SBIR-STTR Award

Sensor for Identification of Distant Nuclear Materials
Award last edited on: 5/25/2011

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOD : DARPA
Total Award Amount
$98,996
Award Phase
1
Solicitation Topic Code
SB092-015
Principal Investigator
Wondwosen Mengesha

Company Information

Physical Optics Corporation (AKA: POC~Mercury Mission Systems, LLC)

1845 West 205th Street
Torrance, CA 90501
   (310) 320-3088
   info@pocsports.com
   www.poc.com
Location: Multiple
Congr. District: 43
County: Los Angeles

Phase I

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase I year
2010
Phase I Amount
$98,996
To address the DARPA’s need for Special Nuclear Material (SNM) detection, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Sensor for Identification of Distant Nuclear Materials (SID-NUM). This proposed system is based on a multilayer approach using radio wave signal reflection from low-density plasma created through ionization of air by gamma rays from SNM. The innovation in the use of pulsed broadband radio waves that reflect from low-density plasma mass will enable the SID-NUM to accurately and effectively detect SNMs at distance greater than 5 km (never before achieved) and with high degree of accuracy. As a result, this SID-NUM system offers detection of SNM with a high degree of confidence (greater than 95%) and low false alarm rate (less than 0.01%), which directly addresses the DARPA requirements. In Phase I POC will develop and investigate the specific approach, and assemble a TRL 2-3 prototype to demonstrate its technical feasibility. In Phase II, POC will continue design improvement, experimentation, and test analyses on all the relevant and untested phenomenology, and assemble and demonstrate a TRL 4-5 prototype for 5 km detection range capability.

Keywords:
Snm, Sid-Num, Nuclear Materials, Radio Wave, Plasma, Gamma-Ray, Ionization, Refractive Index

Phase II

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase II year
----
Phase II Amount
----