4200776659_SOW__GTEPICAIUCRCMembership081621_20210824134300.679_X.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK (PR: 4200776659)

Georgia Tech Research Corporation

Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuits for Aerospace (EPICA)

1. Objective/Requirements The National Science Foundation (NSF) Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) called Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuits for Aerospace (EPICA) has a mission to enable the next wave of communications and sensing technologies for aerospace and space-borne platforms by designing architectures and validating the performance, reliability and unique capabilities of advanced electronic-photonic integrated circuits (ePICs). This is well-aligned with the technology assurance objectives of the NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program.

Terrestrial aggregate communication capacities and associated data rates have continued to accelerate; however, the aerospace and space-borne communications infrastructure has lagged. High data-rate links are required between platforms and to connect to terrestrial systems, despite fixed RF spectrum allocations. Simultaneously, these high capacity inter-platform links require high-speed networking infrastructure within the platform itself. Photonics, and in particular, ePICs, are seen as key enabling technologies for future communications and sensing aerospace/space systems for environmental, DOD and planetary missions.

Over the past decade, both photonics and ePICs have become relatively commonplace within deployed high-capacity, terrestrial fiber-based telecom networks. Indeed, the entire internet as we know it today, including wireless access, is built on an optical backbone and optical access networks. Emerging 5G and 6G wireless systems cannot exist without a fiber-based infrastructure. These fiber systems rely on increasingly sophisticated photonics that enable advanced signaling strategies, including precise, complex signal generation with coherent detection, tightly integrated with digital signal processing (DSP). These systems therefore require mixed-signal digital and analog techniques jointly optimized with DSP, as well as both heterogeneous and monolithic packaging strategies.

2. Characteristics, Scope, and Specs

The EPICA team has been actively researching areas related to this effort, has extensive efforts with industrial supporters and has invested considerable effort in discussions with our potential industry partners to identify research thrust areas that are of significant mutual interest.

These can be categorized in two related thrust areas:

1) Assess, understand, and develop robust integrated photonic hardware (e.g., architectures, devices, circuits, and packaging) for reliable operation under extreme environment conditions.

2) Develop system-level methods and tools to extract maximum advantage of photonics and integrated photonic system for aerospace platforms. This includes a range of beneficial implications of the unique channel medium for aerospace communications (e.g., digital signal processing, power / data rate optimization, dispersion, etc.).

We have identified multiple specific levels of activity. For example, “Thrust 1” includes the development of ePIC architectures, devices, and packaging strategies that are intrinsically immune (both passively and actively) to detrimental space environment factors. “Thrust 2” includes the optimization of inter- and intra- space platform communication links, as well as sensor technologies and quantum transceivers.

3. Place of Performance

Georgia Institute of Technology North Ave NW Atlanta, GA 30332 United States

4. Period of Performance

Testing shall be performed for one calendar from date of award. This is nominally assumed to be October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.