Draft_-_BWR_Phase_3_SBIR_SOW-R2.docx

Draft - Statement of Work R&D of High-Power Amplifiers Incorporating Beam Wave Research Electron Gun Technology Beam Wave Research

1. SCOPE.

This Statement of Work (SOW) defines the support effort for research and development of broadband millimeter wave and high-power microwave vacuum electronic devices. One of the key focus areas of the Electromagnetics Technology Branch is the design and development of vacuum electronic amplifiers that advance the state of the art in power, bandwidth, efficiency, and compactness. This effort requires research into all the key components that comprise an active device, such as electron guns, vacuum windows, interaction circuits, and multistage depressed collectors. The contractor shall support the design, fabrication, assembly, and testing of these components and the new devices that they make possible by incorporating the technology it developed under a previous Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) effort. To carry out this work, the contractor shall utilize the expertise, design and fabrication techniques, and detailed knowledge it developed and demonstrated in the performance of the SBIR contract described below.

1.1 Background:

Beam Wave Research (BWR) has developed a novel 3-beam electron gun and conceived a compatible interaction circuit under Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) SBIR contract N00024-14-C-4068. The 3-beam electron gun produces three parallel beams at about 20 kV and 0.7 A per beam. The tightly focused beams are ideal for powering broad-bandwidth, millimeter-wave amplifiers, as BWR has shown with their integration of the gun with a broadband circuit, vacuum windows, and collector, and it is scalable to operate over a large range of voltage and current. For this requirement, the Contractor shall apply the tools and technology developed under Contract Number N00024-14-C-4068 to the design of novel multiple electron beam devices to support Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) research into broadband millimeter wave and high-power microwave vacuum electronic devices.

1.2 Period of Performance/Place of Performance:

The Period of Performance consists of a 12 months base period, with three (3) 12 months Option Periods. The work will be performed both on site at NRL and at the Contractor’s or other Government Contractor facilities.

2. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS.

This is an R&D contract for which government specifications and regulations have generally not been established. The materials, designs, and procedures implemented during the course of this contract shall comply with applicable safety guidelines for material safety and high-voltage protection.

3. REQUIREMENTS.

The Contractor shall provide all required personnel, material, engineering, and other resources to perform the efforts described below.

3.1 Task 1. Electron gun and beam optics enhancements for higher frequency and/or higher power amplifiers:

The Contractor shall utilize its proven design methodology to develop an enhanced gun design to produce the more tightly focused or higher power electron beams required for next-generation amplifiers. The Contractor shall utilize an appropriate beam optics code (e.g., MICHELLE) to design the gun electrode shapes and positions and to match the beam into a magnetic transport system. Engineering analysis will then be applied to develop a thermal-mechanical design of the overall gun assembly. The Contractor shall design compact electron focusing systems suitable for the high current density beams and the envisioned interaction circuits being developed at NRL. Both permanent magnet solenoids and periodic permanent magnet focusing schemes will be explored. The Contractor shall study and quantify the trade-offs of magnet size and weight with the beam current, voltage, and current density that can be stably propagated over circuit lengths required to achieve kilowatt-level power output. Test structures may be fabricated to support these studies.

Deliverable: The contractor shall document the results of this task in a design report that clearly describes the design and the predicted performance of the electron gun and beam transport system. The report shall contain the drawings, analyses, and tolerances necessary for fabrication (CDRL A002).

3.2 Task 2. Beam-wave interaction circuits:

The Contractor shall develop broad band-width, high-power interaction circuit designs for slow wave amplifiers compatible with the gun design and focusing systems designed in Task 1. The center frequencies for the circuits will be specified by NRL personnel to be compatible with sponsor and/or program requirements. The Contractor shall perform analyses and simulations to demonstrate the stability, output power, and bandwidth of the circuits. Mechanical designs and materials must be compatible with high average power operation. Also included in this task, and critical for demonstrating circuit stability, is the design of vacuum windows that have sufficient bandwidth (which generally must exceed the operating bandwidth of the circuit) and power handling capability. Emphasis will be placed on both theoretical performance and reliable manufacturability. The contractor shall fabricate prototypes of circuit components selected by the government for further development and shall perform laboratory testing (i.e., cold tests) to validate the designs.

