Spreaders for Microsystems with Advanced Thermal Resilience (SMART)
SBIR Opportunity Analysis
DARPA is seeking SBIR proposals to develop thin-film heat spreader technology for passive thermal management in extreme environments and high-power density microsystems. The work calls for a novel conformal heat spreader and deposition process suited to high-power semiconductor lasers and extreme-temperature electronics, with laminate film stacks allowed and active cooling discouraged. The approach is expected to meet demanding technical goals including thermal conductivity above 1500 W/m·K, thermal boundary resistance below 5 m2K/GW, electrical insulation, low surface roughness, low residual stress, scalability from dies to full wafers, and survivability at temperatures up to 800°C and beyond, with Phase I as a 6-month feasibility study and Phase II as a 36-month development and demonstration effort. The topic is DPA26BZ02-NV005, and proposals are due June 24, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET.