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

This proposed Phase I 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 characterized in detail, including optical reflection and transmittance versus wavelength and performance characteristics as a function of incident angle of light. The performance of nanostructured antireflection coatings can also be tailored for specific applications. In this program, antireflection coating designs will be developed for near infrared (NIR), mid-wave- length infrared (MWIR), and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) detectors and their associated optics. The Phase I designs will be prototyped and further evaluated and improved in Phase II. Phase I reporting shall include the nanostructured designs scientific and technical merit and feasibility, while also addressing the overall business case viability for projected EO/IR sensors and imaging systems markets.