Abstract: Photonic integrated circuit (PIC) devices are disclosed. Such PIC devices include a substrate and a semiconductor waveguide on a surface of the substrate. A p-type semiconductor layer is on the surface of the substrate, with the p-type semiconductor layer being on a first side of the semiconductor waveguide. An n-type semiconductor layer is on the surface of the substrate, with the n-type semiconductor layer being on a second side of the semiconductor waveguide so that a region of the semiconductor waveguide is between the p-type and n-type semiconductor layers. Moreover, the p-type semiconductor layer, the n-type semiconductor layer, and the region of the semiconductor waveguide between the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers define a radiation emitting diode configured to emit radiation through the semiconductor waveguide.

Abstract: An oxide-based aerogel having cerium and nickel may be used as a water-gas shift reaction catalyst without producing methane as a byproduct. It may be made by forming a gel from a cerium salt and a nickel salt solution and converting the gel to an aerogel.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a radio frequency (FR) waveform scenario file format. The method includes acquiring raw data from at least one source, extracting a radar data from the raw data, parsing a radar profile from the radar data, storing the radar profile, and converting the radar profile to a radio frequency (RF) waveform scenario file format. The method may also include using known radar profiles to provide an approximation of a complete radar profile when the raw data is incomplete.

Abstract: Semiconductor heterostructures having an engineered polarization. Semiconductor materials having specified crystallographic directions and specified polarizations are directly bonded to one another by means of atomic layer bonding without the use of any interfacial bonding materials, where spontaneous polarization of the two layers produced by joining the two materials by direct wafer bonding produces a strong 2DEG or 2DHG at the interface. Embodiments include GaN/AlN and AlN/GaN heterostructures having an N- or Ga-polar GaN layer directly bonded to an N- or Al-polar Al layer. Other embodiments can incorporate an InN epitaxial layer or an alloy incorporating an N-polar, Al-polar, or Ga-polar material having In, Al, or Ga in the crystal lattice, e.g., (InxAl1-xN), InxGa1-xN, AlxGa1-xN, InxAlyGa1-x-yN, where (0<x?1, 0<y?1, 0<x+y?1).

Abstract: A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The vehicle can include a module that enables the vehicle to communicate optically with other vehicles or personnel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a composition having a nylon polymer and tannic acid. The nylon polymer and the tannic acid are homogenously distributed in the composition. The composition may be made by dissolving a nylon polymer and tannic acid in a solvent to form a solution and removing the solvent from the solution to form the composition.

Abstract: A non-contact material assessment system and method are provided. In embodiments, a system includes: a radiation source generating a pattern of diffracted elements; a detector configured to: capture a first image of a first diffracted element when a sample is in an initial state, and a second image when the sample is in a second state; and capture a first image of a second diffracted element when the sample is in the initial state, and a second image when the sample is in the second state; and a controller to: determine a displacement of the first diffracted element based on the first and second images of the first diffracted element; determine a displacement of the second diffracted element based on the first and second images of the second diffracted element; and determine a characteristic of the sample over based on the displacement of the first and second diffracted elements.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a compound made by copolymerizing a poly(ethylene glycol) acrylate with a first acrylate monomer having a first functional group that interacts with a third functional group having a third functional group type selected from anionic groups, cationic groups, or perfluoroalkyl groups. Optionally, the copolymerization includes a second acrylate monomer having a second functional group that interacts with a fourth functional group having a fourth functional group type selected from anionic groups, cationic groups, and perfluoroalkyl groups. The third functional group type and the fourth functional group type are different. When the compound is porous, as when made by high internal phase emulsion polymerization, it may be used for per- and poly-fluoro alkyl substance decontamination.

Abstract: An attachment device is provided for Ethernet communication to a radio. The device includes a transmit/receive circuit, an interface for universal serial bus (USB)-to-Ethernet, an oscillator, a supervisor circuit, a programmable read-only-memory (PROM), a current regulator, a printed circuit board and a housing. The transmit/receive circuit receives a communication signal via an RJ45 receptor from Ethernet. The USB-to-Ethernet interface connects to the RJ45 receptor to forward the communication signal to the USB. The host connector receives the communication signal from the USB for forwarding to the radio. The oscillator provides a periodic clock signal. The three-pin microprocessor supervisor circuit sequences the communication signal via the clock signal and sequence protocol. The PROM buffers the communication signal and the sequence protocol. The current regulator restricts voltage range of the supervisor circuit. The interface, oscillator, supervisor circuit, PROM and current regulator mount to the PCB.

Abstract: A method and a system for bandwidth-constrained cooperative object detection. The method for cooperative object detection comprising: providing a backbone architecture for feature extraction with shared weights across a plurality of agents; capturing optical data of a scene of interest at the plurality agents; extracting features at each of the plurality of agents from the optical data with the backbone architecture; compressing the features at each of the plurality of agents with a compression module optimized by a loss function comprising mean squared error of decompression; decoding compressed features from the plurality of agents at a reference platform; fusing the features with an object recognition neural network; and determining a plurality of object bounding boxes and a plurality of object classes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing catalytic particles and using them for increased sensitivity in lateral flow immunoassays. Palladium salt is reduced in the presence of a protein using sodium borohydride as a reducing agent to form brown or gray particles. These particles catalytically develop a dye to detect the presence of an analyte.

