SBIR-STTR Award

Metamaterial optics provide dramatic reductions in size and weight compared with traditional optics. Nanohmics is developing a low-SWaP imaging spectropolarimeter using an ultrathin, microfabricated multifunction meta-optic. Because of their extremely low size and mass, these low-aberration optics will be ideal for sensors and imagers in SWaP-constrained vehicles, such as for suborbital Earth science measurements including atmospheric aerosol absorption and scattering. The proposed imaging spectropolarimeter combines a single multifunction meta-optic with a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) focal plane array. The team recently demonstrated a multifunction meta-optic that focuses light and simultaneously analyzes both spectrum and polarization state, including all 4 Stokes parameters, degree of linear polarization (DoLP), angle of linear polarization (AoLP), and other parameters used by NASA to study light scattering in the atmosphere. Phase I will demonstrate the feasibility of low-SWaP, high-performance suborbital sensors based on multifunction meta-optics by fabricating a breadboard imaging spectropolarimeter using a single meta-optic. Laboratory testing will advance the breadboard to TRL 4. The team will build upon recently developed design, simulation, and fabrication methods. Phase II will include laboratory and airborne testing of a TRL 5 prototype and will extend operating spectral band from near-infrared (NIR) to include visible (VIS). The team will plan for low-cost suborbital monitoring within NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) and Science Mission Directorate (SMD). Longer term, imaging spectropolarimeters can leverage multifunction meta-optics in all spectral bands, making them valuable for NASA imaging and monitoring missions – both suborbital and in space – and applications in the military, industrial, energy, medical, and consumer sectors. Standard microfabrication techniques will keep costs low and accelerate commercialization. Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): The low-SWaP imaging spectropolarimeter will provide low-cost suborbital monitoring for NASA ESD and SMD, including Earth science atmospheric composition monitoring. Mounted on airborne and other suborbital vehicles, it can provide measurements of spectrally resolved atmospheric aerosol absorption and scattering – initially in the NIR spectral band but extensible to VIS, mid-wave infrared (MWIR), and other spectral bands – to provide data for satellite validation and finer scale process studies made possible by increased spatial resolution. Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): The advanced capabilities and low SWaP of sensors based on multifunction meta-optics will make them valuable for a wide variety of applications and customers, including the military, industrial, energy, medical, and consumer sectors. With size and mass less than 10% of that of existing spectropolarimeters, they will be suitable for observation satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Duration: 6

Nanohmics is developing a high-performance imaging spectropolarimeter with low size, weight, and power (SWaP), based on an ultrathin, light-weight, microfabricated multifunction meta-optic. Low-aberration meta-optics are ideal for sensors in SWaP-constrained vehicles. Nanohmics’ spectropolarimeter combines a single multifunction meta-optic with a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) focal plane array (FPA). It collects polarization, spectral, and one-dimensional (1D) imaging data simultaneously at a high frame rate with hyperspectral resolution. In the Phase I, the team successfully demonstrated a breadboard spectropolarimeter based on a multifunction meta-optic that can focus short-wave IR (SWIR) light while analyzing both spectrum and polarization. In Phase II, the team will advance the breadboard to a prototype through ruggedization, laboratory testing, and airborne testing. Phase II will include a scaled-up multifunction meta-optic for increased resolution and light collection. The Phase II prototype is designed to have a larger imaging field of view (FoV). With a mass and volume approximately 1/10 that of existing spectropolarimeters, the low-SWaP, high-performance prototype will be well suited to suborbital and ultimately space missions. The Phase II prototype will operate in a NIR subband to survey the oxygen A and B absorption bands commonly used for measurements of atmospheric aerosols. The rugged prototype will advance to TRL 5 and be delivered to NASA, with initial potential for remote sensing of Earth atmosphere for climate modeling. The proposed compact sensor is ideal for measurements of spectrally resolved atmospheric aerosol absorption and scattering – initially in the near-infrared (NIR) and SWIR bands but easily extensible to other spectral bands such as visible (VIS), mid-wave IR (MWIR), and long-wave IR (LWIR). Meta-optic fabrication using standard CMOS microfabrication techniques will reduce costs and provide a rapid route to commercialization. Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): The low SWaP of the proposed spectropolarimeter will be well suited for orbital and low-cost suborbital monitoring for NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) and Science Mission Directorate (SMD), including for atmospheric composition monitoring, such as for remote sensing of Earth atmosphere for climate modeling. Longer term, the team proposes integration into a range of instruments for NASA ESD data collection and SMD Earth and Solar System missions, including CubeSats, unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), and other SWaP-constrained vehicles. Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): The high performance, low SWaP, and low cost of the proposed hyperspectral spectropolarimeter will drive applications in the military, industrial, energy, medical, agriculture, and consumer sectors. Applications include autonomous vehicles, security, robotics, land management, and monitoring of gas emissions related to petroleum and chemical production and waste management and water treatment. Duration: 24