Automated Production of Low Cost Pultruded Composite Bracing for Seismic Energy Dissipation Structures

Not Available The overall objective of this SBIR Phase I research project is to further explore the feasibility of a radiation hard CMOS APS image sensors. The vehicle for that exploration is a radiation hard CMOS APS test chip that has been designed, fabricated, and packaged. This test chip will be irradiated and then its performance will be evaluated. Based on the results from this test chip, a second generation of radiation hard CMOS APS image sensors will be designed, simulated, and made ready for submission for fabrication. Photobit has recently completed a research project that concluded that radiation hard CMOS APS image sensors are feasible. The combination of employing the physical design techniques of enclosed geometry and guard rings, and a deep sub-micron standard CMOS fabrication process provides the path to radiation hard CMOS APS image sensors. Utilizing commercial standard CMOS fabrication processes to realize radiation hard image sensors makes every economic sense. The cost element associated with these standard processes is less (by a factor of 2) than that associated with specialized radiation hard processes. The same amount of research dollars can go further when new design concepts are tested via the more cost-effective standard fabrication processes. Radiation hard CMOS APS image sensors will be a welcome alternative to the inherently radiation soft charge-coupled device (CCD) APS image sensors. Radiation hard CMOS APS image sensors perform as well as CCDs, with the added benefits of lower power (10 to 100 times less) and integration of electronics (enabling miniaturization). This allows them to not only compete in th same markets as CCDs, but also provide opportunities to expand the existing image sensor market. The proposed radiation hard image sensor and the technical advances associated with its development are extremely important for space applications (DoD, NASA, and commercial satellites) and ground-based radiation harsh environment systems such as nuclear power plants, particle accelerators, and radiation test facilities.