Form 9.B Project Summary

Chron:

970261

Proposal

Number:

17.01-5179

Project Title:

Innovative, Low Mass, Passively

Cooled, All Composite Material Tower

Structure for High Resolution

Charged-Particle Tracking in a

Gamma-Ray Space Telescope

Technical Abstract (Limit 200 words)

Hytec has conceived of an innovative structural and

cooling arrangement for a silicon-based high energy

gamma-ray (.01-100 Gev) tracking detector that will

measurably improve the resolution of detection

systems being pursued by NASA. We achieve a

compact, and passively cooled tower design through

an innovative approach to the structural design of a

tray concept, and the method of combining trays

into a tower configuration. Our concept offers a

means to reduce dead area between active tracking

regions, thus improving track reconstruction

efficiency and background rejection. By using

advanced composite materials, we achieve a low

mass structure, passively cooled tracking detector

with a high degree of temperature uniformity in the

silicon modules. Our design concept focuses on

minimizing structural mass in front of the

conversion layer to limit multiple scattering of

charged particles. The composite materials have a

high radiation length, second only to Beryllium, and

thus, further minimize multiple scattering.

Potential Commercial Applications (Limit 200 words)

The most immediate commercial application of this

technology is the construction of GLAST. It is

anticipated major aerospace system contractors

that will be constructing GLAST would be the

customer base for utilizing the developed

technology. Also, cooling of the electronics will lead

to solutions that should find commercial application

in printed circuit board cooling. Chip heat fluxes are

steadily increasing, cooling advances in this area

should be directly applicable.

Name and Address of Principal Investigator (Name,

Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)

Dr. Eric Ponslet

HYTEC, Inc.

110 Eastgate Drive, Suite 100

Los Alamos , NM 87544

Name and Address of Offeror (Firm Name, Mail Address,

City/State/Zip)

Mr. W. O. Miller

HYTEC, Inc.

110 Eastgate Drive, Suite 100

Los Alamos , NM 87544