You are here

Innovative Photonic Time Delay Units for Radar Applications

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Missile Defense Agency
Contract: HQ0006-09-C-7082
Agency Tracking Number: B08B-012-0037
Amount: $99,910.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: MDA08-T012
Solicitation Number: 2008.B
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2008
Award Year: 2009
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2009-02-17
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2009-08-17
Small Business Information
2310 University Way Building 4-1
Bozeman, MT 59715
United States
DUNS: 169797383
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Kristian Merkel
 President / CEO
 (406) 922-0334
 merkel@s2corporation.com
Business Contact
 Kristian Merkel
Title: President / CEO
Phone: (406) 922-0334
Email: merkel@s2corporation.com
Research Institution
 Montana State University
 Wm. R Babbitt
 
Spectrum Lab PO Box 173510
Bozeman, MT 59715
United States

 (406) 994-1797
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

We aim to design and demonstrate an innovative photonic true time delay solution which alleviates the fundamental problem of cascaded optical switches, and additionally offers several significant benefits. The device uses wideband spatial-spectral (S2) holographic optical memory materials to store and access several broadband time delay gratings. Broadband optical chirps are used to create these time delay gratings, and the control mechanism is an RF tone, not an optical switch. Each filter can extend over GHz of bandwidth, and can be individually programmed. Multi-casting is possible with multiple delays stored as spectral gratings. Hundreds of filters can be stored in a single small volume of S2 material (human hair sized). The delay gratings are probed by radar signal modulated onto an optical laser carrier, and the S2 material creates a true-time delayed replicas of the signal, which is then photodectected at the array element. Delays of interest are accessed by fast optical frequency switching. One S2 crystal spot per array element is needed, and many spots can be illuminated in one sugar cube sized S2 crystal, e.g., 32x32 elements.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government