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4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE WtU.l:7t11' wl\l:l-JH.f\TUH.l' L>UL.L.t.oui:i 51' It< ~;:-. 

A REVIEW OF 1995 

6. AUTHOR(S) 

5. FUNDING NUMBERS 

c 

PE 

PR 

TA 

wu 

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 

PLANS AND PROGRAMS DIRECTORATE 

WRIGHT LABORATORY 

AIR FORCE MATERIEL COMMAND 19960508 077 

WRIGHT PATTERSON AFB OH 45433-7523 

9. SPONSORING I MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 

PLANS AND PROGRAMS DIRECTORATE 

WRIGHT LABORATORY 

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WRIGHT PATTERSON AFB OH 45433-7523 

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APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION IS 

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13. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words; 

WL-TR-96-6007 

12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE 

Success stories from 1995 that recognize the accomplishments and combined effort of 

Wright Laboratory scientists and engineers. Stories have been selected from the following 

categories: TECHNOLOGY TRANSITION -- Technology that has achieved application 

on a Department of Defense system in development or operation or that has provided 

"quick-reaction" response to problems or needs of field organizations; TECHNOLOGY 

TRANSFER-- Technology that has transferred from the laboratory to the private sector, 

to include: industry, academia, and state and local governments; TECHNICAL 

ACHIEVEMENT -- Major innovative technological advancements that offer significant 

potential for existing and future Air Force systems; and, PEER RECOGNITION --

External awards or recognitions by the scientific community at large. 

~~~~::-:~-::-:-::~------- 14. SUBJECT T".RMS ·-···--·-·-- ~-------··------------T'71 ~5.-:N~U7.M:-:;;'B~ER;-;;O:cf-;:P;-:;A:-;;G~Ecs----1 

17. SlCURITY CLASSIFICATION ~URiTV CLAS'\IFICATION 19 SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 

OfJ~~~SIFIED 

121 

16. PRICE CODE 

20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 

OFtfN'C?I!~sSIFIED I muWC'L~§BIFIED SAR 

~~~~~~~~------~~~----------·---------J-------------~-----,~.7La~rd~a~r~d~F~o~rm~2°9Q8~(R~e~v~2-~8~9l)_. :\ISN 7'540 01-280-5500 "H'Ded hy AN'>I Std Z39-18 

• Y8·: J2 
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I 

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A Message About Wright Laboratory Success Stories 

At Wright Laboratory, we work as a creative team that builds on the Wright Brothers' heritage. 

For more than 65 years, the aeronautical architects at Wright Laboratory have created 

technology advances that have enabled our Air Force to establish and maintain its 

acknowledged position as the most technically advanced and capable in the world. Today 

we pursue vital aerospace research and advanced developments in materials, avionics, aero 

propulsion and power, flight dynamics, solid state electronics, munitions and integrated 

manufacturing. We are committed to meeting the needs of our fighting forces while offering 

"dual use" potential in the commercial sector. 

We are proud of our people and the teams they have formed, not only to do world-class 

research but also to transition that technology to meet our customers' needs. In recognition 

of their accomplishments, each year we highlight some of the best and brightest of our 

laboratory efforts with "Success Story" profiles. These brief profiles of ongoing research 

and development projects offer a snapshot look at the breadth and depth of ongoing work at 

the Air Force's Wright Laboratory. I invite you to explore just a little of the diverse, exciting 

and innovative work ongoing at the Wright Laboratory during 1995. 

Should you see a Wright Laboratory "Success Story" you want to know more about, I hope 

you will contact us so we might share the details. Also, take a moment to check out our 

home page on the world wide web (at http://www.wl.wpafb.af.mil). 

~~ ....... 

Richard W. Davis 

Colonel, USAF 

Commander 

Wright Laboratory 
Table of Contents 

I 

I i 

WRIGHT LABORATORY 

SuccESs STORIES 

TITLE PAGE 

Introduction .................................................................................... iv 

Full Envelope Multivariable Flight Control System Design 

Approach Recipient of Award ....................................................... 1 

Cockpit Evaluation hnproves C-141 Cockpit Design ................. 3 

Carbon-Carbon Turbine Rotors ImproveTurbine Engine 

Performance ................................................................................... 5 

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA) 

to Develop High-Speed, High-Resolution 

Video Camera ................................................................................. 7 

New Composite Materials hnprove Radomes and Antenna 

Windows for Missiles and Re-Entry Vehicles .............................. 9 

~~g~s~~:~~~~v;~~F .. ~~~.~.~~.~~~ .. ?..~~~~~~~ ................. 11 

New Process Makes High Temperature Ceramic Bearings 

Self Lubricating ............................................................................. 13 

New Materials System Process Opens Door to Expanded 

Applications for Holograms .......................................................... 15 

