TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Sensors, Electronics

OBJECTIVE: Design, develop, and demonstrate the ability to fabricate ZnO nanowires and to integrate the ZnO nanowires into an array configuration.

DESCRIPTION: Key functions of a hostile fire indication system are to detect threatening energetic events and to locate their origin. Advances in sensor technology are needed to measure the energetic event, determine line of bearing, line of sight angle, and in some cases, range and range rate. Passive sensors may then hand-off threat data such as ultra-violet/infrared (UV/IR) radiance in multiple bands, target images in several dimensions, and dynamics of the event(s).

One of the leading and most promising nanomaterials for optoelectronic sensors is ZnO because of its piezoelectronic properties and its band gap of ~3.4eV and an exciton binding energy of 60meV. Zno nanowire response to photons of light at greater distances than current UV and IR sensors. Successful fabrication and integration of this technology should reduce size, weight and power requirements from current UV and IR sensor systems which require complex cooling systems. To date, a repeatable synthesis process that yields a consistent ZnO wire alignment on a substrate does not exist. Current ZnO synthesis techniques do not consistently align the nanowires into useable, deliberate arrays.

Innovative growth/synthesis processes are sought to fabricate deliberate arrays of ZnO nanowires. Proposed processes must be repeatable, of reliable quality, and align the nanostructure for optimum photonic detection. Developed ZnO nanowire/nanobelts technologies are to include advanced passive photonic sensors and sensor components. The major focus is to integrate the developed ZnO nanowires/nanobelts in order to achieve open architecture, compact, lightweight, high performance, uncooled, full-spectrum (ultra-violet (UV) through infra-red (IR)) photonic sensors.

Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. Owned and Operated with no Foreign Influence as defined by DOD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been be implemented and approved by the Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor may be required to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this contract as set forth by DSS and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this may be a requirement. The selected company may be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advance phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Develop a ZnO nanowire growth/synthesis process that is repeatable and of reliable quality that aligns the nanostructure into a deliberate array for optimum photonic detection. Determine the feasibility of the ZnO array�s ability to detect photons, providing data through an electronics display.

PHASE II: Design, develop, and characterize a prototype of a ZnO-based photonic sensor with minimal photon sensing limitations and spectral sensing parameters/capabilities. This phase should provide insight into the concepts of nano-based, multi-array photonic sensors that employ various spectrum-sensing nano-materials into one lightweight array, effectively providing for UV through IR sensing.

PHASE III: Develop and execute a plan to manufacture the sensor system, or component(s) developed in Phase II. Assist in integration and testing into existing or future HFI/photonic-sensing systems.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The proposed technology may be used in potential commercial applications such as law enforcement, rescue and recovery operations, maritime and aviation collision avoidance sensors, medical uses and homeland defense applications.

REFERENCES:
1. William Mathers, "Down to the Nanowire, Supersensitive material may Help Detect Snipers", C4ISR Journal, July 2008.

2. J. L. Miller, Principles of Infrared Technology, Chapman & Hall, 1994.

3. A. V. Jelalian, Laser Radar Systems, Artech House, Inc., 1992.

4. J.S.Acceta and D.L. Shumaker, "The infrared and electro-optical systems handbook", SPIE Optical Engineering Press, Bellingham, Washington, 1993.

5. Sood, A. K., et. al., "Design and development of multicolor detector arrays," Proc. SPIE, Vol. 5564, p. 27-33.

6. Lao, Chang, et al, Giant Enhancement in UV response of ZnO Nanoblets by Polymer Surface-Functionalization", from an abstract at https://www,stormingmedia.us.

KEYWORDS: Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Nanowire; Remote Sensing; Multispectral Imaging; Discrimination; IR Detector; Hostile Fire Indication; Spectral Characteristics of Materials