Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA RQKM 2014 0021
Apply for FOA RQKM 2014 0021
- The Air Force Research Lab in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Cadium Zinc Telluride (CdZnTe) Substrate Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.800 Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 19, 2014 and posted on May 28, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 15, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $9,088,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CdZnTe) Substrate Program is an Air Force Research Laboratory cooperative agreement opportunity aimed at strengthening the US industrial base for a very specific semiconductor material supply chain needed in National Security Space (NSS) systems. The core goal is not basic research, but scale-up: expanding existing domestic, economically viable, merchant-supplier capability to reliably produce both unpolished and polished Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) substrates. In other words, the government is trying to ensure there is a dependable US-based commercial source that can manufacture CZT wafers in meaningful volume and at usable quality levels, rather than relying on fragile or foreign-dependent supply routes.
Technically, the program emphasizes two manufacturing challenges: (1) expanding CZT boule growth capacity and capability, and (2) producing large-format substrates with a (211) crystal orientation. Boule growth refers to the process of growing large single-crystal ingots from which substrates (wafers) are cut. The solicitation sets an aggressive stretch objective: demonstrating the ability to produce 9 cm by 9.5 cm substrates from 150 mm diameter boules. That stretch target matters because larger substrates typically translate into improved manufacturability and lower unit costs for downstream infrared detector fabrication, but they are also harder to grow and process without defects, non-uniformities, or yield loss.
The announcement also makes clear that success is judged by industry-relevant quality verification, not just by producing large pieces of material. Substrate quality is to be validated against current industry standards, and the verification plan includes downstream demonstrations that mirror real mission production flow. Specifically, the program calls for growing Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) detector layers on the CZT substrates using Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE). MCT is a key infrared detector material commonly used for high-performance sensing, and its epitaxial growth is sensitive to substrate crystallography, flatness, defect density, and surface preparation. Beyond epitaxy, the effort also includes producing and testing sensor chip assemblies (SCAs), meaning the substrates are expected to prove themselves through practical detector fabrication and integration steps rather than only through materials metrology.
Because not every organization has in-house capability across the full chain (crystal growth, wafering/polishing, epitaxy, device processing, and SCA build/test), the opportunity expects offerors to form partnerships as needed. Proposals should include credible teaming arrangements to complete substrate polishing, MBE growth and processing, and SCA production. A notable requirement is that the offeror must also secure access rights to the read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) and SCA designs that will be used in demonstrations. This points to a practical program intent: the government wants a complete, testable demonstration pathway with the necessary permissions and technical interfaces in place, so that substrate performance can be evaluated in realistic detector formats, not in an abstract or limited lab setup.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary funding opportunity run under a cooperative agreement, meaning substantial involvement by the government during execution is typical compared to a standard grant. The Funding Opportunity Number is FOA RQKM 2014 0021, associated with CFDA 12.800 (Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program). The solicitation anticipated a single award with an estimated total funding level of $9,088,000, and it required cost sharing or matching, indicating the performer would be expected to invest its own resources alongside the federal funds to build sustainable capability. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type, subject to any additional eligibility details in the full text). Key dates were: posted May 28, 2014; original closing July 14, 2014; extended/current closing August 15, 2014; and archived September 14, 2014. The point of contact listed for access issues with the full announcement was David Hall, Agreements Negotiator, with phone numbers 937-656-9092 and (after July 9, 2014) 937-713-9903.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an industrial capability expansion project for strategically important infrared-detector substrate material. It targets domestic scale-up of CZT boule and wafer production (including large, (211)-oriented formats), and it ties acceptance to proof through MCT MBE growth and SCA-level demonstrations, supported by partnerships and appropriate design access rights to ensure the end-to-end verification is meaningful for NSS applications.
FAQs: DPA Title III Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CdZnTe) Substrate Program (AFRL Cooperative Agreement)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III cooperative agreement opportunity from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) focused on strengthening the US industrial base for Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CdZnTe/CZT) substrates used in National Security Space (NSS) systems.
What is the main goal of the program?
The core goal is manufacturing scale-up, not basic research. The program is aimed at expanding an existing domestic, economically viable, merchant-supplier capability to reliably produce CZT substrates (both unpolished and polished) in meaningful volume and at usable quality.
