MDA06-045
TITLE: Advanced Strategic Sensors
TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Space Platforms
ACQUISITION PROGRAM: SS(DFS) / AS(DV)
OBJECTIVE: The overall objective of this effort is to develop innovative solutions to improve strategic
space sensors.
DESCRIPTION: The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is interested in technology developments in support
of advanced strategic sensors MDA requires high performance, high sensitivity and low noise sensors for
space based sensing applications. Space based sensors operate in low background environments where
radiation hardness is key to mission operation. Sensor bands from the visible through very long wavelength
infrared (IR) wavelengths are of interest. Specific technologies of interest include sensor materials,
detectors, focal plane arrays (FPAs), Read Out Integrated Circuits, and optical filters which will: 1. Be
capable of operation in a space/nuclear radiation environment; 2. Provide performance sufficient for
strategic systems for meeting the requirements of the BMDS; and 3. Offer system performance advantages
over current sensor approaches.
Innovative Materials Solutions:
The Air Force and the Missile Defense Agency require new concepts for very long wavelength infrared
(VLWIR) detectors with increased operating temperature (>60K), and improved detectivity for space based
applications. These detectors will be required to operate at wavelengths beyond 20 micrometers. The
presently available detectors are based on extrinsic silicon with an operating temperature below 20K.
Detectors with increased operating temperatures with equivalent or better detectivity will significantly
reduce satellite system costs. Key issues to be addressed are innovative detector materials design and
device architectures, the interface abruptness between epitaxial layers and repeated control of the individual
layers, materials composition, and doping. Material issues are minimizing background carrier concentration
and defect densities. Molecular beam epitaxy and metal organic chemical vapor deposition will be
considered, as well as other similar epitaxial growth techniques. Concepts must addess meeting surviving a
300 kRad(Si) total dose (proton and ionizing radiation) over the expected mission life.
Radiation Hard Visible FPA:
MDA is interested in the investigation of methodologies to design or process visible detector arrays and
readout circuitry to improve radiation tolerance of visible FPAs.. The projected radiation environment for
any developed devices is 300 kRad(Si) total dose (proton and ionizing radiation) over the expected mission
life. The device design goal is to minimize total degradation to < 30% in device performance from
beginning of life values (i.e. End of Life > 0.70 * Beginning of Life performance). In addition to be capable
of operating at moderately reduced temperatures, it is desireable that the visible detector arrays and readout
circuitry are capable of being optimized to operate near the low temperatures of other photon sensors (e.g.
LWIR devices), in order to minimize sensor integration costs.
Bandpass Filters:
For infrared applications in military systems it is often necessary to use optical filters which only transmit a
given wavelength band while blocking all other wavelengths. Selected substrate and coating materials must
transmit (i.e. low loss) multiple wavelengths; wavelengths greater than 5µm are of particular interest.
Filters must maintain a transmission greater than 90% and be radiation hard up to 300 kRads.
Improvements on current technology may result from design methodology, deposition monitor and control,
or other innovative approaches. Successful filters shall simultaneously maximize the throughput in the
bandpass, minimize the transition from bandpass to blocking, and maximize the blocking in magnitude and
spectral extent.
Read-Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC):
Innovative rad-hard by design ROIC concepts that can be fabricated by known CMOS foundries are of
interest to MDA. Radiation hard by design ROICS decrease the overall cost of FPAs by exploiting existing
commercial foundries rather than relying on increasingly scarce and costly “proven” foundries. ROIC
designs must be radiation hard to 300kRads(Si) and include features for mitigation of single-event upsets
and latch-up.
Medium and Long Wave Infrared FPA:
MDA is interested designs and/or processes to improve their radiation tolerance and performance of
medium and long wave infrared (M/LWIR) detector arrays. . The projected radiation environment for any
developed devices is 300 kRad(Si) total dose (proton and ionizing radiation) over the expected mission life.
The device design goal is to minimize total degradation to < 30% in device performance from beginning of
life values (i.e. End of Life > 0.70 * Beginning of Life performance) and increase operating temperatures to
above 60K, which will decrease overall FPA costs.
This solicitation is broad based, from architecture changes to components to entire sensors. Specifically
sought are new and innovative schemes and technologies that involve modified production processes,
improved or new materials, altered chip packaging, unique/modified sensor types or designs or other
innovative options that will increase the intrinsic resistance of sensors to ionizing radiation damage.
Radiation hardness and the ability for the technology to be qualified for space applications are crucial for
successful proposals.
Any proposal submitted must focus on one specific area: the detector, the focal plane, ROIC, or bandpass
filters. An offeror may submit multiple proposals with unique approaches in one area, or in multiple areas.
PHASE I: Identify and investigate materials, unique device designs, novel sensor architectures, and/or
production process changes or additions suitable for FPA component fabrication that will result in
significant improvement in the performance, operational lifetimes or cost reduction. A deliverable or proofof-concept design available to the government for additional characterization is highly desirable. Offerors
are strongly encouraged to work with system, payload and component contractors to help ensure
applicability of their efforts and beginning work towards technology transition.
PHASE II: Using the resulting materials, designs, architectures, concepts and/or process changes or
additions in Phase I, implement, test and verify these changes in prototype fashion to demonstrate the
feasibility and efficacy of the focal plane array components. In Phase II, the contractor is required to have
radiation testing performed to verify that hardening to protons and ionizing radiation to a total dose of 300
kRads(Si) is established and damage is minimized. A full scale processing methodology shall be developed
and demonstrated. The contractor should keep in mind the goal of commercialization of this innovation for
the Phase III effort, to which end they should have working relationships with, and support from, system,
payload and/or component contractors.
PHASE III: Either solely, or in partnership with a suitable production foundry, implement, test and verify
in full scale the Phase II demonstration item as an economically viable product. Demonstration would
include, but not be limited to, demonstration in a real system or operation in a system level test-bed. This
demonstration should show near term application to BMDS systems, subsystems, or components.
PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: Innovations developed under this topic will benefit
both DoD and commercial space and terrestrial programs. Possible uses for these products include missile
tracking, surveillance, astronomy, mapping, weather monitoring, and earth resource monitoring.
Enhancements to imaging quality show significant potential.
REFERENCES:
1. Spratt, J.P., B.C. Passenheim, R.E. Leadon, S. Clark, and D.J. Strobel. "Effectiveness of IC Shielded
Packages Against Space Radiation", T-NS, pp. 2018-2025, December 1997.
2. J. Janesick, G. Soli, T. Elliott, and S. Collins, "The Effects of Proton Damage on Charge- Coupled
Devices," Proc. SPIE, Vol. 1447, pp. 87-108, 1991.
3. H. Angus Macleod, Thin-Film Optical Filters, (Institute of Physics, Bristol, 2001).
4. Z. Knittl, Optics of This Films, (Wiley, London, 1976).
5. C.A. Hoffman, J. R. Meyer, R.J. Bartoli, X. Chu, J. P. Faurie, L. R. Ram-Mohan, H. Xie, Journal of
Vacuum Science & Technology Vol. A8, pg. 1200 (1990).
6. "Chemical Cleaning of GaSb (1,0,0) Surfaces," L. J. Gomez-Zazo et al., J. Electrochem. Soc. Vol. 136,
pg. 1480 (1989).
KEYWORDS: infrared detectors, infrared focal plane arrays, radiation hardening, bandpass filters