N112-117 TITLE: Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) Module used to provide High Resolution between Short Distance Connections

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: F-35, Joint Strike Fighter

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: Develop, design and integrate a low cost plug-in module, which is compatible with the Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) mainframe (including mechanical footprint, connector interface, and Graphical User Interface (GUI)).

DESCRIPTION: Bandwidth driven mission and vehicle system applications have levied performance requirements, which exceed copper based transmission system limits. Aerospace information networking infrastructure has progressively been transitioning to more reliable optical fiber wave-guides for sensor processing, analog radio frequency (RF) and digital communication. Maintenance and troubleshooting procedures rely on traditional telecommunication test equipment for fiber optic network operational restorations.

Infrastructure fault identification resolution requirements for breaks, fractures and high loss terminations/connections are gauged to locate and distinguish anomalies within meters. Avionic and information processing networks require the ability to spatially resolve multiple waveguide defects from source to detector with centimeter accuracy. Detection and identification is not limited to the optical waveguide anomalies found in the air vehicle infra-structure that interconnects Weapons Replaceable Assemblies (WRAs). Waveguide testing must go beyond the WRA interface and detect possible module to backplane faults or degradation, polymer waveguide failures, line replaceable module to optical transceiver faults and inline sensors (fiber gratings). Achieving these goals will require a combination of innovative design, research development and modeling solution sets, which will pull from fundamental concepts of Optical Backscatter Reflectometry (OBR), Photon-Counting OTDR (PC-OTDR), Low correlation OTDR (LC-OTDR), Pseudo Random Signal (PRS) Correlation (C-OTDR) and Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR) technology. Additional challenges will also require multiple trace characterization of S, C and L band optical wavelength performance of circuit card polymer waveguides and chip to chip parallel optics. Once a suitable solution has been validated and verified, further research and development is required in distilling packaging solutions to meet size, weight, and power requirements.

Airframe panel removal and reinstallation is time consuming and effects aircraft availability, especially on stealth platforms. Reducing maintenance time to repair by implementing reliable and accurate troubleshooting practices provides the warfighter with tools needed to accomplish their mission. To date, most cable breaks occur between the back of the terminus and 30 centimeters (cm) from the cable assembly connector end. A 1.0 cm or less resolution is required to determine if an end face is bad, verses a broken fiber at the back of a multi-termini connector. Resolution requirements are based on practical maintenance considerations. Lessons learned have shown measurement data has to identify spatial anomalies that lie within a range of less than 1.0 cm of each other. Link performance criteria include length measurements from 0.010 to 500 meters, one way loss range from 0.5 to 15 dB with an accuracy of less than 0.3 dB.

Aircraft technicians intend to use this device to troubleshoot distance to breaks, fractures, and voids along concatenated links of optical fiber harness assemblies at the terminus/connector ferrule end faces and at the cable entry ends of the terminus/connector. Additional applications include characterization of length, loss, splices, fiber bend attenuation along short segments, which comprise a fiber optic link. Design consideration should respect mainframe interface, operating environment and optical parameters of support equipment now being used by the fleet to troubleshoot, repair and maintain the existing fiber optic infra-structure deployed in the fleet. Current OTDR mainframe selected by and supplied in the National Stock System (NSN) is the JDSU Model 6000. Former OTDR mainframe was the Wavetek (now JDSU) Model 5200. Plug-in module(s) must be compatible with current (and also preferably former) NSN OTDR mainframe(s). Plug-in module compatibility with the OTDR mainframe must include mechanical footprint, connector interface, and Graphical User Interface (GUI). The operating conditions will be consistent with a Class 2 environment of MIL-PRF-28800 with some additional Class 1 requirements due to flight deck and fueled aircraft operation. Measurements need to be performed on single mode 9/125 micron cable, multimode 50/125 micron, 62.5/125 micron and 100/140 micron fiber optic cables. Measurement wavelength must be 1550 nm for single mode fiber and 1300 nm for multimode fiber. Measurements must be made within the parameters and accuracies specified for aircraft, shipboard, submarine and shore applications and for use in operational environments described in MIL-PRF-28800(F). Operating conditions will be consistent with a Class 2 environment with inclusion of additional Class 1 requirements due to flight deck and fueled aircraft operation. Target cost of purchasing a production version of the plug-in module should not exceed $3,000.

PHASE I: Design and demonstrate the feasibility of a low cost plug in module technology that is compatible with OTDR mainframes and meets aviation support equipment requirements. Model and simulate module performance and provide a breadboard plug-in module demonstration.

PHASE II: Design, construct and test plug in module prototype. Demonstrate that the prototype can achieve the plug-in module OTDR mainframe compatibility and high-resolution distance to fault requirements developed during Phase I. Meet entry criteria for Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 accreditation.

PHASE III: Prepare a working design for the operating environment requirements. Prepare and construct prototypes. Demonstrate that the finalized prototype can achieve the plug-in module OTDR mainframe compatibility, high resolution distance to fault requirements met during phase II, the operating environment requirements and entry criteria for Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) 6 accreditation. Finalize the design and complete final testing of prototypes. Advance to manufacturing and transition to the appropriate platforms.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Current plug-in modules for OTDR mainframes are designed primarily for the telecommunications networks with relatively long distances between interconnections. Local Area Networks (LAN) and applications for fiber optic runs directly to the end user have small distances between interconnections and a need for performing a high resolution distance to fault measurement. This same test equipment need in the commercial sector will relegate the military market to a small portion of overall sales. The difference between commercial and military product is the operational environments (the military as described in MIL-PRF-28800).

REFERENCES:
1. Chan, E.Y., Koshinz, D.G., Beranek, M.W. & Harres, D.N. (2006). Demonstration of a Gb/s transceiver with OTDR built-in-test (BIT) for avionics local area networks presented at the 25th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Portland, OR. DOI: 10.1109/DASC.2006.313722

2. Coffey, V.C. (2010). Product Focus: Time Domain Reflectometers: What to know when selecting an OTDR.
http://www.optoiq.com/index/display/article-display.articles.optoiq2.photonics-technologies.technology-products.fiber-optics.test-__measurement.2010.4.product-focus-optical-time-domain-reflectometers-what-to-know-when-selecting-an-OTDR.QP129867.dcmp=rss.page=1.html

3. MIL-PRF-28800F; Test Equipment for use with Electrical and Electronic Equipment , General Specification for

4. Danielson, B. L. & Whittenberg, C. D. (1987, 15 July). Guided-wave reflectometry with micrometer resolution. Applied Optics. 26(14).
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/view_article.cfm?gotourl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eopticsinfobase%2Eorg%2FDirectPDFAccess%2FC538A765%2DADBB%2DD4DF%2D0DE1F2AED227FA73%5F30503%2Epdf%3Fda%3D1%26id%3D30503%26seq%3D0%26mobile%3Dno&org=NAVSEA%20Naval%20Surface%20Warfare%20Center%20Carderrock%20Division%20Technical%20Information%20Center%20%28NSWC%20Carderrock%29

KEYWORDS: Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR); High Resolution; One Way Loss; Optical Return Loss; Optical Backscatter Reflectometry (OBR);Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR)

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between April 26 and May 25, 2011, 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 May 26, 2011, 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 (11.2 Q&A) during the solicitation period for questions and answers, and other significant information, relevant to the SBIR 11.2 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.