Employment
Solid State – Division 8
The Solid State Division performs research and development on component and subsystem-level technologies that can enable new approaches to Department of Defense (DoD) systems and that advance the state of the art for U.S. industry. The division's expertise covers a wide front including biology, chemistry, computer science, device physics, integrated circuit design and fabrication, lithography, materials, nanofabrication, optics, optoelectronics, packaging, photonics, quantum information systems, and RF technology. The Solid State Division strives to understand DoD systems and develops technologies that “will make a difference.”
| Groups |
Group 81—Submicrometer Technology
The Submicrometer Technology Group develops concepts, equipment, materials, and processes for nanoscale fabrication. The group also applies chemistry to sensing applications and to emerging areas. Examples of research activities include pioneering the development of 193 nm wavelength lithography and liquid-immersion lithography, both now in commercial use. Work continues on next-generation lithographic techniques. Chemistry-focused work includes the development and testing of chemical sensors for trace explosive and toxic chemical detection. Lithographic and microfabrication technologies are applied to such varied uses as photonic devices and microelectromechanical system devices. Silicon integrated photonic systems have been developed that comprise optical filters, modulators, and detectors for application to high-speed optical sampling.
Group 82—Laser Technology and Applications
The Laser Technology and Applications Group develops application-specific solid-state lasers, beam control, and diagnostics for high-energy laser systems, and optically based biological- and chemical-agent sensors for DoD applications. Examples of research activities include creating new microchip laser–based illuminators for sensor applications, demonstrating spectral and coherent laser-beam-combining techniques, developing tracking algorithms for use with 3D lidar systems, and developing high-discrimination bioaerosol sensors. These activities span the range from laser device development to optical subsystems through complete optical sensors.
Group 83—Electro-Optical Materials and Devices
The Electro-Optical Materials and Devices Group develops compound semiconductor materials and devices. The group also develops and applies photonic components, including semiconductor lasers, amplifiers, and detectors for enhancing the capabilities of DoD systems. Examples of research activities include high-brightness and high-power diode lasers, vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers, quantum cascade lasers, photon-counting avalanche photodiodes, mid-infrared lasers and detectors, and thermoelectric and energy-conversion devices. Disciplines span from epitaxial materials research, growth, and characterization through electronic and photonic device modeling, design, fabrication, testing, and subsystem integration.
Group 84—Biosensor and Molecular Technologies
The Biosensor and Molecular Technologies Group combines molecular and cell biology with various engineering disciplines, enabling the development of new technologies of DoD importance such as biodefense sensors, diagnostic and forensic methods, and energy sources. Examples of research activities include demonstration of new classes of biosensors using living cells as the sensing element, development of improved processes and protocols for sensing DNA and RNA, and the demonstration of new concepts for the integration of biology with electronic, optical, and microfluidic microsystems.
Group 86—Analog Device Technology
The Analog Device Technology Group performs analog component research and development along with analog-centric subsystem development and demonstrations. Examples of research activities include development of high-performance mixed-signal integrated circuits for RF receivers and transmitters, high-Tc superconductive devices, and precision packaging. Low-Tc superconductive Josephson-junction circuits and cryogenic complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) silicon technology are being applied to research in quantum and classical computing. Examples of subsystem development activities include wideband receivers, low-power communication transceivers, and radar array modules. Work spans such diverse disciplines as analog circuit design, materials science, microfabrication process development, RF design, advanced electronic packaging technology, and quantum and solid-state physics.
Group 87—Advanced Imaging Technology
The Advanced Imaging Technology Group develops advanced silicon-based focal-plane technologies for both DoD and scientific applications, such as ground- and space-based surveillance, adaptive optics, and astronomy. Focal planes may address special requirements, for example, large-format gigapixel arrays, very-high-speed imagers (100 ps exposures), time-of-arrival detectors (ladar receiver), and low-light-level imaging applications. Examples of research activities include the design of unique detector architectures, development of new fabrication processes, and development of specialized experiments to demonstrate performance. The detector arrays are often integrated into instruments such as the X-ray sensitive charge-coupled devices used for the Chandra X-ray telescope or used in proof-of-concept demonstrations of new capabilities such as silicon-based photon-sensitive Geiger-mode detector arrays in ladar platforms. Disciplines include materials research, detector device physics, integrated circuit design, testing, and subsystem integration.
Group 88—Advanced Silicon Technology
The Advanced Silicon Technology Group applies its silicon microelectronics capabilities to develop new electronic microelectromechanical structures and optical devices, with a special focus on silicon-on-insulator complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Examples of research activities include demonstration of new processes enabling 3D integration of multiple layers of silicon-on-insulator circuits with applications to advanced focal planes and 3D computing architectures, demonstration of approaches to scaling silicon devices into the nanometer regime, and development of microelectromechanical structure devices for RF and optical-switching applications. Work spans from device design and device physics to integrated circuit design, process development, fabrication, packaging, and testing.
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