Large Étendue, High Spectral Resolution Asymmetric Spatial Heterodyne Interferometer for Quantum and Dual-Use Remote Sensing Applications - SBIR Topic OSW26BZ04-DV006
Funding Amount:
Est. $2,153,927
Deadline to Apply:
August 19th, 2026
Objective:
To design, develop, and demonstrate a large étendue, high spectral resolution Asymmetric Spatial Heterodyne (ASH) interferometer optimized for quantum sensing, quantum communication support, and dual-use remote sensing applications.
Description:
Quantum communication systems, quantum-enhanced LiDAR, and quantum sensing platforms share a critical and unmet instrumentation need: a spectrometer capable of simultaneously achieving large étendue (high optical throughput) and high spectral resolution.
In satellite-based and ground-based quantum key distribution (QKD), ground station receivers must collect single photons from spatially extended fields of view — demanding large étendue — while rejecting broadband background noise, including solar background in daylight operations, through extremely narrow spectral filtering — demanding high spectral resolution.
Similarly, quantum-enhanced atmospheric and oceanic remote sensing requires the collection of weak, Doppler-shifted optical returns distributed across large solid angles, while resolving velocity-induced frequency shifts at the sub-pm level.
Conventional spectrometer architectures, including grating spectrometers and Fabry-Perot etalons, face a fundamental étendue-resolution tradeoff that prevents simultaneous optimization of both parameters.
The Asymmetric Spatial Heterodyne (ASH) interferometer architecture — a derivative of the Doppler Asymmetric Spatial Heterodyne (DASH) interferometer — offers a compelling solution: its field-widened, static, no-moving-parts design provides the Jacquinot throughput advantage inherent to interferometric spectrometers while achieving high spectral resolving power through heterodyne detection of small Doppler and frequency shifts [1, 2], making it uniquely suited to serve the quantum and dual-use sensing communities.
In this topic, proposers should develop a fieldable ASH interferometer that simultaneously achieves large étendue and high spectral resolution suitable for the quantum and remote sensing applications described herein.
The instrument shall achieve:
A minimum étendue of 0.1 cm² sr.
A spectral resolving power (R = λ/Δλ) greater than 10⁵.
Operation at one or more select wavelengths relevant to quantum sensing or communication (e.g., 486 nm H-β for Fraunhofer line sensing, 780 nm for rubidium-based quantum systems, 1550 nm for telecom-band QKD, or other well-motivated wavelengths between 400 nm and 1600 nm).
The design shall be static (no moving parts), compatible with space or airborne deployment environments with simultaneous high étendue and narrow spectral bandpass, and shall demonstrate a convincing path toward operation across multiple wavelengths relevant to both quantum and dual-use applications.
Proposers should clearly articulate the design trades between étendue, resolving power, and instrument volume, and should demonstrate that the proposed architecture is scalable and manufacturable beyond the prototype stage.
PHASE I:
The performer must demonstrate prior relevant capability in spatial heterodyne or asymmetric spatial heterodyne spectrometer design and fabrication, supported by experimental data addressing étendue, spectral resolving power, and instrument throughput.
The proposer must also provide measured or rigorously modeled data showing progress toward the étendue and resolving power goals of this topic.
Additionally, the proposer shall deliver a detailed Phase II instrument design, including:
Optical layout.
Diffraction grating parameters.
Field-widening prism design.
Exit optics.
Detector architecture.
A quantitative analysis of the étendue-resolution performance space achievable with the proposed approach.
A credible analysis of the target quantum and/or dual-use application(s) to be addressed, including the spectral line(s) of interest and required Doppler velocity sensitivity, shall also be included.
This topic is accepting both Phase I and Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals.
Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describe the potential commercial applications.
DP2 documentation may include:
Technical reports describing results and conclusions of existing work.
Presentation materials and/or white papers.
Technical papers.
Test and measurement data.
Prototype designs/models.
PHASE II:
Build and demonstrate a prototype ASH interferometer meeting the following minimum performance specifications:
Étendue ≥ 0.1 cm² sr.
Spectral resolving power R ≥ 10⁵ at the selected operating wavelength(s).
Static design with no moving parts.
Instrument volume not to exceed 10 liters in the packaged prototype configuration.
Operation demonstrated on at least one quantum-relevant or remote sensing spectral line (e.g., 486 nm H-β Fraunhofer, O¹S 557.7 nm airglow, Rb 780 nm, K 770 nm, or O₂ A-band 762 nm).
The prototype shall be validated in a laboratory environment, with a clear demonstration of Doppler velocity sensitivity sufficient to resolve wind or current velocities at the 1–5 m/s level, or frequency shifts relevant to the proposed quantum application.
The proposer shall also deliver a convincing scalability and manufacturability analysis for a subsequent fieldable or space-qualifiable instrument, and shall identify a transition path to at least one DoD and one commercial application.
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS:
The ASH interferometer developed under this effort is expected to have immediate commercial and government applicability following Phase II completion.
Applications include:
Quantum communication ground terminals for satellite QKD links requiring daylight operation.
Quantum-enhanced wind and atmospheric density profiling and space weather monitoring.
Quantum LiDAR systems for precision Doppler ranging.
Civil and commercial dual-use applications include:
Spaceborne and airborne upper atmosphere wind field profiling supporting weather prediction.
Laboratory quantum sensing platforms for cold atom, Rydberg sensor, and atom interferometer velocity diagnostics.
A second-generation instrument is envisioned to be purpose-built for specific quantum sensing modalities — including atom interferometry-based inertial navigation, quantum-enhanced wind LiDAR, and entangled-photon atmospheric probing — all of which represent significant and growing dual-use markets spanning DoD, civil government, and the commercial quantum technology sector.
Who will win?
If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.
Who is eligible to apply?
Any company that meets the following criteria:
For-profit company
U.S.-owned and controlled.
500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)
How Can BW&CO Help?
1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.
2) Proposal strategy and review.
3) Administrative & compliance support.
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