a DWDM wavelength over the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) C-band, L-band, and possibly X-band or beyond. Fast tuning speed (i.e., sub-microsecond) will enable wavelength addressing to replace electronic switching. In order to meet the needs of military avionics, the tunable laser transmitter components must be very compact (smaller and thinner than a standard butterfly package), able to operate over a wide temperature range (-40�X to +100�XC and beyond), able to survive in the harsh shock and vibration environment of aerospace (see references 3 and 4), and consume very little power (less than 1 watt).

Proposed concepts should consider the following performance objectives of this research effort:
1. Size: 0.1m3
2. Power: 1W/channel
3. Environmental: -40�aC to +100�aC
4. Performance: (threshold) 10Gbps (objective) 40 Gbps
5. Wavelength range (tunable channels): 1550 C-Band ITU Grid (40)
6. Wavelength accuracy: �b 0.1 nm
7. Extinction Ratio: > 8 dB
8. Optical Insertion Loss: < 3.5 dB
9. Side Mode Suppression Ratio: �d 30 dB
10. Fiber Coupled Output power minimum: 10mW
11. Output fiber: Single Mode Fiber (Mode Field Diameter: 5-10 um)
12. On/Off speed: < 500 nsec (with control circuit)
13. BIT: Yes
14. Removable pigtail: Yes

PHASE I: Develop a design approach, demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technology, and evaluate it with respect to the stated performance objectives.

PHASE II: Optimize the design approach, fabricate and package prototype technology. Demonstrate the prototype with respect to the stated performance objectives.

PHASE III: Complete the development effort. Transition the optical technology to general purpose avionic platform networking for military applications.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Commercial ventures have similar space, weight, power, and cost (SWAP-C) challenges for their application space. A highly integrated, small size, low-cost, robust alternative commercially available system with a fast tunable laser at its heart can open up commercial networking market space as well as enable application to commercial aerospace networking.

REFERENCES:
1. Anan, Muhammad T., Chaudhry, Ghulam M., and Benhaddou, Driss, ��Architecture and Performance of A Next-Generation Optical Burst Switch (OBS),�� Broadband Communications, Networks and Systems, 2006. BROADNETS 2006. 3rd International Conference on, Publication Date: 1-5 Oct. 2006, pp 1 �V 9,ISBN: 978-1-4244-0425-4.

2. "EtherBurst" Optical Switching, http://www.matissenetworks.com.

3. RTCA DO160 F - Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment, 2007-12-06.

4. McDermott, B.G.; Beranek, M.W.; Hackert, M.J.; "Fiber Optic Cable Assembly Specification Checklist for Avionics Applications" Avionics Fiber-Optics and Photonics, 2006 IEEE Conference; pp 80 - 81.

KEYWORDS: Laser; Transmitter; Fiber Optics; Optical Communications; Networking; WDM LAN

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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