SBIR / STTR #DPA26TZ06-DV004

DARPA STTR Solicitation for Advanced Materials and Technologies (SHIELDER and Related Topics)

DARPA, under the Department of War, is soliciting innovative small business proposals for advanced materials and technologies through its STTR program: - Government Buyer: - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Small Business Programs Office - Technical Topics Requested: - Scalable hard-mask materials with improved etch resistance and low degradation for extreme aspect ratio fabrication (SHIELDER) - Targeted for semiconductor, photonic, MEMS, and quantum device manufacturing - Requirements: etch selectivity >150:1, aspect ratios >100:1, sub-nanometer sidewall roughness, compatibility with plasma etching and wafer-scale manufacturing - Deliverables: prototype mask formulations, testing reports, commercialization plans, manufacturing scaling strategies - Fuel-flexible spacecraft electric propulsion systems - Operates efficiently (>30% anode thruster efficiency) on air, water, or chemical mixtures - Durability >100 hours, qualified for vibration, shock, and thermal cycling - Diagnostics and modeling of freestream disturbances in hypersonic wind tunnels - Non-intrusive diagnostics and simulation methods, sensor arrays, fiber-optic probes for non-optical zones - No specific OEMs or vendors are named; the focus is on novel material and technology solutions - Unique Requirements: - Adherence to STTR program guidelines - Submission through DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal - Compliance with updated regulatory guidance - Direct to Phase II option for qualified proposers - Estimated contract value: $1,500,000 to $1,950,000 - Period of performance: 24 months base, optional 12-month extension - No specific product part numbers or quantities; focus is on R&D services and prototype deliverables

Description

This solicitation is for research and development of scalable hard-mask materials that exhibit improved etch resistance and low degradation, suitable for fabricating structures with extreme aspect ratios. The solicitation is part of the Department of War (DoW) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program managed by DARPA. It is a pre-release solicitation with a response deadline provided in Unix timestamp format. The program includes phases D2PII, II, and SPII and aims to support advanced materials for fabrication processes.

View original listing