The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I program. The specific topic of the solicitation is "Zernike Polynomials via Phase Recovery" and is under the branch of the Army. The objective of this topic is to develop technology capable of completely characterizing an optic under test by implementing phase recovery and a collimated, partially coherent light source. This technology will enable improved resolution in the Army's direct view optical systems, enhancing soldier survivability and lethality through increased situational awareness and the ability to detect, classify, recognize, and identify threats.
The solicitation requires the development of algorithms for implementing phase recovery using a series of planes around the Fourier transform plane of the lens under test in Phase I. In Phase II, the hardware and software to realize the procedure on a commercial system will be developed based on the results from Phase I. In Phase III, the necessary adjustments will be made to a commercial platform to automate the acquisition procedure and extraction of the Zernike polynomials.
The project duration for Phase I is not specified in the document, but the open date for proposal submission is May 15, 2024, and the close date is June 12, 2024. The funding specifics are not provided in the document. For more information and to access the solicitation, interested parties can visit the SBIR topic link provided: link.