Why is the government funding this effort?
The intent is to ensure there is a dependable US-based commercial source of CZT wafers for NSS-related infrared detector supply chains, reducing reliance on fragile or foreign-dependent sourcing routes.
What specific material and product does the program focus on?
The program focuses on Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) substrates, including both unpolished and polished wafers/substrates.
What are the two main technical manufacturing challenges highlighted?
The solicitation emphasizes: (1) expanding CZT boule growth capacity and capability, and (2) producing large-format substrates with a (211) crystal orientation.
What does "boule growth" mean in this context?
Boule growth is the process of growing large single-crystal ingots (boules) from which CZT substrates (wafers) are cut.
Does the opportunity include a stretch or aggressive technical objective?
Yes. An aggressive stretch objective is to demonstrate the ability to produce 9 cm by 9.5 cm substrates from 150 mm diameter boules.
Why does producing larger substrates matter?
Larger substrates can improve manufacturability and lower unit costs for downstream infrared detector fabrication, but they are also harder to grow and process without defects, non-uniformities, or yield loss.
How will substrate quality be evaluated?
Success is judged by industry-relevant quality verification, not only by producing large pieces of material. The program calls for validating substrate quality against current industry standards and demonstrating performance through downstream steps that reflect real mission production flow.
What downstream demonstrations are explicitly included?
The verification plan includes growing Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) detector layers on the CZT substrates using Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), and producing and testing sensor chip assemblies (SCAs).
Why is MCT growth by MBE part of the program?
MCT is a key infrared detector material, and its epitaxial growth is sensitive to substrate crystallography, flatness, defect density, and surface preparation. Including MCT MBE growth provides a practical way to evaluate whether the CZT substrates perform under realistic detector manufacturing conditions.
What are SCAs in the context of this program?
SCAs are sensor chip assemblies. The program includes producing and testing SCAs so that the CZT substrates are proven through practical detector fabrication and integration steps, not only through materials-only measurements.
Do applicants need to cover the entire technical chain themselves?
Not necessarily. The opportunity anticipates that not every organization will have in-house capability across crystal growth, wafering/polishing, epitaxy, device processing, and SCA build/test. Offerors are expected to form partnerships as needed.
What kinds of partnerships or teaming are expected?
Proposals should include credible teaming arrangements to complete substrate polishing, MBE growth and processing, and SCA production.
Is access to ROIC and SCA designs required?
Yes. A specific requirement noted is that the offeror must secure access rights to the read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) and SCA designs that will be used in demonstrations.
Why does the program require ROIC and SCA design access rights?
This requirement supports a complete, testable demonstration pathway with the necessary permissions and technical interfaces in place, allowing substrate performance to be evaluated in realistic detector formats rather than in a limited lab-only setup.
What type of award mechanism is used?
This was a discretionary funding opportunity run under a cooperative agreement, which typically implies substantial government involvement during execution compared to a standard grant.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is FOA RQKM 2014 0021.
What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 12.800 (Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program).
How many awards were anticipated?
The solicitation anticipated a single award.
What was the estimated total funding level?
The estimated total funding level was $9,088,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The solicitation required cost sharing or matching, indicating the performer would be expected to invest its own resources alongside federal funds to build sustainable capability.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to any additional eligibility details provided in the full solicitation text.
What were the key dates for the solicitation?
Posted: May 28, 2014. Original closing date: July 14, 2014. Extended/current closing date: August 15, 2014. Archived: September 14, 2014.
Who was the point of contact for access issues with the full announcement?
The listed point of contact was David Hall, Agreements Negotiator.
What phone numbers were provided for the point of contact?
Phone: 937-656-9092. After July 9, 2014: 937-713-9903.
How should this opportunity be understood at a high level?
It is best understood as an industrial capability expansion effort for a strategically important infrared-detector substrate material supply chain, emphasizing domestic scale-up of CZT boule and wafer production (including large, (211)-oriented formats) and acceptance through MCT MBE growth and SCA-level demonstration pathways supported by partnerships and required design access rights.
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