SBIR-STTR Award

The US continues to need improvements in capability to deal with the imminent threat of theft of nuclear weapons from a foreign storage facility by a terrorist cell with insider assistance. At the heart of this challenge is the need to develop alternative signature exploitation technologies, taggants, that can be easily observed using sensors capable of detection over large areas and at high resolutions. One approach to addressing this vulnerability is to locate, monitor and track WMD from strategic distances using airborne sensors operating at HSI, IR, radar, lidar, FTIR, among others. Describe how this problem or situation is being addressed. The overall objective or approach of the combined Phase I and Phase II projects should be clearly stated (typically one to two sentences). The proposed Phase I and Phase II effort is to develop a taggant that can be covertly integrated onto assets that require tracking. The proposed tracking system will allow identification of the tag from distances of up to 10 km, and can be identified using either an active or passive querying system. The Phase I work will focus on four tasks: 1) Fabricating externally reflecting photonic bandgap fibers targeting reflection bands in atmospheric transmission window of 8-12 microns, 2) weaving them into fabrics, 3) optical measurements of the fabric’s reflection properties, and 4) evaluation of the impact of various environmental factors on the robustness of the reflection properties of this fabric. Initially, this technology will benefit the public by aiding in the nuclear nonproliferation detection efforts of DOE. The tracking of nuclear material to prevent excessive nuclear proliferation is of tantamount importance of the U.S. public, as well as the global community. Secondly, it will assist the military by developing a means of generating, applying, and reading optical codes; which can be used to track friendly or other objects from kilometer distances.

The US continues to need improvements in capability to deal with the imminent threat of theft of nuclear weapons from a foreign storage facility by a terrorist cell with insider assistance. At the heart of this challenge is the need to develop alternative signature exploitation technologies, taggants, that can be easily observed using sensors capable of detection over large areas and at high resolutions. One approach to addressing this vulnerability is to locate, monitor and track WMD from strategic distances using airborne sensors operating at HSI, IR, radar, lidar, FTIR, among others. The proposed Phase I and Phase II effort is to develop a taggant that can be covertly integrated onto assets that require tracking. The proposed tracking system will allow identification of the tag from distances of 10 km or greater and can be identified using either an active or passive querying system. Phase I fabricated and measured the infrared reflectance spectrum of fiber samples for their IR properties. This effort verified the properties were as expected from computational models and simulations and demonstrated the feasibility of these fibers being utilized as an optical taggant material. In Phase II the fibers will be modified in their optical layered design in order to give a specific type of emissivity contrast which is easily observable and distinctive compared to background. Following laboratory experiments, optical measurements will be carried out in a field test environment with standoffs up to 1 km, possibly using actual drone platforms. Modelling will show the taggant size/optical system aperture to allow identification of the tags from a variety of distances, up to LEO. The taggant materials will be tested for environmental ruggedness to stand up to weather, sun and humidity. Covert versions of the material will be demonstrated. Commercial Applications and Other

Benefits:
Beyond its utility for non-proliferation, PBFT technology will find uses for military friend-foe identification, homeland security, geophysics or cold regions research, satellite-visible labeling of ocean shipping containers, trains or trucks, tracking of waste in ocean currents, and other commercial and environmental applications.