SBIR Phase I: Integrated Broad Band Opticall Calibration Sources for Star Simulation

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is directed towards the development, fabrication, and testing of miniature high-stability integrated super broadband optical emission sources for field and in-flight calibration of stellar photometers and spectrometers widely used in astronomy research. No calibration sources for field, in-flight or real time broadband star simulation are currently available. In this project the company will utilize their achievements in the area of Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Si-based avalanche Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) combined with the new developments in SiC and III nitride material growth, characterization, and processing. The high stability and reliability of the proposed devices will be provided by employment of the avalanche electroluminescence process based on intra-band hot electron transitions. High performance will result from implementation of improved materials quality and advanced processing methods. The proposed research will develop fundamental understanding of methods for fabrication of silicon carbide, and nitride-based structures for optoelectronic applications, which will result in technological advances in all electronic device areas. One of the most important astronomy goals is interpretation of photometric observations of stars, star clusters, and galaxies in terms of their fundamental stellar properties. This is necessary for any successful study of the formation and evolution of stellar systems, which needs to be based on photometric data.