R&D Optical Techniques, Devices and Measurements

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) carries out a variety of research, laser development, and applications-oriented activities in the generation of sensing systems, integrated optics communication systems, platform protection systems, threat materials characterization and threat surrogates development. The research, both theoretical and experimental, is concerned with discovering and understanding the basic principles and mechanisms involved in optical devices, materials and phenomena. It describes research to develop and produce optical materials and techniques that are the subject of certain key research projects at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington D.C.

Desired technical services will focus on unclassified basic and applied research and experiments over a 5-year period for the U.S. Navy at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. These efforts include a number of inter-related tasks that vary in both their technical dimensions and deliverable products. However, several tasks may support the same mission and must be coordinated or interfaced. These tasks include the research and development of materials, devices and processing. Many of the experimental equipment items and facilities necessary to carry out these tasks are unique to the Naval Research Laboratory, which dictates that a major portion of the tasks be performed here.

 These tasks will deal with a number of programs including fiber optic acoustic sensors, seismic, electric and magnetic field sensors, fiber optic sensors for smart structures, chemical (both agent and non-agent) sensors, explosives sensors, biological agent sensors, laser sensors, microwave photonics and fiber optics for sensing, electronic warfare, radar, and communication links, multicomponent polymers for optical, electronic, and mechanical applications, optical emitters, focal plane arrays, and quantum optics. In addition, research into UV to LWIR, and Multi-spectral imaging systems are included in these tasks.

In many of the sensor programs, emphasis will be placed on signal processing, both electronic and optical, and system integration as well as the development of the transducer. Work will involve system integration of a unique optical sensor designs with an appropriate interrogation approaches to process sensor data. Signal processing efforts may include novel optical techniques for the interrogation and/or demodulation of sensor networks as well as electronic, firmware, and software processing techniques and their implementation.

Sensor interrogation may require implementation of novel electronic and optical signal processing techniques optimized for particular applications. Chemical and Biological Warfare (CBW) sensor development efforts span a broad range from basic measurement phenomenology to system prototyping and deployed system support.  Versions of these system prototypes may be field tested to evaluate their performance.

The work on fiber optics for electronic warfare, and radar will focus on the design, fabrication, evaluation, and analysis of modulators, photodetectors, amplifiers, and other fiber optic components. The design, fabrication and evaluation of new optical devices and electro-optic circuits in the areas of microwave photonics, laser transmitters, signal processing, microwave generation and microwave systems (e.g. radar and electronic warfare) are required. The development and fabrication of mid-infrared (2-12 μm) optical fibers and waveguide devices for IR-transmitting optical links, bright infrared sources, optical switching and other applications is also required.

Also required are specialty optics, such as windows and lenses based on glasses, ceramics, and crystals with superior thermal, mechanical and optical performance. Additionally, advanced thin films are needed for fabrication of flexible, rugged photovoltaic devices, thermoelectric devices and metamaterials at several wavelengths for enabling new applications or improved functionality.

The work with multicomponent polymer materials includes advances in the fields of gradient index optics, high dielectric strength capacitor materials, novel electro-mechanical actuators, and nonlinear optics. The work on optical emitters will focus on the design, growth, processing, and testing of semiconductor emitters operating at infrared wavelengths beyond 2 m. The work on focal plane arrays will focus on the design, growth, processing, and testing of infrared detector arrays operating in the SWIR, MWIR, LWIR, and VLWIR spectral bands. The work on quantum optics will focus on the design, growth, processing, and testing of structures suitable for recording, storing, detecting, and entangling quantum bits.  The work includes the design and synthesis of novel colloidal semiconductor and metallic nanostructures for chemical and biological sensing, cellular imaging and optical detection.

The work will involve (a) field measurements and analysis of signatures, propagation effects, devices, and sensors, and (b) laboratory measurements and analysis of materials, optical devices, systems and optical phenomena including development of detection algorithms and analysis of sensor characteristics/performance. In addition, the work will support the measurement programs by providing for the design and construction of electronic circuitry for control of optical systems. The work shall be performed at field sites in the US, at sea, and at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Washington, DC.

This requirement is a re-compete effort for current contract N00173-14-D-2024 which was awarded to Sotera Defense Solutions / KeyW, Corp.