NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA 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: Scientists at NASA Langley Research Center have developed an adaptable and powerful interferometric test platform that uniquely enables multi-parameter evaluation of a wide variety of Smart Optical Materials (SOM). The patent-pending SOM characterization system was created to measure the dynamic optical response of stimuli-responsive (smart) optical materials while external physical/electrical/thermal/chemical/pressure/magneto stimuli are applied to the material. Using novel interferometric fringe analysis software and a multi-stimuli-capable SOM test cell, the SOM characterization system enables a wide variety of materialssuch a liquid crystals, nonlinear crystals, electro- and thermo-active polymer optics, and magneto- or piezo-driven opticsto be optically characterized for real-time changes in intensity, phase, and polarization. The versatility of the SOM test platform combined with the powerful, efficient, and user-friendly software interface make it a valuable tool for the research or commercial development of smart materials. Smart materials, those that respond to controlled external stimuli (pressure, temperature, light, electric field, pH, magnetic field, etc.) have enabled a wide variety of new imaging, switching, and sensing systems based on smart optical materials (SOM). Typical interferometers, ellipsometers, and polarimeters offer limited sensitivities and capabilities for the dynamic, multi-parameter characterization desirable for the many SOMs in use today. To address this limitation and to advance SOM development NASA Langley has designed the patent-pending SOM Characterization System. Using a Michelson interferometer platform and a single custom SOM test cell, capable of providing multiple types of external stimuli, the advanced characterization system software dynamically controls stimuli (e.g. physical, electrical, thermal, magneto, chemical) to the SOM under test and then measures the resulting changes in intensity, phase angle, polarization state, and coherence of the transmitted or reflected light. The accompanying software records and analyzes the dynamic change of interference patterns on multiple pixels in a time sequence as the stimuli are applied and presents a Phase/Intensity Time Ripple Map for the smart optical material under test. The SOM Characterization System provides variable (milli-seconds to hours) acquisition rates for multi-point, full aperture, measurements. To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to
[email protected] with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this FBO notice and your preferred contact information. Please also provide the nature of your interest in the technology along with a brief background of your company. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at http://technology.nasa.gov/ . These responses are provided to members of NASA Langleys Office of Strategic Analysis and Business Development OSACB 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. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, OSACB will follow the required formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.