2007-2008 Assessment of the Army Research Laboratory (2009) / Chapter Skim
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4 Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate
4 Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate
Pages 39-56
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From page 39... ...
, the Vehicle Technology Directorate, and the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate also contribute to the management and to the collaborative research conducted in the CTA. SEDD also has responsibility for the sensor information processing research area within CISD's Network and Information Sciences International Technology Alliance with the United Kingdom that began in 2006.
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From page 40... ...
In parallel SEDD has intensified its focus on solid-state lasers, vision protection, sensor fusion, flexible displays, bio-inspired materials, antennas, and reserve batteries. SEDD has decreased its investments in magnetics, power MEMS, liquid reserve batteries, and platform RF sensors.
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From page 41... ...
The work presented covered various materials systems and devices including the following: II-VI materials HgCdTe IR focal plane arrays on silicon (Si) and high-operating-temperature long-wavelength infrared (LWIR)
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From page 42... ...
SEDD is also leading in the optical characterization of AlGaInN materials; this is a unique competency that is sought by outside collaborators. SEDD has received funding from DARPA, the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA)
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From page 43... ...
SEDD is strong in this area, and the work should be commended. The demonstration at the laboratory that works on organic materials for devices and displays highlighted the capability of the SEDD activity to include novel materials synthesis, materials deposition, device fabrication, and display manufacturing (on a research scale)
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From page 44... ...
To raise the IR absorption and the quantum efficiency, the pixel size is increased, which limits the sensor resolution. SEDD invented a new concept for coupling the IR radiation into the QWIP active layer; it entails placing an inverted V-shaped reflector around each pixel so that the IR energy is coupled directly along the QWIP active layer.
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From page 45... ...
If legal considerations permit, ARL management should consider an arrangement that would allow the fabrication of C-QWIP arrays at ARL to be purchased by camera manufacturers such as FLIR, DRS Technologies, BAE Systems, Insight, and others. Power and Energy SEDD is doing an excellent job of framing the research questions that need to be answered for highenergy batteries.
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From page 46... ...
Nanocrystalline magnetic materials for direct current (DC) -DC power conversion is a key technology for hybrid electric vehicles and pulse power.
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From page 47... ...
In order to improve antenna designs, in situ antenna modeling is being used to analyze antennas in the environment in which they will be used. SEDD is using rapid prototyping and fabrication, together with modeling and high-fidelity measurements, to design and demonstrate integrated antennas for Army applications.
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From page 48... ...
Antenna modeling and simulation is a research project that can provide great benefit to the Army and can lead to improved front ends. If a more general analysis method were established by SEDD, the conclusions would be of interest to people in the field who do not wish to make numerical EM their expertise but need to know how to improve antenna designs.
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From page 49... ...
These activities are strong indications that ARL is pursuing the right scientific and technical issues for microsystems applied to miniature mobile sensor platforms. The ARL program for microsystems is conducted by a SEDD team that understands the underlying science and comprehends other, comparable work done in the field.
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From page 50... ...
The thermal resistance from the laser diode to the heat sink will be reduced and more repeatable, thereby allowing the operational temperature of the laser diodes to be reduced and more controllable. With lower and more controlled operational temperatures, the laser diodes are much less prone to premature failure (i.e., reliability problems)
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From page 51... ...
To address these and other issues, the current ARL program is focused on modeling and simulation and on data collection in realistic urban scenarios. The results of these efforts are being used to help develop algorithms for synthetic aperture radar image formation and MTI techniques.
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From page 52... ...
While it was difficult to distinguish between the research contributions of the SEDD researchers and those of the group's contractors, the group discussed its research in depth and professionally, and the quality of the research is quite good. One important piece of work is the acoustic propagation modeling.
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From page 53... ...
Collaboration with a commercial company allowed for the production of low-cost sensors, and other collaborations provided specialty skills. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES Overall, the Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate is performing at an outstanding level in the research, development, and deployment of technologies that have both near-term and long-term benefit to the Army.
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From page 54... ...
This would enhance the Board's understanding of the extent to which the research program reflects a broad understanding of the underlying science and of comparable work being done within other ARL units and within the DoD, as well as in industry, academia, and other federal laboratories, and how well it employs the necessary resources with respect to instrumentation and other elements. The demand for light, compact power sources in the U.S.
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From page 55... ...
The SEDD research program reflects a broad understanding of the underlying science, which is reflected in the overall success of the research and development programs. In general, SEDD strives to understand what other research teams are doing here in the United States as well as internationally.
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From page 56... ...
To this end SEDD will require the support of ARL management to ensure that it has the investment resources necessary to keep SEDD at the forefront of research activities worldwide. SEDD management and SEDD researchers have been extremely responsive to the Board's recommendations.
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