Tunable Narrow-Band Bi-Photon Source in IR Spectral Region for Calibration of High-Performance Transition-Edge Sensors

The overall goal of this NASA STTR mult-phase effort is to develop a compact fully integrated tunable narrowband bi-photon source operating in the visible/IR spectral region for calibration and characterization of high-performance transition-edge sensors (TES) arrays under development at NASA Goddard as well as other research facilities throughout U.S. The key innovation in this effort is combining waveguide-based spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) with onboard wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and mode filtering for efficient generation, wavelength sorting, and fiber coupling of narrowband photon pairs in the near-to mid-infrared (IR) spectral region. Phase I of this effort established the feasibility of this approach through demonstrating coincidence at the output of two arms of periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) chip with integrated wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). This approach is enabled by combining AdvR's expertise in fabrication, poling, and packaging nonlinear optical waveguides with the University of Illinois Urbana Champaigne's (UIUC) demonstrated experience with high precision photon counting and quantum optics. The outcome of this multi-phase STTR will significantly advance the state-of-the-art narrowband bi-photon sources for system calibration of single photon counting detectors and energy-resolving single-photon detector arrays in the mid-IR, near-IR, and visible spectral regimes.

Characterization, optimization, and calibration of photon-starved detectors for space-based applications in the difficult-to-characterize mid-IR region; quantum repeater-based satellite quantum network; quantum metrology for precision space-based navigation; entanglement tests of quantum and gravitational theories; high-rate quantum communication; ghost imaging; quantum telescope applications

Calibration of mid-IR detectors; quantum key distribution; quantum network devices; quantum interference with single photons; integration with other systems including quantum memories; quantum metrology; linear optical quantum computation; quantum frequency conversion

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.