DARPA is seeking SBIR proposals to develop passive thin-film heat spreader technology for microsystems that need improved thermal management in high-power density and extreme-temperature environments. The work centers on creating a conformal, electrically insulating heat spreader and deposition process, with Phase I focused on feasibility and Phase II on development and demonstration against measured performance targets. Important technical goals include low-temperature deposition below 450°C, scalability from dies to full wafers, thermal conductivity above 1500 W/m·K, low thermal boundary resistance, low surface roughness, low residual stress, and survivability to 800°C and beyond, while active cooling approaches are discouraged. The opportunity is in pre-release status, with the topic opening on May 27, 2026 and proposals due June 24, 2026 at 4:00 PM UTC.

## Description

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals for the research and development of thin-film heat spreader technology.&nbsp;Current heat spreader solutions use high thermal conductivity (TC) materials like copper (TC: 400 W/m·K) and aluminum nitride (TC: 320 W/m·K). However, these solutions lack the complete set of properties needed to make them both effective at heat spreading and survivable in extreme environments. The ultimate thin-film heat spreader must:&nbsp;1) have high thermal conductivity and low thermal boundary resistance; 2) be integrable with a range of microsystem technologies with low deposition temperature; 3) be electrically insulating; and 4) be scalable, supporting formation on substrates ranging from small dies to full wafers. For this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) opportunity, specific targets of interest for demonstrating heat spreader approaches are high power semiconductor lasers and extreme temperature electronics.&nbsp;High power density systems like semiconductor lasers are employed across a broad range of industries, including communications, manufacturing, medical diagnostics and treatment, and national security. However, high-power lasers based on III-V semiconductor materials face significant thermal management challenges, largely due to the inherently low thermal conductivity of these materials. To address this, integrating effective heat spreaders near the active region is critical to enhancing device performance, thus improving wavelength stability, boosting laser efficiency and reliability, and mitigating thermal-induced distortions.&nbsp;The importance of heat spreaders also extends to electronic systems and sensors operating in extreme thermal environments (exceeding 800°C). At high temperatures, phonon scattering reduces heat conductivity and reduces the effectiveness of heat spreaders. Such conditions are encountered in oil and gas exploration, geothermal technologies, combustion engines, and military systems. In the absence of efficient thermal energy dissipation, localized temperatures can rise by over 200°C above ambient, resulting in peak device temperatures approaching 1000°C—levels that can severely degrade performance, compromise structural integrity, and shorten device lifespan.&nbsp;For this SBIR, proposals that develop heat spreader technologies that accommodate both high power density microsystems and extreme temperature microsystems are encouraged. Laminate film stacks are acceptable. Approaches that require active cooling are discouraged. Additionally, the heat spreader technology should have the following characteristics:&nbsp;<ul><li>Uniform and conformal heat spreader thickness from 100 nm to 5 µm</li><li>Less than 450°C deposition temperature for compatibility with a broad spectrum of microsystems</li><li>&nbsp;Scalability from dies to full substrates&nbsp;</li><li>Thermal conductivity &gt; 1500 W/m·K</li><li>&nbsp;Thermal boundary resistance &lt; 5 m2K/GW between heat spreader and substrate material</li><li>&nbsp;Low surface roughness with &lt; 10 nm root-mean-square (RMS) value</li><li>High electrical resistance</li><li>Low residual film stress that induces no warpage in the substrate</li><li>Survivability and high performance to 800°C and beyond (laser devices with proposed heat spreader are not required to meet this threshold)</li></ul>

## Objective

To develop passive thermal management technologies for extreme environment and high-power density systems, resulting in a conformal thin-film heat spreader technology with significant improvements compared to conventional copper heat spreaders.

## Phase I

Phase I is a 6-month feasibility study to describe the offeror’s technical approach to develop a novel thin-film heat spreader technology and deposition process, in alignment with the characteristics listed above, and determine the technical practicality of the approach. This should include an assessment of its technical readiness and potential applicability to defense, critical infrastructure, and commercial markets. This study will provide a quantitative analysis of the approach highlighting how progress will be measured. Deliverables for Phase I include initial and interim technical reports; quarterly financial reports; and a draft and final technical report including a risk assessment and mitigation strategy, proof-of-concept analysis, and commercialization plan. There will also be a kickoff meeting, quarterly meetings, and a closeout meeting. Details on Milestones and the Milestone schedule can be found in Appendix A.&nbsp;&nbsp;Phase I fixed payable milestones for this program should include:<ul><li>Month 1: Initial Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns. Phase I Kickoff Meeting.</li><li>Month 3: Interim Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.</li><li>Month 5: Draft Final Technical Report addressing all the characteristics listed in the Description section and any other factors identified as relevant by the performer. The Draft Final Technical Report should additionally include a risk assessment and mitigation strategy; proof-of-concept analysis; and a commercialization plan on applicability to defense, critical infrastructure, and commercial markets.&nbsp;</li><li>Month 6: Final Technical Report addressing all the characteristics listed in the Description section and any other factors identified as relevant by the performer. The Final Technical Report should additionally include a risk assessment and mitigation strategy; proof-of-concept analysis; and a commercialization plan on applicability to defense, critical infrastructure, and commercial markets. Presentation of results at a Phase I closeout meeting.</li></ul>

## Phase II

Phase II is a 36-month effort to develop and demonstrate the technical approach outlined in Phase I, in a manner that enables comprehensive evaluation of heat spreader properties against the characteristics outlined in the description section. Deliverables for Phase II include quarterly financial and technical reports; a demonstration; and a draft and final technical report, listing the measured performance against the metrics, and an updated commercialization plan. There will also be a kickoff meeting, quarterly meetings, and a closeout meeting. Details on Milestones and the Milestone schedule can be found in Appendix A.&nbsp;&nbsp;Phase II fixed payable milestones for this program should include:&nbsp;<ul><li>Month 1: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as issues and concerns. Phase II Kickoff Meeting.</li><li>Month 4: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.&nbsp;</li><li>Month 7: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.</li><li>Month 10: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.&nbsp;</li><li>Month 13: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.&nbsp;</li><li>Month 16: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.&nbsp;</li><li>Month 19: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.&nbsp;</li><li>Month 22: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.&nbsp;</li><li>Month 25: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.&nbsp;</li><li>Month 28: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.&nbsp;</li><li>Month 31: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns.</li><li>Month 34: Technical Report providing an assessment of project goals, progress, status, as well as any issues and concerns. Demonstration to Government team.&nbsp;</li><li>Month 35: Draft Final Technical Report listing the measured performance against the characteristics listed in the Description section and an updated commercialization plan on applicability to defense, critical infrastructure, and commercial markets.</li><li>Month 36: Final Technical Report listing the measured performance against the characteristics listed in the Description section and an updated commercialization plan on applicability to defense, critical infrastructure, and commercial markets. Presentation of results at a Phase II closeout meeting.</li></ul>

## Phase III: Dual Use Applications

Phase III refers to work that derives from, extends, or completes an effort made under prior SBIR funding agreements, but is funded by sources other than the SBIR program, and should focus on commercializing the product for sale in military or private sector markets. High temperature thin-film heat spreaders are dual use technology. Commercial applications include high performance computing and telecommunication. Military applications include aviation, hypersonics, and missile guidance systems. Under Phase III, the small business should focus on completing one or more representative prototype demonstrations, incorporating Government performance objectives, where specific objectives will depend on the technology proposed in Phase I and demonstrated in Phase II. Entities should coordinate with the government during the demonstration development phase to evaluate if the demonstration is projected to achieve objectives that advance passive thermal cooling on high power density microsystems and extreme temperature microsystems.

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