TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: A Robust Waveguide Millimeter Wave Noise Source (GSC-TOPS-175)

NASA’s Technology Transfer Program solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses. THE TECHNOLOGY: A noise source is an enabling technology for passive millimeter wave remote sensing applications such as atmospheric sounding and precipitation and ice cloud measurements. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has developed a packaged noise source which will allow calibration of the front-end at the sensing frequency. This capability will eliminate or reduce the requirement of a clear view to cold space which will reduce the mass and complexity as well as the total cost of the system. A 160-210 GHz chip-waveguide noise source was designed on quartz implemented into waveguide housing. This noise source circuit consists of commercial millimeter wave Schottky diodes, a low-pass filter for biasing the diodes with no high-frequency interference, a back-short designed at the center frequency of 183 GHz with vias, and a longitudinal chip/waveguide probe. The back-short is designed with multiple vias to aid with heat sinking the diodes; this feature allows continuous biasing rather than pulsing the circuit. The packaged noise source generates greater than ~10 ENR at 200 GHz. To express interest in this opportunity, please submit a license application through NASA’s Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by visiting https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/GSC-TOPS-175 If you have any questions, please e-mail NASA’s Technology Transfer Program at [email protected] with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this beta.SAM.gov notice and your preferred contact information. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at https://technology.nasa.gov/ These responses are provided to members of NASA’s Technology Transfer Program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.