SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Investigation of Co, Ni and Fe doped II-VI Chalcogenides
- Notice Date
- 4/8/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Directed Energy Directorate, 2251 Maxwell Ave, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, 87117
- ZIP Code
- 87117
- Solicitation Number
- FA945110C0254
- Archive Date
- 6/8/2010
- Point of Contact
- Mike T Baca, Phone: 505 846 4422
- E-Mail Address
-
michael.baca@kirtland.af.mil
(michael.baca@kirtland.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Directed Energy Contracting Division (RDKL), 2251 Maxwell Ave. SE, Kirtland AFB NM 87117-5773 DESC: Contracting Point of Contact: Michael Baca, Contract Specialist, 505- 846-4422; Technical Point of Contact: Lt. Col. Leanne Henry, 505-846-9302. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Directed Energy (DE) Contracting Division on behalf of the AFRL Directed Energy Technology Directorate (RDLA), Kirtland AFB NM, intends to award a sole source contract in accordance with FAR subpart 6.302-1 (a)(i) to the University of Alabama Birmingham, Center for Optical Sensors and Spectroscopies, Department of Phsyics, for Investigation of Co, Ni, and Fe doped II-VI Chalcogenides. The contemplated contract is a twenty-seven month effort with an approximate value of $300,000. Middle-infrared (mid-IR) laser sources are in great demand for numerous defense-related applications such as infrared aircraft countermeasures, monitoring of munitions disposal, stand-off detection of explosion hazards, eyesafe seekers for smart munitions and cruise missiles, covert communications systems, and injection seeding of high power chemical (e.g. HF) lasers. Mid-IR wavelengths are usually generated using relatively complex nonlinear optical conversion techniques or by means of direct generation in hetero-junction lead-salt, antimonide, or quantum cascade semiconductor lasers featuring limited output power and tuning range. Impurity doped crystalline vibronic lasers, having a gain bandwidth up to 50% of central wavelength, constitute another viable route for broadly tunable mid-IR coherent sources. Among them transition metal (TM2+, e.g., Cr2+ or Fe2+) doped binary (e.g., ZnSe, ZnS, CdSe, CdS, ZnTe) and ternary (e.g., CdMnTe, CdZnTe, ZnSSe) chalcogenide crystals represent a relatively new class of solid state gain media with strong and ultra-broad absorption and emission bands in the mid-IR range of optical spectra. Active interest in TM doped II-VI compounds is inspired by the fact that these media are close mid-IR analogs of the titanium-doped sapphire (Ti-S) in terms of spectroscopic and laser characteristics. It was anticipated that TM2+ doped chalcogenides would lase in the mid-IR with a great variety of A77pahmalH24$*8 possible modes of oscillation, similar to the Ti-S laser. Indeed, optically pumped RT lasers based on Cr:ZnS, Cr:ZnSe, Cr:Cd1-xMnxTe, Cr:CdSe, and Fe:ZnSe crystals providing access to the 2-3 and 3.8-5 µm spectral regions with high (up to 70%) efficiency, multi-Watt-level output powers, tunability in excess of 1000 nm, and narrow spectral linewidth (<20 MHz), have been reported by several groups Arguably these lasers represent nowadays the simplest and the most cost-effective route for high power, broadly tunable lasing in the 2-3 and 3.8-5 µm wavelength ranges. There are still several challenges to be overcome for development of affordable high power TM:II-VI lasers continuously covering 2-5 µm spectral range. Among them are: 1) Lack of developed gain materials capable to effectively operate over currently unavailable 3-4 µm spectral range. 2) Lack of convenient pump sources for 3.8-5 µm Fe:ZnSe lasers 3) Lack of TM:II-VI gain materials pumped by the radiation of readily available neodymium or ytterbium lasers. To address the enumerated challenges the following objectives for this project are proposed. 1.0 Project Objectives 1. Development of technology of high optical quality gain elements based on Co2+ doped ZnSe crystals promising for room-temperature lasing over 3-4 µm spectral range. 2. Fabrication and characterization of Co2+:ZnSe experimental samples lasing over 3-4 µm spectral range under Er-fiber, 808 nm diode, and/or Alexandrite laser pumping. 3. Development of technology of high optical quality gain elements based on Ni2+ co-doped Co2+:ZnSe crystals promising for room-temperature lasing over 3-4 µm spectral range via energy transfer pass from Ni to Co. 4. Fabrication and characterization of Ni2+ co-doped Co2+:ZnSe experimental samples for 3-4 µm lasing under Yb-fiber and/or Nd laser pumping. 5. Development of technology of high optical quality gain elements based on Co2+ co-doped Fe:ZnSe crystals promising for room-temperature lasing over 3.8-5.2 µm spectral range via energy transfer pass from Co to Fe. 6. Fabrication and characterization of Co2+ co-doped Fe2+:ZnSe experimental samples for 3.8-5.2 µm lasing under Er-fiber and/or 808 nm diode laser pumping via energy transfer pass from Co to Fe A contract will be issued to University of Alabama Birmingham, Center for Optical Sensors and Spectroscopies, Department of Phsyics, provided other sources cannot perform in an equal or better technical capacity. Respondents are required to provide a statement of capability containing pertinent and specific information addressing the following areas: 1. Experience: An outline of projects previously performed relevant to the subject areas. 2. Personnel: Name, professional qualifications and specific experience of scientific, engineering and program management personnel who might be assigned to work in the areas of subject effort. Explain how previous knowledge/experience supports current proposal. 3. Facilities: Availability and description of special facilities required to perform in the technical areas under consideration. 4. Technical Approach: State how each of the project objectives will be accomplished. Responses are limited to 25 pages including program plan, resumes, attachments, etc. Any responses not addressing all requirements will be rejected. Submit responses to Michael Baca, AFRL/RDKL, 2251 Maxwell Ave. SE, Kirtland AFB, NM, 87117-5773 by 3:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) no later than 24 May 2010. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 6.302-1. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, the Government will consider all proposals received within forty-five (45) calendar days from the publication date of this announcement. The determination of the Government not to compete this proposed contract action based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. This is an unrestricted announcement under NAICS code 541712. However, firms should indicate whether they are (or are not) a small business, woman-owned, qualifying 8(a) business, certified Hub Zone small business, or a historically black college, university, or minority institution (HBCU/MI). In order to receive a DoD contract, offerors must be registered in the DoD Central Contractor Registration (CCR) system and the U.S./Canada Joint Certification Program. For more information and on-line registration with CCR, see http://www.ccr.dlis.dla.mil. An Ombudsman has been appointed to mediate concerns from offerors or potential offerors. Ms. Sue Hunter, AFRL/PK, 1864 4th Street, STE 1, Wright Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7171, Phone 937.255.0432, Facsmile 937.255.5036. E-mail sue.hunter@wpafb.af.mil or alternate Ms. Amy Smith, AFRL/PK, 1864 4th Street, STE 1, Wright Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7171, Phone 937.255.0432, Facsimile 937.255.5036, Email amy.smith@wpafb.af.mil. Potential offerors should first refer contracting concerns to Michael Baca at (505)846-4422 or Email michael.baca@kirtland.af.mil.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
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- Place of Performance
- Address: Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87117, United States
- Zip Code: 87117
- Zip Code: 87117
- Record
- SN02116180-W 20100410/100408234803-b7d801b6872427497e4d1bb223310cf5 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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