NASA SBIR 2007 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Black Forest Engineering, LLC
PO Box 8059
Colorado Springs, CO 80933 - 8059
(719) 593-9501

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Stephen Gaalema
sgaalema@bfe.com
1879 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80918 - 7857
(719) 593-9501

Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
The solid-state detector array is the primary technology to implement the current generation of space borne high-energy astronomy missions that are managed by NASA in partnership with the international community. Readout integrated circuitry (ROIC) specifically designed for photon resolving X-ray detection with solid-state detectors will create a new generation of high-performance X-ray imaging sensors. AC sensitive detector input circuitry, similar to that used by Black Forest Engineering (BFE) for laser detection and ranging (LADAR), is ideally suited to NASA X-ray astronomy imaging system requirements. BFE proposes on Phase II to produce and test 32x32 hybrid sensor arrays that can meet a wide range of NASA X-ray imaging applications. The arrays will provide single photon sensitivity, accurate X-ray energy determination, X-ray event time stamping, low power dissipation and ambient temperature operation.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The X-ray imaging technology developed on this SBIR will meet NASA's soft-to-hard energy requirements. One specific application is the Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope (EXIST); however, the design approach is applicable to a wide range of X-ray imaging systems and future systems such as Constellation-X. The readout approach is compatible with a wide variety of X-ray detectors for maximum utility. Power requirements are low to support space-based applications. The X-ray imager design and packaging approach is compact to allow 4-side abuttable imager assemblies to create large focal plane arrays.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
Future medical high energy imaging systems (such as advanced PET scanners) may make use of this technology.

NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING

High-Energy Photonics