Rugged Low Temperature Actuators for Tunable Fabry Perot Optical Filters, Phase I

During our Phase I SBIR research, we propose to integrate a novel low-temperature large-strain actuator technology into Fabry-Perot optical filters. The resulting ruggedized tunable optical filters will be able to withstand severe temperature extremes, shock and vibrations. The low-cost actuator contains integrated metrology, which is used to reference wavelengths and compensate for vibration and temperature fluctuations. Ruggedized tunable Fabry-Perot optical filters with integrated meterology will find imaging and LIDAR applications on airborne and spacecraft platforms. Commercially, the actuator technology will find applications in telecommunications and storage media devices.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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.