New Fiber Coating Process Will Reduce Materials Costs for 

High Temperature Components .................................................... 17 

~~~r!~orle~Ps~~~~t~~~ .. ~~.=~~.~ .. ?.~~~~~~~~~~················ 19 

New Propellant Charge Fabrication Process for Cased 

Telescoped Ammuniuon ................................................................ 21 

(Continued on next page .. . ) 
TITLE PAGE 

New Coating Process Provides Lightweight Solution for 

Humidity Protection of Integrated Circuits .................................... 23 

Integrated Product Development (IPD) Principles Used 

to Design Jet Engine Nozzles .......................................................... 25 

Improved 40mm Ammunition Fuze for Special Operations Gunships ....................................................................... 27 

New Concept Makes Intelligent Electrical Load Management Widely Applicable ........................................................................... 29 

High-Speed Microchip Lasers Developed ..................................... 31 

Tri-Service Miniature Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) 

Selected as Baseline ......................................................................... 3 3 

~p~o~~~rucJu~~~~ .. ~:.~~~ .. ~~~~~~~~~ .. ~~~~~~ .. ?..~.~~~~ ........... 35 

~fer~~~ .. ~:.~~~ .. ~.~~ .. ~.~.~.~.~ .. ~~: .. ~~.:~~~.~.~~·i·~··············· 37 

Thermochemically Actuated Motion (TCAM) Valve 

Actuator Technology Demonstrated ............................................... 39 

40th Anniversary of the NT-33A In-Flight Simulator ................... 41 

Proximity Sensor Tested for General Purpose Bombs ................... 43 

The New Laser-Based Sensor Provides Real-Tune Control 

of High-Temperature Coating Process ............................................ 45 

New Production Process for Complex Semiconductors 

Permits Reduced System Size, Improved Performance ................ 4 7 

ii 

TITLE PAGE 

New Production Process Improves Power Density, Reduces 

Size of Complex Semiconductors ...................................................... 49 

Propulsion Controlled Aircraft Technology Selected for 

1994 R & D 100 Award ...................................................................... 51 

Low Infrared Coating Program Provides Interim and 

Long-Term Solutions .......................................................................... 53 

Advanced Semiconductor Material Can Improve Performance 

of Near-Infrared Solid State Lasers ................................................... 55 

Award for Contributions to Ceramic Matrix Composites 

Development ....................................................................................... 57 

New Photo-Electric Analysis Technique of Pseudomorphic Transistors ........................................................................................... 59 

In-Situ Control of Crystal Growth Advances Semiconductor 

Laser Technology ................................................................................ 61 

Linear Motion Oven (LIMO) Provides Critical Advances in 

Semiconductor Crystal Growth ......................................................... 63 

New Fire Fighting Foam Contains Non-Toxic Chemical 

Component .......................................................................................... 65 

New Insulating Process for Semiconductors Could Lead to 

Higher-Powered, More-Compact Integrated Circuits ....................... 67 

Diamond-Coated Ball Bearings Last 100 Times Longer 

Than Steel Bearings ............................................................................ 69 

New Source for Growth of Advanced Transistor Materials ............. 71 

(Continued on next page . . . ) 

' 

1 
TITLE PAGE 

Wright Laboratory Team ReceivesAward for Halon 

Replacement Contributions ........................................................... 73 

Nondestructive Technique for Evaluation of Free Carrier 

Concentration and Dislocation Density in Doped Gallium 

Arsenide (GaAs) ............................................................................ 75 

Microwave Chemical Vapor Infiltration (MWCVI) Process 

Improves Ceramic Matrix Composite Parts ................................... 77 

Intelligent Control of Coating Process for Lightweight 

Turbine Engine Components Improves Thermal 

Protection ...................................................................................... 79 

Electrically PoweredActuation Design (EPA D) Validation 

Flight Test Program Team Receives Laurels .................................. 81 

Materials Research Provides Quick Solution to F-15 Fuel 

Leakage Problem ........................................................................... 83 

150 Kilowatt Laser Reduces CostofComposite Material 

Thermal Testing ............................................................................. 85 

Integrated Toolkit and Methodology (ITKM) for Aerospace 

Manufacturing Developed ............................................................. 87 

Scanning Radiometric Imager (SRI) System Characterizes 

Canopy Laser Scatter ..................................................................... 89 

Insensitive Explosive Mixture Makes Bombs Safer ....................... 91 

Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) StarTeam 

Award ............................................................................................ 93 

iii 

TITLE PAGE 

Fuel Leakage Problem onAircraft Ground Power Generation 

System (GPGS) Units Solved .......................................................... 95 

Titanium Matrix Composite Reduces Weight of F-22Aircraft ......... 97 

Carbon-Carbon CompositeAllows Use of More Efficient, 

Lighter Batteries for Space Systems ........................................... ~ ... 99 

Waveguide Laser Combines Small Size, Precision Operation 

andLowerCost ............................................................................ 101 

Improved Crystal Growth Technique Provides More Reliable 

Laser Source .............................................................................. _. 103 

New Laser Particle Counter Sensor Improves Semiconductor 

Device Yields................................................................................ 105 

Antenna Wavefront Simulator (AWFS) Evaluates Current and 

FutureAntenna Electronics Systems............................................. 107 

Flow Field Enhancers ImproveAircraft Controllability ................ 109 

Aircraft Robotic Paint Stripping System Protects 

Environment .... ...... ...... ............. ...... ...... ...... ......................... ...... ... 111 

TF39 Engine Fan BladeAnalysisAnd Repair Could Save 

Millions ........................................................................................ 113 

