SBIR-STTR Award

Diffraction LTD will develop a multi-spectral battery powered combat ID beacon. Key emitter technologies will include vacuum encapsulated photonic crystals in the MWIR and LWIR spectral bands. In Phase 1, a complete optical, electrical, and mechanical design of the beacon will be produced. A model taking into account emitter characteristics, atmospheric transmission, ambient lighting, and various detector characteristics will be built to enable simulations of the beacon to predict its range performance. Diffraction has extensive experience designing, building, and fielding combat ID beacons in the NIR, SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR portions of the spectrum.

Benefits:
The developed beacon will enable covert positive identification of U.S. forces thereby greatly reducing the chance of fratricide.

Keywords:
Beacon Iff Combat Id Thermal Photonic Crystal Laser

For Phase 2, Diffraction proposes to develop a small, lightweight, low profile, battery powered multi-spectral combat ID beacon. The beacon will output enough energy in the mid wave infrared (MWIR) bands to be visible to nearly all US and allied targetin

Keywords:
Thermal Beacon, Combat Id, Iff, Multi-Spectral, Mwir, Covert, Clandestine, Photonic Crystal