Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contract Management Directorate (CMD), 3701 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203-1714

A -- COHERENT COMMUNICATIONS, IMAGING AND TARGETING (CCIT) SOL RFI 00-06 DUE 021000 POC Dr. L. N. Durvasula, DARPA/TTO, fax (703) 696-2204 Coherent Communications, Imaging and Targeting (CCIT) RFI 00-06; DUE 2/10/00 POC Dr. L. N. Durvasula, DARPA/TTO, Fax: (703) 696-2204. The Tactical Technology Office (TTO) of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is seeking sources to provide innovative concepts and technology demonstrations for aberration free ground to space coherent communications, imaging and targeting (CCIT) at very long ranges. Unique requirements of high bandwidth at multi-gigabit per second communications and distortion free or near diffraction limited imaging at ranges in excess of 1000 kilometers require advances in silicon micro-machined spatial light modulators (SLMs), high speed addressing and integration of electronics on SLMs and signal processing. This new capability that combines simplicity of control and low cost to provide flexible optical wavefront surfaces is critical to aberration free ground to space secure laser communications and sensing and three-dimensional imaging of space objects for targeting at very long ranges. Robustness, reliability, and high response rate will depend heavily on scalable architectures and intermediate demonstrations. For example the pixel flatness for SLM would have to be one fiftieth of a wavelength and eight bits per pixel with integrated electronics on a 32x32-element unit cell scalable to 1024x1024 elements. A maximized pixel size with a high fill factor in excess of 98 per cent and a response time of 10 microseconds to provide a frame rate of 10 kilohertz are needed. In addition ground to air or mountain top demonstrations of aberration free communications and three-dimensional imaging at horizontal ranges in excess of 10 kilometers are required to establish the feasibility before full scale ground to space demonstrations of secure multi-gigabit communications and aberration free three-dimensional imaging. In order to insure that all technically relevant aspects of the program are fully addressed in an integrated approach, teaming of companies, national laboratories and academic institutions with complementary areas of expertise with national laboratories as lead will be encouraged. To assist the teaming process an interactive web site has been established at URL: HTTPS://DTSN.DARPA.MIL/CCITRFI/. Individual researchers and organizations with specific, applicable expertise or capabilities may provide to the web site non-proprietary descriptions of their capabilities and interests and relevance to the CCIT effort. This information should be limited to two pages providing the capabilities and names and addresses of point of contacts (POCs). The web site will remain active from the date of publication of this request for information till 10 February 2000. Specific information content, communications, networking, and team formation are the sole responsibilities of the participants. DARPA will not participate in these activities other than to provide the web site forum to enable others to initiate communications. All administrative correspondence and questions on this announcement, including requests for information on how to submit the information to this web site, should be directed to DARPA/TTO-Durvasula, RFI 00-06, fax: (703) 696-2204, electronic mail (email): RFI 00-06@darpa.mil. DARPA intends to use electronic mail and fax for correspondence regarding RFI 00-06. NOTICE REGARDING SOLICITATIONS: This announcement is for information and planning purposes only, and does not constitute a BAA, IFB or RFP. Nothing in this notice shall be construed as commitment by the United States Government. Posted 01/10/00 (W-SN414490). (0010)

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