A -- Methods of producing highly collimated, temporally variable X-ray beams

A - SN07-45 - Request for Information - Methods of producing highly collimated, temporally variable X-ray beams General Information: Posted Date: 10 July 2007 Response Date: 8 August 2007 Archive Date: 22 August 2007 Classification Code: A - Research & Development NAICS Code: 541710 - Research & Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences Contracting Office Address Other Defense Agencies, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Contracts Management Office, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, 22203-1714, UNITED STATES Description Request for Information Methods of producing highly collimated, temporally variable X-ray beams Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Strategic Technology Office (STO) is requesting information on revolutionary ideas and approaches to generate collimated X-ray beams that can be modulated temporally and spectrally to support DoD needs. The requested information is sought to determine if academia and industry have ideas that warrant specific project-oriented investment by DARPA in this area. No funding has currently been allocated to this effort. A Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) and/or other solicitation may or may not result from the findings of this Request for Information (RFI). Introduction Advances in the field of X-ray detectors have led to breakthroughs in ability to detect and time X-ray pulses. New approaches to X-ray optics and X-ray generation have been developed for applications ranging from X-ray astronomy to high-energy particle physics. One can see that it may be desirable to design an X-ray transmitter and receiver for communications based on these technological advances. However, to date any advanced X-ray transmitter and/or X-ray laser is lagging the advanced X-ray detectors. The goal of any DARPA program in this area would be to develop a highly collimated X-ray beam that would have high wall-plug efficiency and the ability to be modulated on short timescales. Problem Definition DARPA is interested in ideas that will lead to the development of high efficiency, medium to high power, time-variable collimated X-ray sources. New X-ray sources should operate somewhere in the 1 keV - 10 MeV energy range. The ability to tune energy within this energy range is desirable. The X-ray source should have high wall-plug efficiency and the ability to be scaled from medium to high power output. Fast time variability (< 10 ns) would be required. If the X-ray source can produce coherent X-rays this is an advantage. DARPA is interested in ideas that leverage off of existing developments in laser accelerators, electron optics for small electron and X-ray point source generation, advances in undulator or inverse-Compton technology, and X-ray optics. However, DARPA is not interested in making specific advances in only one of these areas unless it is clear that it will be part of a larger system for X-ray generation. DARPA is not interested in evolutionary improvements to existing commercially available X-ray generators or X-ray optics, nor funding requests or investment opportunities to bring existing work into production. This RFI seeks potential high-risk high-payoff research opportunities related to the development of a highly collimated temporally variable X-ray source. Request for Information Focus Areas The purpose of this RFI is to gain knowledge into new ways to make a highly collimated X-ray source. DARPA/STO is soliciting position papers that promise technological advances in the following areas: 1) Ability to create and/or focus electrons down to extremely small spot sizes 2) Ability to accelerate electrons to high energies over short distances with high wall-plug efficiency 3) Ability to efficiently create X-rays from accelerated electrons 4) Ability to beam and/or focus X-rays 5) Ability to modulate the X-ray output using modulation in any step of the X-ray generation process. Workshop DARPA will hold a workshop for selected RFI respondents in the vicinity of Arlington, VA in October 2007. The workshop may include an overview of previous DARPA programs, historical assumptions, statement of the current state of the art, today's requirements and challenges, invited presentations, submitter presentations, discussions, and Q&A. INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDERS This announcement contains all information required to submit a position paper. No additional forms, kits or other materials are required. DARPA appreciates responses from all capable and qualified sources including but not limited to universities, university affiliated research centers, federally-funded research centers, private or public companies and government research laboratories. Position papers have the following formatting requirements: a) A one page cover sheet that identifies the title, organization(s), responder's technical and administrative points of contact - including names, addresses, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses of all co-authors; b) An executive summary with a one page limit summarizing the key ideas; c) A single overview briefing chart graphically depicting the key ideas; d) A technical response to one or more of the 5 RFI Focused Areas posed above in question/answer format, with a 10 page limit in 12 point font; e) An optional list of citations including URLs if available; f) An optional briefing if the submitter wishes to be considered to present at the workshop; g) The above should be submitted as MS Word, PDF, and/or MS PowerPoint documents. Respondents are encouraged to be as succinct as possible while at the same time providing actionable insight. Respondents must submit one original and one paper copy of the full response and one electronic copy of the full RFI response (in Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF, and/or Microsoft PowerPoint on a single CD ROM). Disks must be clearly labeled with RFI SN07-45 the offering organization, and points of contact. The full RFI response (original and designated number of hard and electronic copies) must be submitted to: DARPA/STO, Attn: Dr. Derek Tournear, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714. Responses to this Request for Information (RFI) are due no later than 2:00pm, Local Time, Arlington, VA, on 8 August 2007. ANY INQUIRIES ON THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION AND/OR WORKSHOP MUST BE SUBMITTED TO [email protected]. NO TELEPHONIC INQUIRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED. DISCLAIMERS AND IMPORTANT NOTES This is a Request for Information issued solely for information and new program planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. No proprietary or classified information should be submitted. Respondents are advised that DARPA is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received, or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. It is the respondent's responsibility to ensure the material has been approved for public release by the organization that funded the research. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e) responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. Submissions may be reviewed by: the Government (DARPA and partners including but not limited to AFRL and OSD-NII); Federally Funded R&D Centers (such as MITRE and Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Lincoln Laboratories); and Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) contractors (Booz Allen Hamilton and SRS Technologies). Point of Contact Derek Tournear, DARPA Program Manager, Phone 703-248-7215, Fax 703-516-7360, Email [email protected]