SBIR-STTR Award

Attollo Engineering is proposing a compact dual-band SWIR/MWIR camera using an FPA with unique detector and ROIC capabilities. The camera will be HD (1280x1024) and have applications for targeting applications such as seekers and rifle scopes. The camera is capable of wide dynamic range to handle starlight flux up to high thermal flux. In Phase I, Attollo will perform trade studies and experimentation on the detector material and ROIC to lay the foundation for realizing the sensor that meets the applications needs.

Benefit:
The small 2-color camera can view scenes with both dark and bright areas providing detail in both areas and multiple bands with Attollos unique circuitry. This camera can be used for both military and commercial uses. The camera will provide multiband imagery in both military and commercial applications. It is particularly suited for targeting applications to provide substantial discrimination, but it also has utility in commercial applications such as precision agriculture where collocated multispectral data is needed.

Keywords:
targeting, targeting, SWIR, 2-color, MWIR

A dual-band, SWIR/MWIR sensor provides numerous and distinct advantages over single-band sensors, when used in weapon sights and for IR seekers, including improved contrast and the ability to leverage infrared and radiometric phenomenology in different wavebands to better identify targets. The development of dual-band SWIR/MWIR sensors requires advancements in detector materials as well as the ROIC technology required to optimally operate such a sensor. Advancements in the state-of-the-art of dual-band SWIR/MWIR sensor technology has direct applications to the Navys Integrated Clip-on Advanced Targeting Sight (ICATS) program, the Armys Multi-Domain User Sensor Architecture (MDUSA) program, threat warning systems, IR seeker technologies, and multi-spectral imaging for civilian (precision agriculture, gas sensing, etc.) and military (chemical agent detection, drug manufacturing, camouflage defeat, etc.). In this proposal we describe our approach to developing a high-sensitivity, low-noise, SWIR/MWIR dual-band sensor operating at temperatures greater than 120 K. This Phase II SBIR proposal describes a work plan that picks up from a Phase I SBIR that laid the foundation for developing high sensitivity SWIR and MWIR focal plane arrays working at high operating temperatures.

Benefit:
- Target identification at 1.5km in a dynamic scene including night - low light/extreme darkness - Low SWaP two color camera - SWIR/MWIR - Low cost detector and IDCA - ROIC that allows for SWIR imaging without MWIR overwhelming the SWIR signal

Keywords:
low SWAP-C, SWIR/MWIR, Two Color, IDCA, pixels on target, Target Identification , low dark current, High Quantum Efficiency