Phase I

Is the opportunity to establish the scientific, technical, commercial merit and feasibility of your proposed innovation.

Solid-State Scalable/Tileable Imaging Detector for High-Energy Neutron Radiography

A244 PHase I

The government shall provide phase I contractor(s) with a non-exclusive, royalty free, government/commercial use license for US patents [1]-[2], and pending patent [3] for 10 years to develop a FPGA softcore based Aberdeen Architecture. License is not transferable. License ends if the company changes ownership, is sold, merges with another company (ies), etc.

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Electronic quality ferroelectric III-Nitride epitaxy for device heterostructures

A244 PHase I

Since 2019 there have been demonstrations of ferroelectric III-Nitride semiconductors with potential to impact future electronic and photonic applications due to their extraordinary properties. However, the only epitaxial growth process that produces single crystal thin films has been molecular beam epitaxy [1-3] and these films have already shown tremendous potential.

The alloys primarily focused upon so far are centered around incorporating scandium (Sc) in the AlGaN system. The opportunity for other group IIIb based alloys such as Yttrium has also been shown and may have merit to improve certain properties of the ferroelectrics [4,5]. Although the Army has started a MURI program based upon this subject, the use of MOCVD is complementary to that effort and requires novel precursors to grow the thin films [6,7]. Such MOCVD thin films would constitute the most easily manufacturable solution for larger wafer scale processes [6,7].

Thus, the aim is to develop them in parallel to some basic research for easy technology transition. Four inch or larger wafers are quite common to MOCVD reactors but are not possible in research grade MBE systems. The material science innovative research and development from this topic can enable useful product development at manufacturing for ferroelectric III-Nitride devices. Examples of this include high operating temperature electronic memory, high temperature electronic circuits, and integrated nonlinear optical photonic circuits for UV-visible wavelengths.

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Automated Functional Grading of Materials for Directed Energy Deposition Additive Manufacturing

A244 PHase I

Current munitions manufacturing is often limited to monolithic, simple designs due to the difficulty of manufacturing the very hard and strong metals of interest to the military through conventional means. Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to enable the production of complex, multi-material munitions with enhanced lethality.

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Continuous Time Spiking Neural Network Field Programmable Neural Network Array

A244 PHase I

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) are a high volume, programmable, relatively low cost, approach for creating hardware applications from state machines to softcore processors. A field programmable neural network equivalent of a FPGA is needed to provide the same level of flexibility at low cost for neural network applications. A field programmable neural network array would also provide bring FPGA-like functionality to DoD and Army neural network applications and empower future neural network developments.

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Electromagnetic Protection Coating for Artillery Projectiles

A244 PHase I

In order for the Army to advance the development of extended range precision artillery and long-range missiles, while meeting the key need to penetrate adversary defensive capabilities and engage key targets at those extended ranges, the need to develop electromagnetic protection solutions and ways to integrate them onto munitions becomes increasingly critical.

The Army is currently looking for novel solutions of integrating electromagnetic (EM) protection materials onto artillery munitions. The proposed solutions must be capable of surviving typical artillery gun launch loads, should conform to the geometry of artillery projectile, and also be able to perform at elevated skin temperatures caused by aerodynamic heating due to higher velocities commonly required to achieve extended ranges. Ultra-low temperature co-fired ceramic (ULTCC) materials have demonstrated potential as EM materials; however, for artillery these EM materials must be capable of being applied to conformal surfaces and surviving the mechanical shock of gun launch.

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AI/ML Augmented Antenna Systems for Contested Electromagnetic Environments

A244 PHase I

Future conflicts are anticipated to involve significant use of autonomous unmanned aircraft system (UAS) weapons combined with aggressive electromagnetic interference and adversary geolocation of radio frequency (RF) emissions. Spatial and spectral management overlaid on fielded tactical waveforms and navigation signals will improve soldier lethality and survivability by providing awareness of enemy electromagnetic spectrum operations and enabling communications with reduced risk of detection.

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 Laminated Metallic Armor

Tank

The Army is seeking low-cost, high-yield domestic production processes for laminated metallic armor plates and high strength structural components that can be readily integrated into vehicle structures using existing welding processes. This type of armor and components would allow for significant reduction in weight while maintaining the same level of force protection.

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