Advanced Electronics and Optics
Abstract
Advanced Electronics is a series of efforts addressing advanced manufacturing technologies for a wide range of applications such as sensors, radars, power generation, switches, and optics for defense applications. These efforts provide significant productivity and efficiency gains in the defense manufacturing base. These manufacturing technologies accelerate delivery of technical capabilities to impact current warfighting operations, and manufacturing technologies to reduce the cost, acquisition time and risk of our major defense acquisition programs. Silicon Carbide (SiC) High Efficiency Power Switches: Another emerging manufacturing technology undergoing development is for Silicon Carbide High Efficiency Power Switches to enable a new class of power electronics that allows flexible new architectures at higher voltages, higher frequencies, less volume / weight, higher temperatures, higher efficiency (reduced fuel consumption), and better power quality for Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems and the Air and Missile Defense Radar Radar Power Conversion Module. Mini Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) Cameras and ManTech for SWIR Imagers: Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC)-less SWIR imagers are being developed that are smaller, use less power, have a lower cost than currently available SWIR imagers, and offer improved functionality over sensors presently in use. These new SWIR imagers will be used by warfighters including SOF to see target designation lasers during day and night, to identify friend or foe at long range at night, and to operate with covert lasers. Applications include several night vision and targeting system programs with the Army, Navy, Air Force, and SOCOM. Manufacturability of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs): One emerging manufacturing technology undergoing development focuses on the manufacturability of VCSELs. This effort will allow the enhanced use of high-power laser diode technologies by reducing their operational cost, increasing their reliability and yield, and improving their large array scalability without substantially increasing the processing and packaging requirements. Will apply a modern factory approach of a fab-less front-end with specialized in-house process steps, allowing more flexibility for DoD procurement cycles and leveraging installed, previously-invested capital. This project is expected to benefit numerous programs, including: PUMA, RAVEN, TigerShark, Anubis, Spectre-FINDER, Speckles, TigerMoth, WAAS, PAWS, IPODS, AngelFire, MAV-OBAT, nLoss, LOS-short, CLRF, JETS, IDNST, TLDS, Big Safari, OEF, OIF, STINGER , and ARGUS. Future efforts will focus on advances in fuel cells, radars, conformal sensors, and solder free electronics. Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) Microdisplays: Many applications of microdisplays require extremely high brightness and contrast in order to see sensor imagery in challenging high brightness environments. Existing technologies are limited by low contrast, bulky and complex packaging, and high power consumption. Recently developed methods of direct patterning and Silicon On Insulator (SOI) allow color OLED displays to have large color gamuts and very long lifetimes at high luminances. Direct pattern color OLED on SOI has been successfully demonstrated; however, proliferation is limited due to high costs and manufacturing deficiencies. This project will transition this techology from MRL5 to MRL8, improving the manufacturing capability to produce an ultra-high resolution, high brightness, high contrast, full color micro-display at a low unit cost. Improved Focal Plane Array Production for Thermal Hyperspectral Applications Using III-IV Antimony Based Technology: This effort will mature the use of III-V material technologies in long wave infrared (LWIR) focal plane arrays (FPAs) used for hyperspectral imaging in numerous tri- service applications. Improved devices will have size, weight, and power advantages, and reduced logistics costs. Production readiness will be demonstrated by integrating with an Army owned sensor asset provided by Project Manager-Airborne Reconnaissance and Exploitation Systems (PM ARES). Increased Thickness for Large Sheet EFG Sapphire Production: Develop a process to grow a single crystal of EFG sapphire with dimensions to meet critical weapon needs. Demonstrate finished thickness capabilities and leverage success of bubble reduction task in the design of the thicker die.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2015
- Source ID
- 01c989bf36c35897b7832b4a1bf3ad4f