Deliverable: The contractor shall document the results of this task in a design report that clearly describes the design and the predicted performance of each interaction circuit and vacuum window. The report shall contain the drawings, analyses, and tolerances necessary for fabrication (CDRL A003). The report shall also include test data and comparison with predictions of all components fabricated under this task.

3.3 Task 3. Efficiency enhancement:

The Contractor shall implement components and techniques to enhance the efficiency of the amplifiers being developed. In particular, the Contractor shall design a multi-stage depressed collector(s) for the circuit design(s) developed in Task 2 that are selected for actual fabrication and testing. The Contractor shall evaluate the collector efficiency as the number of collector stages is varied (up to a maximum of 5) to determine an optimum design. The collector must be capable of high-average power operation, up to and including continuous operation. The Contractor shall validate the design by performing beam optics analyses, including both primary and secondary electrons, and thermal analyses to ensure peak temperature on the collecting elements remains below established safe levels (which vary depending on the collector material used). Performance at all levels of output power (from beam only to full output power) shall be characterized.

Deliverable: The contractor shall document the results of this task in a design report that clearly describes the design and the predicted performance of each depressed collector. The report shall contain the drawings, analyses, and tolerances necessary for fabrication (CDRL A004).

3.4 Task 4. Testing and optimization:

The Contractor shall work with selected vendors to devise optimum fabrication techniques for the components designed in Tasks 1 through 3 and the high power amplifiers that incorporate these components. The Contractor shall assist in the fabrication of these devices and shall perform laboratory tests of the fabricated components and amplifiers at NRL or vendor facilities. The Contractor shall perform computer simulations of the as-built amplifiers to validate the modeling and simulation tools and to devise modifications of the components to improve performance, manufacturability, and/or reliability. The Contractor shall provide a report of all test results and design modifications to NRL.

Deliverable: The contractor shall deliver the hardware items procured or fabricated under this task to the COR at the Naval Research Laboratory or the recipient he designates. Test results shall be documented and provided to the COR within 1 week of each test completion (CDRL A005).

4. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY (GFP)/CONTRACTOR ACQUIRED PROPERTY (CAP).

The Contractor will procure materials and supplies as required to perform the component fabrication and testing of Tasks 1, 2 and 4. The Contractor may be provided government owned instrumentation for use in testing or analysis at off-site facilities under Task 4. The Contractor shall maintain proper accountability and safeguards of all GFP and CAP in accordance with FAR 52.245-1 and requirements set forth in this SOW. The Contractor is responsible for providing a report on accountability for the GFP, whether the GFP is in good working order, missing, or broken and needing repair. The Contractor shall prepare and submit GFP and CAP inventory reports in accordance with CDRL A006.

5. TRAVEL

Travel will be required to attend meetings and design reviews and to perform testing at other government or contractor facilities. The Contractor is also expected to present publicly releasable results from this work at appropriate scientific and engineering conferences.

6. SECURITY

Contractor personnel performing work under this contract must have the appropriate security clearance for the work assigned, up to SECRET, at time of the proposal submission, and must maintain the level of security required for the life of the contract. The security requirements are in accordance with the subsections below. Security classification shall be in accordance with the DD 254.

7. DELIVERABLES.

The Contractor shall prepare and deliver the following Contract Data Requirements Lists (CDRLs), as appropriate and requested, in support of the requirements contained in Section 3.0. If a document is referenced without indicating the specific paragraph as being applicable, then the document is applicable in its entirety.

A001 – Semi-annual technical progress reports or presentations that summarize the progress on each of the tasks.

A002 - Final design and drawing package for electron gun and focusing system (Task 1).

A003 - Final design and drawing package for interaction circuit (Task 2).

A004 - Final design and drawing package for depressed collector (Task 3).

A005 - Interim test reports, as specified (Task 4).

A006- GFP and CAP Inventory Reports