New Composite Material Provides 900 Percent Increase In 

Operational Life ofAircraftAfterbumer Nozzle Components ...... 115 

1\venty-Fold Increase in Electro-Optical Crystal Output 

Achieved ...................................................................................... 117 
INTRODUCTION 

Over 280 Air Force Science and Technology "Success Stories" from the Air Force's Wright Laboratory have 

been presented over the past six years. The individual stories most often represent the combined effort of several 

scientists and engineers working as a team. The basic and applied research, plus the follow-on technology 

development described in a "Success Story", are viewed as essential to the continued success of the Wright 

Laboratory mission. 

This year's "Success Stories" were selected from one or more of the following categories: 

TECHNOLOGY TRANSITION: Technology that has achieved application on a Department of Defense system 

in development or operation or that has provided "quick-reaction" response to problems or needs of field 

organizations (see Table 1). 

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER: Technology that has transferred from the laboratory to the private sector, to 

include: industry, academia, and state and local governments (see Table II). 

TECHNICAL AcHIEVEMENT: Major innovative technological advancements that offer significant potential 

for existing and future Air Force systems (see Table lll). 

PEER REcOGNITION: External awards or recognitions by the scientific community at large, concerning 

technology advancements in the areas of Technology Transition, Technology Transfer or Technical 

Achievement (see Table IV). 

To receive more information on the "Success Stories" contained in this document by the experts involved, or to 

learn about other activities at Wright Laboratory, please contact: WL/DOR, 2130 Eighth Street, Suite 1, WrightPatterson AFB OH 45433-7542, Tel. (513) 255-4119 or fill-in, and send us the reply card located in the back of this 

brochure. 

lV 
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I 

TABLE I. TECHNOLOGY TRANSITION SuccEss STORIES 

Success Story Title Page# 

CockpitEvaluationlmprovesC-141 Cockpit Design ................................... ,............................................................................. 3 

New Propellant Charge Fabrication Process for CasedTelescopedAmmunition ........................................................................ 21 

Integrated Product Development (IPD) Principles Used to Design Jet Engine Nozzles .............................................................. 25 

Improved 40mmAmmunition Fuze for Special Operations Gunships ........................................................................................ 27 

New Concept Makes Intelligent Electrical Load Management Widely Applicable ..................................................................... 29 

Tri-Service Miniature Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) Selected as Baseline ............................................................................ 33 

Rapid Foundry Tooling System Automates Pattern Design for Foundry Castings ...................................................................... 35 

40th Anniversary of the NT-33A In-Flight Simulator ................................................................................................................. 41 

Propulsion ControlledAircraftTechnology Selected for 1994 R&D lOOAward ........................................................................ 51 

Materials Research Provides Quick Solution to F-15 Fuel Leakage Problem ............................................................................. 83 

Insensitive Explosive Mixture Makes Bombs Safer ................................................................................................................... 91 

Fuel Leakage Problem on Aircraft Ground Power Generation System (GPGS) Units Solved .................................................... 95 

Titanium Matrix Composite Reduces Weight ofF-22Aircraft .................................................................................................... 97 

Aircraft Robotic Paint Stripping System Protects Environment ................ ................................ ............................................. ... 111 

TF39 Engine Fan Blade Analysis and Repair Could Save Millions ......................................................................................... 113 

New Composite Material Provides 900 Percent Increase In Operational Life of AircraftAfterbumer Nozzle Components .... 115 

TABLE II. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER SuccESs SToRIEs 

Success Story Title Page# 

Cooperative Research and DevelopmentAgreement (CRDA) to Develop High-Speed, High-Resolution Video Camera............. 7 

High School Apprenticeship and Career Development Programs Help Students ......................................................................... 19 

Twenty-Fold Increase in Electro-Optical Crystal OutputAchieved ............................................................................................ 117 

( contiTUU!d on next page .. .) 

v 
TABLE m. TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT SucCESS STORIES 

Success Story Title Page # 

Carbon-Carbon Turbine Rotors Improve Turbine Engine Performance..................................................................................... 5 

New Composite Materials Improve Radomes andAntenna Windows for Missiles and Re-Entry Vehicles ................................ 9 

New Instrument Developed for Measuring Dissolved Oxygen inAviationFuel ........................................................................ 11 

New Process Makes High Temperature Ceramic Bearings Self Lubricating.............................................................................. 13 

New Materials System Process Opens Door to ExpandedApplications for Holograms ............................................................. 15 

New Fiber Coating Process Will Reduce Materials Costs for High Temperature Components .................................................. 17 

New Coating Process Provides Light Weight Solution for Humidity Protection of Integrated Circuits ...................................... 23 

High-Speed Microchip Lasers Developed ................................................................................ ~ ................................................ 31 

Improved Hybrid Ball Bearings Offer Increased Service Life .................................................................................... : .............. 37 

Thermochemically Actuated Motion (TCAM) ValveActuatorTechnology Demonstrated ........................................................ 39 

