OSW26TZ05-NV003: High Throughput Wafer Scale Manufacturing of Custom Achromatic Infrared Meta Optics

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

OSW26TZ05-NV003 is a 2026 OSW-Reliance 21 STTR topic under the DoW STTR Program funding a cost-effective, high-throughput, wafer-scale manufacturing process for custom achromatic meta-optic components operating in the mid wave and long wave infrared bands. Because this is an STTR topic, the small business must formally partner with a U.S. nonprofit research institution or university, performing at least 40 percent of the work while the research partner performs at least 30 percent. Phase I offers a base award of up to $300,000 over 12 months with a 10-page technical volume limit. This topic is ITAR/EAR restricted. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 and must be submitted through DSIP.

Overview

Meta-optics replace bulky, multi-element, three-dimensional curved lenses with flat surfaces built from subwavelength-scale meta-units, dramatically cutting the size, weight, and complexity of infrared systems. That makes them attractive for portable IR vision systems, UAV surveillance platforms, and wearable electronics. A single meta-optic element can also be engineered to extract or encode information like polarization, wavelength, and wavefront shape directly from an incoming IR signal, enabling sensing and beam-shaping capabilities that conventional refractive optics cannot match.

The problem holding this technology back is chromatic aberration, along with a manufacturing bottleneck. Existing fabrication approaches, including electron beam lithography, UV immersion lithography, nanoimprint lithography, grayscale lithography, and deep UV projection lithography, are slow, require complex alignment, use expensive tooling, and have limited material compatibility. Most demonstrated achromatic metalenses to date also operate in the visible or near-infrared range rather than the MWIR (3 to 5 microns) or LWIR (8 to 14 microns) bands that matter for military infrared systems.

This topic wants a wafer-scale manufacturing process, compatible with standard semiconductor fabrication infrastructure, that can produce achromatic meta-optic components in high-index, IR-transparent materials across both MWIR and LWIR bands. Phase I focuses on proving the manufacturing process works for the MWIR band specifically, building meta-unit libraries across multiple IR materials, and quantifying performance metrics like phase control resolution, surface flatness for component integration, and the breadth of the meta-atom library. Phase II experimentally validates those Phase I performance targets, expands the meta-atom library into the LWIR band, and focuses on scaling the process to high-volume wafer-scale production without requiring the proposer to own a physical foundry.

Because this is an STTR topic, proposers must have a signed Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with their partnering nonprofit research institution or university, along with an intellectual property and data rights allocation statement between both parties, uploaded as supporting documentation. This topic is also ITAR/EAR restricted, so any proposed use of foreign nationals must be disclosed in detail, including country of origin, visa type, and specific tasks.

Worth noting: the solicitation's evaluation criteria section references weighting toward a "foundation-model-based collaborative AiTR approach," which appears to be boilerplate carried over from a different topic and does not match the meta-optics manufacturing description above. Companies should confirm evaluation criteria directly with the Technical Point of Contact before finalizing a proposal strategy.

Funding and Timeline

Phase I base award: up to $300,000 Phase I period of performance: 12 months Phase I technical volume limit: 10 pages Small business minimum work share: 40 percent of total cost Research institution/university minimum work share: 30 percent of total cost Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026 Submission portal: DSIP only, no other submission method is accepted Additional funding available: TABA funding, up to $6,500 for Phase I awardees and up to $50,000 per Phase II project Critical Technology Area: Scaled Hypersonics CMMC level requirement: Level 1 Export control status: ITAR/EAR restricted

Who Should Apply

This topic fits small businesses with nanofabrication, photonics, or optical metasurface expertise, particularly those who already have or can quickly establish a research partnership with a university or nonprofit lab active in meta-optics, semiconductor processing, or advanced materials. Because STTR requires a documented Cooperative Research and Development Agreement and an IP allocation statement before submission, companies should start that conversation with a research partner early rather than after the topic is already open.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the deadline for OSW26TZ05-NV003? The proposal deadline is September 23, 2026. Proposals must be submitted through DSIP before the topic closes.

How much funding is available for Phase I? Phase I offers a base award of up to $300,000 for a 12 month period of performance.

Why does this topic require a university partner? This is an STTR topic, not an SBIR topic. STTR requires the small business to formally partner with a U.S. nonprofit research institution or university, with the small business performing at least 40 percent of the work and the research partner performing at least 30 percent, measured by cost.

What documents does the university partnership require? A signed STTR Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between the small business and the research institution, along with an Allocation of Intellectual Property and Data Rights statement between both parties, both uploaded as supporting documents.

Is this topic export controlled? Yes. This topic is restricted under ITAR and EAR. Any proposed use of foreign nationals must be disclosed, including country of origin, visa or work permit type, and specific tasks assigned, and participation may be restricted.

What infrared bands does this topic target? Mid wave infrared, 3 to 5 microns, is the primary Phase I focus, with long wave infrared, 8 to 14 microns, added during Phase II.

Does the manufacturing process need to run in a proposer-owned foundry? No. Phase II specifically aims to scale the process to high-volume wafer-scale production without requiring the proposer to own a physical foundry.

Is TABA funding available for this topic? Yes. Phase I awardees may request up to $6,500 in TABA funding, and Phase II awardees may request up to $50,000 per Phase II project.