The investigation will help US to understand the relationship between the atomic compositions in GE-SN-o thin film alloys on some of their electrical and optical properties to utilize them in the…

This federal contract award to Delaware State University, a historically black university and land-grant institution, is valued at $47,755.00. The contract is for research to investigate the relationship between atomic compositions in Ge-Sn-O thin film alloys and their electrical and optical properties. This work aims to utilize these materials in microbolometer sensing layers and integrate them with plasmonic absorbers, which could enable new applications in adaptive sensors and micro-sensors of interest to NASA. The proposed research falls under the Space Technology Mission Directorate and is intended to help develop new materials for microbolometer use in the long-wave and medium-wave infrared bands, where NASA currently lacks suitable options. This award does not have a set-aside designation and is funded by a federal civilian agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The investigation will help US to understand the relationship between the atomic compositions in GE-SN-o thin film alloys on some of their electrical and optical properties to utilize them in the microbolometer s sensing layer and integrate IT with AU-plasmonic absorber. The proposed work will also yield exciting new properties applicable to adaptive sensors, and micro-sensors for NASA s interest. The investigation will help to implement GE-SN-o thin films integrated with plasmonic based absorber for their commercial applications in uncooled infrared detection as the thermal imaging technology involving a-SI and VOX sensing layers is mature and came to a saturation point. This work will also help to develop new materials for microbolometer use in long wave (8- 12 m) and specially, medium wave infrared (2-5 m) band where NASA does not have a suitable material to use. The proposed research on microbolometers using GE-SN-o thin films falls under the space technology mission directorate (stmd). This work on microbolometers will also help to develop new sensitive thermal imaging systems for future missions. The groundwork laid through this research project will pave the way for new technology developments in infrared imagers that can be applicable to telescopes and earth observing satellites. Future efforts can also lead to the commercialization of the technology and the implementation of IT on small satellite constellations, further reducing costs. This work is of particular interest to earth observing missions that are more and more relying on multispectral IR imaging. The success of this program would pave the way for filter less systems which would be a major breakthrough in IR imaging systems.