Proximity Sensor Tested for General Purpose Bombs ............................................................................................................... 43 

The New Laser-Based Sensor Provides Real-Time Control of High-Temperature Coating Process .......................................... 45 

New Production Process for Complex Semiconductors Permits Reduced System Size, Improved Performance ....................... 47 

New Production Process Improves Power Density, Reduces Size of Complex Semiconductors ............................................... 49 

Propulsion Controlled Aircraft Technology Selected for 1994 R & D 1 OOAward ..................................................................... 51 

Low Infrared Coating Program Provides Interim and Long-Term Solutions ............................................................................. 53 

Advanced Semiconductor Material Can Improve Performance of Near-Infrared Solid State Lasers ......................................... 55 

New Photo-ElectricAnalysisTechniqueofPseudomorphicTransistors .................................................................................... 59 

Linear Motion Oven (LIMO) Provides CriticalAdvances in Semiconductor Crystal Growth .................................................... 63 

New Fire Fighting Foam Contains Non-Toxic Chemical Component ........................................................................................ 65 

New Insulating Process for Semiconductors Could Lead to Higher-Powered, More-Compact Integrated Circuits .................... 67 

vi 

I 
I 

I 

TABLE III. TECHNICAL AcHIEVEMENT SuccEss STORIES ( CoNr'n) 

Success Story Title Page# 

Diamond-Coated Ball Bearings Last 100Times LongerThan Steel Bearings........................................................................... 69 

New Source for Growth of Advanced Transistor Materials........................................................................................................ 71 

Nondestructive Technique for Evaluation of Free Carrier Concentration and Dislocation Density in Doped Gallium 

Arsenide (GaAs) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 75 

Microwave Chemical Vapor Infiltration (MWCVI) Process Improves Ceramic Matrix Composite Parts ................................... 77 

Intelligent Control of Coating Process for Lightweight Turbine Engine Components Improves Thermal Protection ................ 79 

150 Kilowatt Laser Reduces Cost of Composite Material Thermal Testing ......................................................................... 85 

Scanning Radiometric Imager (SRI) System Characterizes Canopy Laser Scatter..................................................................... 89 

Carbon-Carbon CompositeAllows Use of More Efficient, Lighter Batteries for Space Systems ............................................... 99 

Waveguide Laser Combines Small Size, Precision Operation and Lower Cost ......................................................................... 101 

Improved Crystal Growth Technique Provides More Reliable Laser Source ............................................................................. 1 03 

New Laser Particle Counter Sensor Improves Semiconductor Device Yields ............................................................................ 105 

Antenna Wavefront Simulator (AWFS) Evaluates Current and FutureAntennaElectronics Systems ....................................... 107 

Flow Field Enhancers Improve Aircraft Controllability ............................................................................................................ 109 

TABLE IV. PEER RECOGNITION SuccEss STORIES 

Success Story Title Page# 

Full Envelope Multivariable Flight Control System DesignApproach Recipient of Award ...................................................... 1 

Award for Contributions to Ceramic Matrix Composites Development .................................................................................... 57 

Wright Laboratory Team ReceivesAward for Halon Replacement Contributions .................................................................... 73 

Electrically PoweredActuation Design (EPAD) Validation Flight Test Program Team Receives Laurels ................................. 81 

Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) StarTeamAward ........................................................................................ 93 

vii 
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I 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

CocKPIT EVALUATION IMPROVES C-141 CocKPIT DESIGN 

The Flight Dynamics Directorate's quick, cost-effective evaluation, 

through simulation, of Warner Robins-Air Logistics Center's (WRALC) proposed C-141 cockpit design, enabled WR-ALC to meet its 

The Flight Dynamics Directorate's Cockpit Integration Division 

validated a proposed C-141 cockpit upgrade and discovered potential 

improvements to the new cockpit's design. The rapid cockpit 

To improve the reliability, maintainability, and affordability of 

the C-141 aircraft, WR-ALC initiated design modifications to the 

C-141 cockpit. This included replacing primary mechanical flight 

control instruments (such as the attitude and horizontal situation 

indicators) with 6x8 inch color liquid crystal displays. To 

evaluate the proposed C-141 cockpit modification design, WRALC's Cockpit Working Group, capitalizing on its long-standing 

relationship with the Cockpit Integration Division, requested an 

acquisition schedule. The recommendations resulting from this 

evaluation will improve the cockpit design and minimize risk 

associated with the acquisition of C-141 cockpit modification kits. 

prototyping capabilities of the Division's Crew Systems 

Integration laboratory, enabled quick, cost-effective evaluations to 

be performed. 

independent evaluation, through simulation, comparing the 

performance of the new cockpit design to the existing C-141 

cockpit architecture. Following this evaluation, the software 

developed for simulation was successfully employed in support of 

flight test assessment of the new C-141 cockpit design in the 

Flight Dynamics Directorate's Total Inflight Simulator aircraft. 

Reuse of the simulation software greatly reduced flight test cost 

and preparation time. 

II 

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I 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

CARBON-CARBON TuRBINE RoroRs IMPROVE TuRBINE 

ENGINE PERFORMANCE 

Uncooled carbon-carbon (C-C) integrally bladed turbine rotors allow 

turbine engines to run at or near stoichiometric temperatures (ideal 

fuel/air burning temperatures) providing extraordinary performance 

Under a program sponsored by the Aero Propulsion and Power 

