Photon Trap Structures for Quantum Advanced Detectors (PT SQUAD) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

DARPA's Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) funding opportunity "Photon Trap Structures for Quantum Advanced Detectors (PT SQUAD)" (Funding Opportunity Number: DARPA BAA 08-64) is a research solicitation aimed at pushing infrared imaging detector technology forward by changing the physical structure of the detector at the pixel level. The core technical goal is to develop an infrared imaging system that covers a very broad spectral band, from 0.5 to 5.0 microns, while also delivering a 1024 x 1024 pixel focal plane array (FPA). In practical terms, DARPA is looking for a megapixel-class sensor that spans visible/near-IR through mid-wave IR, which is a demanding combination because performance often degrades as bandwidth and array size increase.

A defining feature of the program is its emphasis on three-dimensional (3D) detector sub-elements inside each pixel. Rather than relying on conventional planar detector geometries, each pixel is expected to incorporate 3D semiconductor pillar structures fabricated using either "top-down" micro/nanofabrication methods (for example, etching and patterning from a bulk or layered wafer) or "bottom-up" approaches (for example, growth-driven nanostructures). The purpose of this 3D architecture is to enhance "photon trapping" so that incident light is more effectively confined, scattered, and guided within the absorber material. By increasing the optical path length and interaction probability, the pillars are intended to boost absorption and the resulting electron-hole pair generation, potentially improving sensitivity without requiring thicker absorbing layers that can introduce other drawbacks.

Performance requirements are framed around achieving high detectivity and a low noise-equivalent temperature (NET) at an operating temperature of 200 K. That combination signals an interest in strong sensitivity with reduced cooling burden compared to traditional cryogenic infrared detectors. Operating around 200 K is often associated with less complex, lighter, and lower-power thermal management than 77 K class systems, so the program is implicitly targeting improved practical deployability while still demanding high-end detection performance.

On the contracting side, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary R&D funding and lists multiple possible award instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, other procurement contracts, and standard procurement contracts. The listing indicates no cost sharing or matching requirement, and eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional clarifications contained in the full BAA. The solicitation anticipates up to 99 awards, although the award floor and ceiling are not specified in the summary data.

Key dates in the posting show the announcement was posted on September 18, 2008, with an original closing date of September 18, 2009, and an archive date of November 2, 2009. For proposal submissions, DARPA specified a proposal abstract due date of October 21, 2008, and a full proposal due date of December 19, 2008. Even though the broader BAA window extended to 2009, the presence of those early abstract and proposal deadlines suggests an initial solicitation cycle with defined submission milestones.

Administrative guidance is unusually explicit: DARPA prefers email or fax for correspondence and questions, and provides an address (BAA08-64@darpa.mil) for administrative communication. However, proposals and proposal abstracts themselves cannot be submitted by fax or email; anything sent that way will be disregarded. In other words, email/fax is for questions and coordination, not for actual submission. The summary also points applicants to the full DARPA BAA 08-64 document (and the MTO solicitations page) for complete requirements, submission instructions, and evaluation criteria. For access issues with the full announcement, the listed point of contact is Nibir Dhar, with a fax number (703-696-2206), identified as the BAA coordinator.

Overall, PT SQUAD is best read as a DARPA effort to catalyze new detector pixel architectures that use 3D semiconductor micro/nanostructures to trap light more efficiently, with the end target being a high-performance, megapixel infrared imaging FPA spanning 0.5 to 5.0 microns and operating effectively at 200 K.

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