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A New Generation of Polymer Fiber Optic Image Inverter

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: FA8650-06-C-5412
Agency Tracking Number: F051-139-2306
Amount: $748,254.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: AF05-139
Solicitation Number: 2005.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2005
Award Year: 2006
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2006-08-10
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2008-12-10
Small Business Information
15 Cabot Road
Woburn, MA 01801
United States
DUNS: 004841644
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: Yes
Principal Investigator
 Jack Salerno
 VP of Technology
 (781) 935-1200
 jsalerno@agiltron.com
Business Contact
 Mary Davoli
Title: Contract Administrator
Phone: (781) 935-1200
Email: maryanne@agiltron.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

In Phase I, Agiltron has successfully demonstrated the proof-of-principle of an innovative design and fabrication process for plastic fiber optical image inverter with significant reduction in weight, thickness, and cost. This new category of image inverter also also offers high performance, providing high-resolution and high optical gain. Leveraging our extensive experience in micro-precision fiber optic products and nano-composite engineering, Agiltron has built a fully functional plastic fiber draw tower, developed a synthesis process for high refractive index PMMA (n ~ 1.8), designed a plastic fiber with large numerical aperture (NA) close to unity, synthesized high extra-mural absorption nano-composite materials, and prototyped a functional plastic fiber imaging bundle with 25 um fiber diameter. In Phase II, Agiltron will continue development toward mass production and commercialization of these devices for Air Force helmet mounted imagers, including Night Vision Goggles. The anticipated Phase II deliverable is a fully functional plastic imaging inverter with improved performance in terms of weight reduction (over 70%), high image clarity, high axial resolution, large numerical aperture, large packing fraction, high collimation and Lambertian light transmission, and low cost. Agiltron will work with ITT Industries Night Vision to evaluate performance and deliver a fully functional plastic inverter to the US Air Force for verification.

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

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