Directorate, the highest efficiency ever achieved for an uncooled C-C 

turbine rotor in a turbine engine was demonstrated. Results obtained 

with the C-C turbine rotor enabled the Directorate to attain the 

Allied Signal Engines, under contract with the Turbine Engine 

Division of the Aero Propulsion and Power Directorate as part of the 

IHPTET program, conducted three tests of an uncooled C-C turbine 

rotor in a highly modified Joint Expendable Turbine Engine Concept 

(JETEC) demonstrator. The C-C turbine rotor configurations tested 

were developed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) 

under the Extended Long-Range Integrated Technology Evaluation 

(ELITE) program. The IHPTET program, a joint DoD/NASA/ ARP AI 

Industry program, has the goal of doubling the propulsion capability 

benefits compared to state-of-the-art metallic turbines. Using an 

uncooled C-C turbine can substantially increase expendable 

engine specific thrust and reduce design and machining costs. 

Integrated High Performance Turbine Engine Technology 

(IHPTET) Turbine Rotor Inlet Temperature (TRIT) goal for 

uncooled turbines four-years ahead of schedule. 

of gas turbine engines shortly after the turn of the century. In 

addition to addressing expendable engines for cruise missiles and 

standoff weapons via the JETEC program, IHPTET also 

encompasses turbofan/turbojet engines for fighter/attack aircraft 

and turboshaft engines for helicopter and transport aircraft. 

IHPTET goals include increases in thrust/weight ratio, specific 

thrust, TRIT, and compressor exit temperatures as well as 

decreases in cost, fuel consumption, and cooling air. 

II 
~--------------------~----
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

CooPERATIVE REsEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT 

(CRDA) To DEVELOP HIGH-SPEED, HIGH-REsoLUTION 

VIDEO CAMERA 

By assisting Adaptive Optics Associates in the development of a 

high-speed, high-resolution video camera, the Air Force will have 

a technology available to efficiently record and analyze weapon 

and airframe performance and the commercial world will have a 

The Armament Directorate has successfully executed a CRD A 

with Adaptive Optics Associates, Cambridge MA, for the 

development of a high-speed, high-resolution video camera that 

combines the latest developments in electronic imaging 

Currently, high-speed film cameras are used by the Air Force to 

record and analyze weapon and airframe performance. Gathering 

information on weapon effectiveness, accuracy, tracking and 

ballistics testing requires very high frame rates on the cameras. 

To record a single test mission of a weapon released from an 

aircraft requires as many as 20 high-speed cameras on-board the 

aircraft with up to 30 high-speed cameras tracking and recording 

the impact on the target. With all these cameras, vast quantities of 

high-speed film must be processed and digitized electronically for 

computer analysis, a task that can take up to two weeks. Since 

numerous variables can go awry, i.e., over or underexposure, early 

or late camera triggering, film can jam, etc., the quality of these 

technology that could be used in manufacturing process control 

and the medical field. The Armament Directorate's innovative 

research, facilities and personnel will play a key role in the 

development of this video camera. 

technology with state-of-the-art computer technology. This 

system will have four times better resolution than current 

electronic imaging systems and captures images at 33 times 

current high resolution sensor operating rates. 

film data is often unsatisfactory for analysis. In contrast, the new 

electronic imaging camera, with direct digital data output, will 

provide an operator feedback system to permit real-time 

inspection of data quality and operating conditions. When 

combined with a data link, while the aircraft is still in the air, an 

analyst on the ground can run computer models to determine 

whether the desired test objectives have been met, saving valuable 

and increasingly rare flight test hours. The new electronic 

imaging system will also have significant environmental impact 

by reducing the amount of chemical processing currently needed 

to support film based camera operations. 

II 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

NEw CoMPOSITE MATERIALS IMPROVE RADOMES AND 

ANTENNA WINDows FoR MISSILES AND RE· ENTRY 

VEHICLES 

New composite materials such as the silica fiber reinforced 

composite used in the test article shown left will produce lighter, 

more durable and less expensive radomes and antenna windows 

for missiles and re-entry vehicles. They will extend the service 

Under a program sponsored by the Materials Directorate, a new 

family of inorganic resin-based composite materials was 

developed. These materials are about 20 percent lighter and more 

durable than conventional ceramics, have excellent high 

temperature electrical insulation properties, and can be produced 

Missile and re-entry vehicle systems have to be able to "see" to 

function properly. Their "eyes," sensitive radar systems, must be 

protected from the harsh environment of high speed flight by 

radomes and antenna windows. Traditional ceramic materials 

used for these applications lack an optimum combination of 

mechanical, electrical and thermostructural characteristics. In 

particular, the high heat conductivities of traditional ceramics 

results in the need for excessive insulation, subsequent design 

complexity and high cost. Current re-entry vehicle antenna 

window materials are brittle and susceptible to damage. The 

Materials Directorate developed, through a contract with Textron 

Defense Systems of Wilmington MA, an innovative family of 

life of radomes and antenna windows and can be used for high 

temperature commercial applications, such as aircraft engine 

circuit boards where high temperature performance and thermal 

stability are required. 

using conventional methods and equipment. Using the material to 

produce in-field replacement antenna windows overcomes 

moisture absorption and breakage problems associated with 

traditional materials. 

inorganic resin-based composite materials that overcomes the 

weaknesses of the traditional materials. These materials provide 

improved ablation (melting or vaporization) performance over 

current re-entry vehicle antenna window materials and can be 

fabricated and machined for up to 50 percent less cost than 

conventional ceramics. Also, the electrical insulation properties 

of the materials remain stable through high temperature 

excursions, a characteristic necessary for radar transparency. 

Radomes and antenna windows fabricated from these new 

materials possess excellent structural strength, toughness and the 

