Brimrose Technology awarded small business technology transfer awards from DARPA, U.S. MDA

December 20, 2013

SPARKS, MD. Brimrose Technology Corporation (BTC) has been awarded two Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards, from DARPA and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

DARPA has awarded $100,000 to BTC for a proposal “Narrow Band Gap Quantum Dots and Quantum Wires for Mid-Wave Infrared Plane Array Detectors.” The proposal is designed to explore the possibility of producing quantum dot focal plane arrays for Mid Wavelength Infrared (MWIR) photodetectors. The study may later extend the range into the Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR).

Senior Scientist for BTC and the DARPA Project Principal Investigator, Dr. Dajie David Zhang, says the photodetectors are versatile, and will find many uses in both civilian and military applications – for example: IR countermeasures and spectrometers, night vision, and surveillance. RTI is also collaborating on the STTR award project.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) focused on “Lightweight Optics for High Power Directed Energy Applications.” The objective of the MDA award is to demonstrate the viability of producing lightweight and thermally manageable integrated optical systems suitable for airborne and space high-power directed energy applications. Penn State University’s Applied Research Lab is collaborating with BTC on the MDA award.

“This project will focus on improving two of the most important parts of a high energy mirror design, the reflective mirror surface, and the multifunctional substrate,” says Zhang, also the project principal investigator for the MDA STTR.