Sydor Instruments, LLC — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: C56-32b
Sydor Instruments, LLC — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Energy.
Phase I SBIR feasibility signal
- Phase I awards fund proof-of-concept work. For capture teams, they mark early interest from Department of Energy in a technical approach.
- Watch for Phase II follow-ons from the same firm/topic family — that conversion path is where budgets and transition pressure rise.
- Obligated amount $206,500. Cross-check similar awards in the same agency and technology tags for going-rate context.
- Topic code C56-32b links this award to a solicitation family — search the same topic stem for incumbents and recompete timing.
- Amount
- $206,500
- Agency
- Department of Energy
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Topic
- C56-32b
- Solicitation
- DE-FOA-0002903
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- NY
- Period
- 2023-07-10 → 2024-04-09
Description
Significant progress in nuclear fusion reactions has been reported by a national laser fusion laboratory achieving nuclear fusion ignition. Ignition is the long sought answer for providing large amounts of clean energy by producing more energy output than what was used to initiate the controlled fusion process. The technology to add nuclear fusion to provide power to the grid, called inertial fusion energy, has not been developed at the same pace, with a lack of high-power optics able to support the high-power laser systems required to reach ignition. An emerging electro-optic technology that can support high-energy high-power lasers is the Plasma Electrode Pockels Cell. This cell has been demonstrated as a means to reduce the size and cost of high-power laser systems, while supporting larger aperture lasers that standard Pockels cells cannot. This new technology can also support higher repetition rates which is critical for transitioning ignition from the infrequent mode of operation at national facilities to several hertz of operation in power plants on the grid. In this Phase I effort, the technology transfer of the Plasma Electrode Pockels Cell will be conducted, and a conceptual design of a commercially available model will be developed. The potential user market will be polled to identify future performance required to support this emerging market for Inertial Fusion Energy. A product road map and commercialization plan will also be developed that can be built upon in a follow-on Phase II program. The electro-optic Plassma Electrode Pockels Cell technology is a direct enabler of high-power high-energy modular lasers that can be deployed to achieve Inertial Fusion Energy in next generation power plants serving as a source of clean energy. This technology can support the growing number of start-ups pursuing Inertial Fusion Energy, as well as existing laser companies providing high-power lasers to national facilities and businesses.