DARPA Defense Sciences Office is seeking proposals for basic or applied research in novel micromechanical oscillators for applications toward precision positioning and navigation systems.
CLOAK aims to develop methods to extend the lifetime of inertial sensors by covering or eliminating sensor surface and structural defects that can get worse with time. Possible approaches include atomic layer deposition of materials such as, but not limited to, self assembled monolayers (SAM). The program is also not limited to coatings on sensing elements but can also include a vacuum- or inert gas-encapsulated structure on the inner or outer walls of the package. CLOAK will also consider approaches to improving sensors pristine surfaces by eliminating stresses and charge traps altogether. CLOAK will demonstrate long-lasting resonance MEMS.
This program will be comprised of 2 sequential project phases:
- Phase 1 (base) – 12 months – up to USD$500,000 – demonstrate operations of a MEMS microsystem with accelerated aging and less than 10% performance degradation compared to an identical ‘non-CLOAKED’ system
- Phase 2 (option) – 12 months – up to USD$700,000 – scale the technology, demonstrating > 10-year operation (accelerated) with less than 1% degradation (ideally with no degradation)
Proposals are due 14 April 2025.
This Disruption Opportunity is issued under the Program Announcement for Disruptioneering – DARPA-PA-24-04.
Documents
Disruption Opportunity – CLOAK: DARPA-PA-24-04-08
Program Announcement for Disruptioneering: DARPA-PA-24-04