Abstract: Methods for efficient doping of wide-bandgap (WBG) and ultrawide-bandgap (UWBG) semiconductors by implantation, and WBG and UWBG semiconductors made using the disclosed methods. A p-type semiconductor region is formed by implanting specified acceptor and donor co-dopant atoms in a predetermined ratio, e.g., two acceptors to one donor (ADA), into the semiconductor lattice. An n-type type semiconductor region is by implanting specified donor and acceptor co-dopant atoms in a predetermined ratio, e.g., two donors to one acceptor (DAD), into the semiconductor lattice. Compensator atoms are also implanted into the lattice to complete formula units in the crystal lattice structure and preserve the stoichiometry of the semiconductor material. The doped material is then annealed to activate the dopants and repair any damage to the lattice that might have occurred during implantation.

Abstract: An electromagnetic splitting coupler is provided for receiving a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) signal input and emitting a transverse electric mode one-zero (TE10) signal output. The coupler includes a receiver port; a plurality of emitter ports; a hollow manifold; and a terminus. The receiver port provides the TEM signal input. The emitter ports impart the TE10 signal output. The manifold includes a chamber that connects the receiver port to the emitter ports. The terminus seals the manifold. The coupler can also include an interface plate to connect the emitter ports thereto, such as to an antenna.

Abstract: Provided is a blank firing adapter for a firearm that prevents a bullet or fragmentation from exiting a firearm barrel and traveling downrange. The device includes a body, a fore end, an aft end, a bore, a transverse exhaust hole, and a flange. The body is positioned within a muzzle end of the firearm barrel. The fore end includes a solid material to prevent bullet fragmentation from directly exiting the barrel in a direction coinciding with a point-of-aim direction when a live round is fired, and the transverse exhaust hole redirects gas traveling through the bore to a direction transverse to the muzzle end of the barrel. The device generates backpressure to permit automatic cycling of a weapon system, safely catches a fired bullet without any fragmentation to travel downrange, and is visually inconspicuous to the casual observer when installed, while allowing for the use of externally attached devices.

Abstract: A lift bail assembly includes a lift bail frame, two distal lift clamps, two or more proximal lift clamps, and two stops. The lift bail frame includes an attachment cutout to attach the lift bail frame to a lifting device. The lift bail frame extends at least half of a body length of the unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) where at least ? of a weight of the UUV is directly supported by the lift bail. The two distal lift clamps are positioned opposite each other at each end of the lift bail frame. The two or more proximal lift clamps are positioned anywhere on the lift bail frame between the two distal lift clamps. The two stops fit into two stop cutouts on the UUV and are centered on the lift bail frame. All lift clamps that encompass the UUV are rigidly fixed to the lift bail frame.

Abstract: Methods and systems providing laser outputs are disclosed. A first laser input from a first pump laser source has a first average power, and a second laser input from a second pump laser source has a second average power. A first laser output is generated based on conversion of the first laser input and the second laser input at the first state. After generating the first laser output, the second laser input is provided at a second state with the second average power remaining unchanged. After generating the first laser output, a second laser output is generated based on conversion of the first laser input and the second laser input at the second state. Combined powers of the first laser input and the second laser input remain the same when generating the first and second laser outputs, but powers of the first and second laser outputs are different.

Abstract: A microelectronic device that is radiation hardened through the incorporation of a quantum structure getter (QSG) is provided. The device, such as a field effect transistor (FET) includes a conductive channel and a material stack comprising: a capping layer, one or more barrier layers comprising a high band gap, one or more quantum structures comprising a small band gap, and a substrate. The quantum structures are positioned in close proximity to the conductive channel to form a quantum well charge getter. The getter forms a low energy area beneath the FET, which traps and confines electron-hole pair wave functions produced from ionizing radiation, causing the wave functions overlap, recombine, and produce light emission. The quantum structures getter the wave functions, which reduces the ionized photocurrent that reaches the conducting channel, thereby hardening the microelectronic device against ionizing radiation.

Abstract: A modular omni-directional sensor array (MOSA) enclosure is provided for visual surveillance. The MOSA enclosure is disposable on an elevated position and includes a lower equipment module and an upper optical module. The equipment module contains electrical power and control electronics and is disposed on the elevated position from underneath. The optical module contains a plurality of cameras viewing radially outward. The optical module is disposed onto the equipment module from above.

Abstract: A cascading thermoelectric heat pump employs a stack of cold plates with a series of thermoelectric coolers sandwiched between each adjacent pair of cold plates, allowing for noise-free cooling and heating of a 67° F. water supply, capable of delivering water chilled to about 44° F. and water heated to about 90° F.

Abstract: Disclosed is a model and simulation (M&S) tool that allows users to manipulate the metadata of terrain and imagery files (geoTIFF files) to represent changes in the terrain or even add assets to them, such as buildings, geographic features (e.g., changed geography), or trees The disclosed M&S tool is able to add and/or remove features from the geoTIFF file by either directly manipulating the metadata of the file or by creating what is termed herein as a “shapefile” to overlay the changes on top of the file metadata. This manipulation enhances the fidelity of older geoTIFF datasets by selectively updating and/or adding content to the data and allows users to rapidly generate usable datasets within a physics based digital environment.