High Stare

The summary for the High Stare grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Air Force Research Lab, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

High Stare: Broad Agency Announcement VS-07-05 Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate SOLICITATION CONTENTS 1. Requirement Description 2. Points of Contact 3. General Information 4. Award Information 5. Proposal Preparation 6. Evaluation Procedures 1. REQUIREMENT DESCRIPTION (OBJECTIVE/SCOPE): The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space Vehicles (VS) and Materials and Manufacturing (ML) Directorates are interested in receiving proposals from all offerors to advance the state-of-the-art (SoA) and scientific knowledge in the domain of large area, high performance, high functionality short wavelength infrared (SWIR) sensor chip assemblies (SCA). The total program budget for the basic effort is approximately $31.1M over five years. Additional items of interest are identified as options to the basic effort. A notional estimate is an additional $45.0M if all options were to be executed. The exercising of these options is expected to be concurrent with the basic program but options are not budgeted for at this time. HIGH STARE is a technology development program designed to advance infrared sensor state-of-the-art for a future missile warning and/or missile defense space system deployment. The intention is to develop and demonstrate the capability to produce a high performance, large format SWIR array affording larger system Field-of-View that can reduce system and post-collection processing complexities. The overall goal is the reduction of cost, schedule and performance risk associated with system implementation of a significantly larger area infrared SCA compared with the current SoA in infrared technology. Key to the development of large format SWIR SCAs is the development of large area infrared detector arrays, detector processing techniques, design and development of large area read out integrated circuits (ROICs), and the development of handling, hybridization and packaging techniques that will demonstrate a reproducible SCA fabrication capability. The specific goal of the program is the development and demonstration of the baseline 2048 x 2048 SCA with a 30 micron pitch which necessitates single chip detector and ROIC arrays that are greater than 6 cm on a side, or 2-3x the largest infrared SCA previously demonstrated. A necessary first step toward developing these SCAs is the production of high quality HgCdTe material for processing into SWIR detector arrays and the parallel development of large format ROICs with the relevant functionality to perform the missile warning and technical intelligence collection from geosynchronous orbital ranges. However, technical approaches other than HgCdTe that have similar levels of performance at similar operating temperatures are also of interest. It is important that detection of the entire SWIR band be uniform. Desired features of this SCA include large format, dual gain operation for wide dynamic range, fast framing capability, windowing capability, and on-chip A/D conversion. Prospective offerors are encouraged to contact the technical point-of-contact (TPOC) in paragraph 2 of this solicitation, to verify interest in the effort to be proposed as well as obtain the specific classified and unclassified technical goals of the HIGH STARE program. Successful proposals will also demonstrate methodology enabling systematic characterization and analysis of relevant structural, electrical and optical characteristics performed at key decision points in the detector processing that constitute pass/fail criteria for further detector/SCA processing. Optimization of detector characteristics shall occur synergistically with the analysis process and best practices are to be established for both optimization and repeatability. Repeatability will be demonstrated at the SCA level. Additional attention must be paid to those detector processes that affect further SCA processing, including, but not limited to, metallization and hybridization. The contractor will investigate methodologies, which include designing and/or processing of readout circuitry to minimize power requirements, maximize signal output, and improve radiation tolerance. The contractor will determine the projected yield and cost of fabricating a production lot of SCAs based on the goals provided. In addition, evaluation of power consumption and heat dissipation requirements for the operation of the SCA(s) at operating temperature(s) is to be provided. The contractor will incorporate their projections and participate in a Manufacturing Readiness Assessment (MRA). Demonstration of technical progress will require the intermittent delivery of SCAs representative of technical status, their data packages and Level 2 interface drawings. Up to ten (10) SCAs of the basic programs design are desired as deliverable to AFRL, with the first single, representative SCA being delivered no earlier than one year after award, the remainder delivered at six (6) month intervals, and any remaining demonstration articles to be delivered at the end of the technical effort. In addition, HIGH STARE program options include: Option 1: Butting: The SCA design, layout and fabrication will be changed in order to accommodate two adjacent-side buttable integration. Demonstration will be by delivery of Level 2 drawings unless executed in conjunction with Option 4. Option 2: SWIR Alternate Array Format: The alternate SWIR array format will be a 3072x3072 array format with a 20 m pixel pitch. Demonstration will be by delivery of up to a total of 10 packaged SCAs representative of technical status, their data packages and Level 2 drawings, delivered to AFRL at regular intervals over the course of the effort. Option 3: MWIR Alternate Array: A medium wavelength infrared (MWIR) version of the SWIR Alternate Array Format SCA identified in Option 2 is also of interest. This option would have the same 3072x3072, 20 m pixel pitch format, but, detecting in the MWIR band. Demonstration will be by delivery of up to a total of 10 packaged SCAs representative of technical status, their data packages and Level 2 drawings, delivered to AFRL at regular intervals over the course of the effort. Option 4: Integrated Focal Plane Module: an integrated module will be built. This module shall include the SCA(s), thermal/mechanical mount, provisions for a spectral filter, and electrical interfaces to external tape cables for all input/output connections. In descending order of interest, this integrated module could contain 1 SWIR SCA, 1 MWIR SCA or 4-butted SWIR or MWIR SCAs. Demonstration will be by delivery of either 2 integrated modules of the SWIR or MWIR design or 1 integrated module of the two adjacent-side buttable (4-SCA) design. Data packages and Level 2 drawings are required with each deliverable. Delivery is to be made at the end of the technical effort. 2. POINTS OF CONTACT: A. Technical Points-of Contact (TPOC): Mr. Allan Hahn, Program Manager, Phone (505) 846-8180, Fax (505) 846-6098, Email: [email protected] Ms. Lynette Brown, Program Manager, Phone (937) 255-9907, Fax (937) 255-4913, Email: [email protected] B. Contracting Points-of-Contact: Primary: Det 8 AFRL/PKVS, Kirtland AFB, NM: Nancy Lopez, Contract Specialist, Phone (505) 846-6188, Fax (505) 846-6022, Email: [email protected] Alternate: Det 8 AFRL/PKVS, Kirtland AFB, NM: LaDonna Nivens, Contract Specialist, Phone (505) 853-2279, Fax (505) 846-6022, Email: [email protected] Alternate: Det 8 AFRL/PKVS, Kirtland AFB, NM: Kay Davis, Contracting Officer, Phone (505) 853-4200, Fax (505) 846-6022, Email: [email protected]. C. Security Point-of-Contact: Mr. Joe Peel, AFRL/DEOS Security Specialist, (505) 846-9686, Fax (505) 846-1158, Email: [email protected]