The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is issuing a Disruption Opportunity (DO), inviting submissions of innovative basic or applied research concepts in the technical domain of novel micromechanical oscillators for applications toward precision positioning and navigation systems. This DO is issued under the Program Announcement for Disruptioneering, DARPA-PA-24-04 Amendment 1. All awards will be made in the form of an Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype project. The total award value for the combined Phase 1 base (Proof-of-concept) and Phase 2 option (Prototype) is limited to $1,200,000. This total award value includes Government funding and performer cost share if required or proposed.
CLOAK is part of a larger DARPA portfolio called Highly Accelerated Learning of Vibratory Systems (HALOVS)1. HALOVS is developing, modeling, prototyping, and demonstrating technologies to overcome the existing performance limitations of vibratory sensors for improved positioning and navigation. The HALOVS portfolio consists of disruptive investigations aiming to rekindle and invigorate the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor design space beyond standard industry operations. Other programs in the portfolio2 aim to push MEMS and sensors to their ultimate performance – which now needs to last throughout the sensor’s lifetime.
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, selfassembled 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. Regardless of chosen approach, each performer should fully explore the design space through modeling, characterization, and experimentation of coating materials, transducers, and the sensor and its packaging microenvironment. The conformal coatings, “cleaning” methods, or other treatments will provide stress and momentum balance for sensor dynamics and must not compromise the sensor sensitivity, quality factor, and noise for extended operational lifetime. CLOAK will thus demonstrate long-lasting resonant MEMS.
To view the entire DO, please go to: https://sam.gov/opp/eb1f049c002c487fbdb2c4ee5a35de93/view
All technical, contractual, and administrative questions regarding this announcement must be emailed to CLOAK@darpa.mil. Emails sent directly to the Program Manager, or any other address may result in delayed or no response.
Thank you for your interest in the Defense Sciences Office.
