{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":9496,"title":"Hole-Initiated-Avalanche, Linear-Mode, Single-Photon-Sensitive Avalanche Photodetector with Reduced Excess Noise and Low Dark Count Rate","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10647,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10646,"level":3,"code":"TX05.1.1","title":"Detector Development","definition":"Detector development includes the development of high detection efficiency, low-dark-count, low-jitter photon counting detectors and readout systems for both ground and flight applications.","exampleTechnologies":"Tungsten silicide (WSi) superconducting arrays, high T superconducting arrays, e.g., MgB2, indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) flight arrays","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":4,"currentTrl":5,"endTrl":5,"benefits":"The innovation has numerous dual-use applications in US military, industrial and commercial markets, including 3D modeling and site survey, autonomous navigation, automotive cruise control and obstacle avoidance, and robotics. Military applications include navigation and targeting for manned and unmanned systems, including fixed- and rotary-winged platforms, ground-based vehicles, and weapon mounts, as well as helmet-mounted low-light-level imaging. The proposed high-rate photon-counting detectors can increase the data processing rate of quantum information applications such as quantum cryptography.
The proposed low-noise optical receiver technology is applicable to a large number of NASA applications, including lidar atmospheric profiling, laser ranging, ladar navigation and hazard avoidance, and free-space optical communications.","description":"A radiation hard, single photon sensitive InGaAs avalanche photodiode (APD) receiver technology will be demonstrated useful for long range space based optical telecommunications in the spectral range from 1000 to 1600 nm. The innovation is based on a linear mode (lm) single photon sensitive APD technology for which avalanche gain as high as M = 8000 has been demonstrated. Single photon detection efficiency (PDE) up to 80% has been demonstrated at 1064 nm, as well as maximum count rates in excess of 300 MHz. In the proposed effort, the dark count rate of these detectors will be reduced to the order of kHz while preserving PDE and maximum count rate. Detector dark current will be lowered by two orders of magnitude through implementation of the APD design using aluminum-free alloys with 100x lower trap density than the current design. In Phase I, a series of single element detectors of varying diameter, as well as small sized arrays, will be fabricated from the new aluminum-free material, and the corresponding decrease in dark count rate will be measured. In Phase II, radiation and lifetime testing will be repeated for the aluminum-free design, and large-area segmented detectors will be coupled to readout integrated circuits and demonstrated. Voxtel anticipates that its technology will enter the program at TRL=4, finish Phase I at TRL=5, and exit the Phase II program at TRL=6.","startYear":2011,"startMonth":2,"endYear":2011,"endMonth":9,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":21641,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Andrew","lastName":"Huntington","fullName":"Andrew Huntington","fullNameInverted":"Huntington, Andrew","primaryEmail":"andrewh@voxtel-inc.com","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jason.l.kessler@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":215154,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jennifer","lastName":"Gustetic","fullName":"Jennifer L Gustetic","fullNameInverted":"Gustetic, Jennifer L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jennifer.l.gustetic@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":62051,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Carlos","lastName":"Torrez","fullName":"Carlos Torrez","fullNameInverted":"Torrez, Carlos","primaryEmail":"carlos.torrez@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"projectManagers":[{"contactId":3164028,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Celestino Jun","lastName":"Rosca","fullName":"Celestino Jun Rosca","fullNameInverted":"Rosca, Celestino Jun","primaryEmail":"crosca@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false},{"contactId":461333,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Theresa","lastName":"Stanley","fullName":"Theresa M Stanley","fullNameInverted":"Stanley, Theresa M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"theresa.m.stanley@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"website":"","libraryItems":[],"transitions":[{"transitionId":65277,"projectId":9496,"transitionDate":"2011-09-01","path":"Closed Out","closeoutDocuments":[{"title":"Final Summary Chart","file":{"fileExtension":"pdf","fileId":305505,"fileName":"SBIR_2010_1_FSC_O1.04-9119","fileSize":148981,"objectId":65277,"objectType":{"lkuCodeId":1841,"code":"TRANSITION_FILES","description":"Transition Files","lkuCodeTypeId":182,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"OBJECT_TYPE","description":"Object Type"}},"fileSizeString":"145.5 KB"},"transitionId":65277,"fileId":305505}],"infoText":"Closed out","infoTextExtra":"","dateText":"September 2011"}],"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"program":{"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","active":true,"description":"
The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
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