ability to survive the severe high temperature and high 

aerodynamic loads experienced during flight. 

II 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

NEw INSTRUMENT DEVELOPED FoR MEASURING DissoLVED 

OxYGEN IN AVIATION FuEL 

The new laser-based diagnostic technique provides continuous, 

near-real-time quantitation (precision measurement) of dissolved 

oxygen in aviation fuel. Increased understanding of dissolvedoxygen chemistry will accelerate the development of advanced 

Dr. James R. Gord of the Aero Propulsion and Power Directorate, 

working with Dr. Steven W. Buckner, an Air Force Office of 

Scientific Research program participant, developed a new laserbased technique for measuring dissolved oxygen in aviation fuel. 

Many aircraft performance improvements are accompanied by 

substantial heat loads that lead to increased thermal stress on the 

fuel--the primary coolant for on-board heat sources. The result is 

increasingly complex thermal management, which affects aircraft 

design and maintenance requirements. Through studies of 

aviation fuels and fuel additives, Directorate researchers have 

identified the critical role of dissolved-oxygen chemistry in fuel 

thermal stability. A reliable method for measuring dissolved 

oxygen is essential to continued fuel improvement. The 

dissolved-oxygen-quantitation technique developed by Dr. Gord 

offers significant advantages over the gas-chromatograph (GC) 

fuels and ultimately reduce aircraft downtime due to fuel-system 

maintenance. The apparatus not only has significant advantages 

and unique capabilities, but is also more compact and costs 

$10,000 less than equipment in current use. 

The technique precisely measures dissolved oxygen in the natural 

position without disturbing fuel-flow conditions (nonintrusive) or 

consuming the sample (nondestructive). 

approach currently in use. The GC provides two to three oxygen 

measurements per 15-minute period and consumes the sample. 

The new laser-based technique provides an oxygen-concentration 

measurement every I 0 seconds or less without consuming the 

sample. The generation of oxygen-consumption curves requires 

days with the GC but only minutes with the laser. The technique 

is ideal for flowing-fuel rigs and has been validated on the 

Directorate's near-isothermal flowing test rig. It also has 

tremendous potential for dual-use applications that involve 

oxygen quantitation in harsh environments. 

II 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

NEW PROCESS MAKES HIGH TEMPERATURE CERAMIC 

BEARINGS SELF LUBRICATING 

Self lubricating ceramic bearings will allow bearing sumps in 

expendable gas turbine engines to operate without cooling air and 

external hardware to supply lubricant to the bearings; thus, 

providing improvements in engine performance and reductions in 

A reaction process developed under a program sponsored by the 

Aero Propulsion and Power Directorate's Fuels and Lubrication 

Division enables ceramic bearings to be selflubricating at 

elevated temperatures. The self lubricating silicon nitride 

During the last decade, government agencies and industry have 

expended a significant amount of funds and manpower to develop 

Si3N4 rolling element bearings. High quality Si3N4 bearings are 

available from both domestic and foreign sources. A specific 

advantage of Si3N4 bearings is their high temperature capability. 

However, to capitalize on this advantage, high temperature 

lubricants are required. Since 1987, the Fuels and Lubrication 

Division has tested numerous inorganic compounds in the form of 

coatings and powders to identify high temperature lubricants for 

Si3N4 ceramics. Of the compounds tested, those containing 

cesium (i.e., CsMoOS3, Cs2WOS3, Cs2W04, Cs2S04 and 

CsOH) have been particularly impressive. Post test surface 

analysis of bearing specimens coated with these compounds 

revealed high levels of silicate (Si02) and cesium. This led inengine cost and weight. The inexpensive reaction process used to 

make a lubricious layer at the bearing surface can be applied to 

ceramic bearings in a production environment. 

(Si3N4) bearings performed for 50 hours in subscale tests at 1250 

degrees Fahrenheit and still maintained their critical mechanical 

properties. 

house researchers to postulate that cesium silicates (i.e., 

Cs20•Si02) produced via chemical reactions with the ceramic 

material are actually the lubricating species. Additional tests 

conducted in 1993 confirmed that Cs20•Si02 is a high 

temperature lubricant when applied as a coating. In 1994, a small 

business contract with the Desilube Company of Lancaster PA 

was modified to develop a process to produce cesium silicates in 

the matrix of a ceramic surface as a pretreatment for bearing 

operation. The intended goal was to make a self lubricating layer 

at the bearing surface while still maintaining the critical 

mechanical properties of Si3N4 throughout most of the substrate 

material. A patent application has been filed by the Air Force 

pertaining to cesium silicates as high temperature lubricants. 

111 

Payoff 

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Background 

I 

NEw MATERIALS SvsTEM PRocEss OPENS DooR To 

ExPANDED APPLICATIONS FoR HoLOGRAMS 

Shown left is an electron micrograph (1 O,OOOx) of a volume 

grating (thick, multi-layered reflecting surface) in a materials 

system made up of periodic liquid crystal-rich regions (dark) 

interspersed between polymer-rich regions. Compared to current 

Using conventional methods, Materials Directorate scientists 

developed a new materials system and single-step process for 

making advanced holograms (the number of steps needed are 

reduced from many to one), whose imaging properties can be 

rapidly and reversibly changed. This patented process makes 

Hologram technology, dealing with the properties of light, is 

important to the development of heads-up displays, optical data 

storage, optical computers and sensor systems. For many of these 

applications, control over how efficiently laser beams are reflected 

or split in two by diffraction is required. Several types of gratings 

(reflecting surfaces) showing efficient diffraction control have 

been studied, but not all can sufficiently control the angle and 

efficiency of the diffracted laser light in real-time. Certain 

applications, such as tunable filters, need both high diffraction 

efficiencies and precise real-time control of the angles of the 

diffracted laser light. Usually, volume gratings are produced to 

obtain these characteristics by an involved procedure requiring 

many steps. The new one-step process produces volume gratings 

that not only exhibit efficient diffraction control but are 

electrically switchable as well. As laser light is directed at the 

