Nyquist-Limited Infrared Detectors (NIRD)

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DARPA seeks innovative proposals that address development of long wave infrared (LWIR) focal plane arrays and signal processing to improve imaging in degraded atmospheric transmission, especially conditions encountered in helicopter brownout. The scope includes two tasks: 1) Detector and focal plane array development and demonstration; and 2) Signal and imaging processing to enhance imaging in low transmission and brownout conditions. The objective of Task 1 is the demonstration of focal plane arrays with the individual detector element size of 5 um x 5um, interconnected to a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) that integrates sufficient charge to achieve a noise equivalent temperature difference of 30 mk with F/1 optics , as seen in Table I. Task 2 is the development of novel signal processing concepts addressing imaging in brownout conditions, with the objective of achieving target recognition at range of 500 meters when the transmission is 1.8%, as seen in Table II. Proposals should address Task 1 or Task 2. Proposers may submit proposals to both tasks; however they must be addressed in two separate proposals. All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a full proposal to this BAA, should be directed to BAA08-54@darpa.mil. See attached full DARPA-BAA-08-54.

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