← Back to NASA Technology Projects
Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)
When rocks are stressed, electronic charge carriers are activated which are defect electrons in the oxygen anion sublattice, O? in a matrix of O2?, known as positive holes. They have properties such as the ability to flow out of the stressed volume and spread into the surrounding unstressed rocks. The wave function associated with these charge carriers is highly delocalized, meaning that the spin density is distributed over hundreds of O2? neighbors.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — 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.