methods, the time and money to fabricate gratings for 

electronically switchable holograms will be reduced by 200 

percent or more. 

volume gratings in a unique materials system that, in addition to 

providing high diffraction efficiency and precise angle control, 

can be switched on and off electrically. This "switchability" 

makes possible a number of military and civilian applications. 

grating, a change in the hologram is produced when low voltage is 

applied to the hologram. This "switchability" makes possible a 

number of applications, including special filters that can 

automatically switch wavelengths to protect valuable sensors from 

damaging laser radiation, holographic memory devices with rapid 

electro-optical read-out of different "pages" of information, more 

versatile heads-up displays for aircraft and commercial supci· 

market type bar code scanners that require no moving parts. The 

new materials system has also led to patenting of a laser dosimeter 

(detector) badge ready for development. When affixed to a pilot's 

helmet it could record the laser wavelength and energy dosage in 

incidents where the pilot is irradiated with unknown laser light. 

The information gathered would be vital in diagnosing the threat 

from a hostile laser. 

m 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

NEw FIBER CoATING PRocEss WILL REDUCE MATERIALS 

CosTs FoR HIGH TEMPERATURE CoMPONENTS 

Shown left is a schematic of the new fiber coating device used for 

coating continuous fibers in a controlled atmosphere. This device 

enables the fabrication of high temperature ceramic matrix 

Materials Directorate scientists developed and patented a new 

coating apparatus and process that enables coating of continuous 

fibers used in ceramic matrix composites. Use of this new device 

Air Force aircraft requirements continually demand more from 

aerospace materials. They must be lighter and stronger while 

withstanding higher temperatures. To help meet these demands, 

composite materials are being used more often in aerospace 

applications. Certain composites, although tough and strong, 

cannot withstand high temperatures in air, and require oxidation 

resistant fibers, matrices, and fiber coatings for use at high 

temperatures. An oxidation resistant fiber-matrix interface may 

either be oxidation resistant itself, provided it has the correct 

mechanical properties, or have a coating that is present during 

processing but oxidizes away after heat-treatment, leaving a gap 

that provides the necessary mechanical properties. However, 

application of a uniform coating to continuous fibers can be 

difficult, and known techniques for applying coatings, i.e. 

composite fibers at reduced costs, with fewer pollutants and in 

less than half the time. 

allows application of coatings in a controlled atmosphere, so that 

carbon and metallic coatings can be applied. 

chemical vapor deposition (CVD), are often expensive, lack 

versatility and generate pollutants. The usual method for 

applying such coatings is CVD. However, CVD requires 

equipment that costs more than $300,000. In comparison, the 

new coater is not only less expensive ($10,000-$20,000), it 

applies a coating at speeds typically faster than can be achieved 

with CVD while generating very little toxic gas. Potential Air 

Force applications for oxidation resistant coated fibers include 

composites for turbine engine nozzles, flaps, seals and 

combusters. The new coater can also be used to coat copper wire 

for electric motor armatures allowing operation at higher 

temperatures, and to coat optical fibers for increased durability 

and internal reflectance. 

m 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

HIGH SCHOOL APPRENTICESHIP AND CAREER 

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS HELP STUDENTS 

By providing "hands-on" experience to prospective scientists and 

engineers, the High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP) and 

the Career Development Program (CDP) help students in the 

Eglin Air Force Base area make critical career decisions. The 

Each year Wright Laboratory's Armament Directorate 

sponsors 20-30 gifted student in grades 10-12 from local high 

schools surrounding Eglin Air Force Base under the auspices 

of the HSAP and CDP. One-hundred percent of the students 

The HSAP and CDP, established in 1984 and 1990 respectively, 

assigns students in paid positions to mentors throughout the 

Armament Directorate to do research, conduct experiments, learn 

about science and engineering and present their findings at the 

end of the summer to Directorate personnel and school officials. 

Students are selected for the HSAP based on the "whole person" 

concept showing an overall involvement in academic as well as 

civic activities. Up to two HSAP slots per year are awarded to 

involvement of the Armament Directorate in the programs 

enhance the "good neighbor" image of the Air Force in the local 

community. 

involved in the HSAP have gone to college to pursue a science 

degree, while over eighty percent of those involved in the CDP 

have gone to college. 

regional science fair winners from the local area. The CDP 

students, besides meeting the same criteria for selection, must also 

come from economically disadvantaged families. Students apply 

for the programs through their school guidance counselors. 

Students are instructed in a variety of areas including scientific 

programming languages, energetic dynamics, and environmental 

analysis of soils and plants, and can work throughout their high 

school years in the program. 

m 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

NEw PROPELLANT CHARGE FABRICATION PRocEss FoR 

CASED TELESCOPED AMMUNITION 

The thermal consolidation of propellant grains into a precise 

molded charge will significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of 

propellant charges for cased telescoped ammunition. The 

Under a program sponsored by the Armament Directorate, an 

improved propellant charge fabrication process for cased 

telescoped ammunition was developed. The thermally 

Cased telescoped ammunition contains the projectile inside the 

cartridge case rather than protruding from the case as with most 

ammunition. It was developed as part of the Air Force's 

Advanced Gun Technology program. All telescoped ammunition 

designs have used propellant charges molded or compressed from 

granular propellant. This molding or compaction process greatly 

increases the packing density--which enables more energy to be 

stored. This increased energy provides higher muzzle velocities. 

Unfortunately, the prevailing fabrication process is sensitive, 

time-consuming, dirty and costly. This process uses a solution of 

