← Back to NASA Technology Projects
Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)
We will develop alow loss amorphous Silicon (a-Si) as the dielectric for superconducting detector applications like MicroSpec to reduce the fabrication complexity and to extend the in house capability to 200mm wafer processing. The current process employs a thin (~0.5um or less) crystalline silicon layer applied by a complex and time consuming process which is limited to 150mm wafers due to the required bonding step. We will develop and optimize a process for depositing a-Si which will be the second of three simple sequential deposition steps which will improve process yield.
The target application is the dielectric layer of Microwave Kinectic Inductance Detectors, (MKID). If a sufficiently low loss can be achieved with the a-Si films, we expect that this simplified process would improve the yield by 1.5 to 2X and would also reduce cost. This technology could also extend to other detector and photovoltaic devices.
This process could be incorporated into existing and future projects like EXCLAIM, CMBPol, and Probe of Inflation and Cosmic Origins (PICO) among others.
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.