NANOHMICS INC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: MDA18-005

Description

Nanohmics proposes a chip-scale, light-weight, low-power superluminal ring laser gyroscope (RLG) using on a multilayer metamaterial.The rugged, radiation-hardened RLG will be well suited for integration into the high-rate IMUs of next-generation missile defense applications, such as interceptors, with increased performance and survivability.Nanohmics will achieve chip-scale miniaturization by combining photonic integrated circuit (IC) microfabrication techniques with a superluminal metamaterial, minimum supporting electronics, and no spinning components.The ultra-compact superluminal RLG will operate under harsh conditions such as exposure to radiation, severe shocks, and high temperatures.In Phase I, Nanohmics will demonstrate the feasibility of a superluminal RLG by designing, fabricating, and testing a proof-of-principle breadboard, achieving TRL 3.The team will design and model a chip-scale, superluminal RLG prototype to be fabricated in Phase II.Phase I laboratory testing of the breadboard RLG combined with modeling results will strengthen the design for the photonic IC prototype.In Phase II, Nanohmics will fabricate the miniaturized superluminal RLG prototype, advancing it to TRL 5.Nanohmics will provide a Phase II prototype RLG to the Government ready for testing and transition during Phase III.The superluminal RLG will leverage COTS telecommunications technologies and standard microfabrication methods to reduce costs and accelerate commercialization.Approved for Public Release | 18-MDA-9710 (6 Jul 18)