BFE Acquisition Sub II, LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: MDA15-022

BFE Acquisition Sub II, LLC — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Defense.

Amount
$144,259
Agency
Department of Defense · Missile Defense Agency
Program / Phase
SBIR · Phase I
Topic
MDA15-022
Solicitation
2015.2
NAICS
Place of performance
CO
Period
2015-12-17 → 2016-12-20

Description

Current large format focal plane array (FPA) imaging sensors for imaging in low-light conditions in the near infrared / short wavelength infrared (NIR/SWIR) regions are limited by poor signal-to-noise. Electron avalanche photodiodes (e-APDs) using HgCdTe provide internal gain with very little excess noise and allow high signal-to-noise in low-light conditions. Cooling the e-APD SWIR FPA to 77K reduces detector dark current. In Phase I, Black Forest Engineering (BFE) proposes to design a readout integrated circuit (ROIC) compatible with HgCdTe e-APDs in a large array format that will meet or exceed performance goals identified in topic.(Approved for Public Release 15-MDA-8482 (17 November 15))