Development of Broadband Nanostructured Antireflection Coatings for Improved Infrared Focal Plane Arrays (IRFPA) Performance

This proposed Phase II SBIR program will focus on the design, development, and demonstration of high quality nanostructured antireflection coatings for infrared detectors and optics. The nanostructured coatings will be deposited on silicon substrates and CdZnTe substrates and characterized in detail, including optical reflection and transmittance versus wavelength and performance characteristics as a function of the incident angle of light. The performance of nanostructured antireflection coatings will also be tailored for specific applications for various applications. In this program, antireflection coating designs will be developed for near infrared (NIR), mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR), and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) detectors and their associated optics. The Phase I designs will be further improved in the proposed Phase II program. Phase II reporting shall include the nanostructured coating designs scientific and technical merit and the demonstration of the technology for a variety of Army infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) applications, while also addressing the overall business case viability for projected EO/IR sensors and imaging systems markets.