acetone, alcohol and water to soften the propellant grains before 

they are compressed. It requires precise temperature and humidity 

controls, and up to ten hours of conditioning time to ensure 

technology has been transitioned to the Army's Research and 

Development and Engineering Center, Picatinny Arsenal NJ. 

consolidated propellants produced are of a higher quality and cost 

less than propellant charges produced using the prevailing 

fabrication process. 

proper ammunition performance. Since the solution leeches the 

graphite coating from the individual propellant grains, the residue 

gums up the tooling, which requires extensive downtime for 

cleaning and maintenance. The Armament Directorate tackled 

this problem of complex, time-consuming manufacturing through 

a Small Business Innovation Research program. The new process 

applies binder to the individual grains of propellants. By heating 

the propellant grains plus the molds and mandrels used in the 

compaction process, the grains are easily thermally consolidated 

into the desired shape and density within five minutes without use 

of a solvent solution. The thermally compacted cased telescoped 

ammunition was successfully fired and evaluated during the 

20mm Advanced Gun Technology program. 

fD 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

I 

NEw CoATING PRocEss PROVIDES LIGHTWEIGHT 

SoLUTION FoR HUMIDITY PROTECTION OF INTEGRATED 

CIRCUITS 

The development of a process for applying a protective silicon 

carbide ceramic coating to plastic packaged integrated circuits 

offers circuit manufacturers a lightweight alternative to metal or 

ceramic cases for protection against humidity-caused corrosion in 

Under a program jointly sponsored by the Materials and 

Manufacturing Technology Directorates, National Semiconductor 

Corporation (NSC) and Dow-Coming developed a process for 

applying a ceramic coating to integrated circuits prior to plastic 

encasement. The ceramic coating will boost the protection 

Air Force systems, heavily dependent on high density electronic 

circuits, must perform through a range of environments. An 

environment of special concern to integrated circuit manufacturers 

is one of high humidity. Humidity can wreak havoc on electronic 

circuits, activating ionic impurities that attack the metallization, 

causing entire components to fail. To provide adequate 

protection, circuits for years have been enclosed in air tight cases 

of metal or ceramics. With this packaging approach, overall 

component weight goes up as the density, sophistication and 

number of integrated circuits in a component increase. Plasticpackaged electronic components, preferred because they are 

lighter and less bulky, have been used as a last resort in several 

electronic components. Ceramic thin-film coatings provide 

greatly improved reliability for plastic packaged electronic circuits 

while reducing weight by as much as 80 percent from hermetic 

packaging. 

against humidity-caused corrosion to a level nearly equal to 

hermetically sealed circuits. This thin-film coating, when applied 

to partially assembled integrated circuits prior to plastic 

overmolding, produced sealed chips with significantly enhanced 

reliability, as compared to standard plastic packages. 

cases when hermetic packages were not available. However, 

plastic-packaged electronic circuits are susceptible to damage by 

the interaction of excessive humidity and ionic impurities that can 

lead to component failure. The process developed by NSC and 

Dow-Coming for protecting integrated circuits prior to plastic 

encasement involves the application of a ceramic coating 

consisting of two layers. A silicon dioxide layer is used first for 

smoothing the circuit topology followed by a silicon carbide layer 

that acts as a barrier against moisture and activated ion impurities. 

Using this process offers a lightweight solution for humidity 

problems in aircraft and automobile electronic systems, hand-held 

radios and cellular phones. 

fl 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

NEw CoNCEPT MAKES INTELLIGENT ELECTRICAL LoAD 

MANAGEMENT WIDELY APPLICABLE 

A new electric load management concept, using remote 

terminals (RT) and a solid state power controller (SSPC), has 

been selected by Bombardier Aerospace Group -North America 

for its long range, high-speed global express business jet and by 

Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company for the advanced 

The Aero Propulsion and Power Directorate's Aerospace Power 

Division has developed new, generic RTs that can be configured 

to manage any type of aircraft alternating current (A C) or direct 

current (DC) electrical system. The RT is the heart of an 

The key technologies in implementing intelligent electric load 

management are the RT and the SSPC. The ELMS distributes, 

controls, and monitors power to all aircraft loads and power 

busses, and functions as a utility management system for basic 

airplane subsystems. Once activated, the ELMS automatically 

performs all load management and electric bus switching control 

functions through its capability to continuously sense and monitor 

the health of the vehicle's electrical system. The ELMS is 

activated in a normal mode which contains flight, ground, and 

maintenance submodes. In case of an emergency (electrical 

failures), the ELMS automatically reconfigures the electrical 

busses, sheds loads if necessary, and simultaneously informs the 

Hercules ll, C-130J transport. The RT provides improved 

diagnostics that contribute to simplified maintenance, improved 

survivability and lower life-cycle costs. It also increases 

electrical system fault tolerance and reliability. 

electrical load management system (ELMS) that replaces the 

conventional circuit breaker/relay panel and provides the 

intelligence to perform automatic load control and built-in-test. 

crew as appropriate. The crew can react by either overriding the 

ELMS decisions or acknowledge the failure(s) and continuing 

the mission. These features reduce pilot burden and simplify 

maintenance procedures. On the C-1301 this technology enabled 

the removal of one person (the flight engineer) from the cockpit 

which has resulted in a two-person flight crew. The SSPC is a 

solid state equivalent to a series fuse/relay (circuit breaker) 

combination that performs the load control (switching) on 

command from the RT or pilot while providing automatic short 

circuit protection to the wire and load. An advanced SSPC has 

demonstrated a six-fold improvement (130 amps, 270 volts DC 

versus 20 amps, 270 volts DC) over current SSPCs. 

fl 
I 

1 

I 

' I 
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

HIGH-SPEED MICROCHIP LASERS DEVELOPED 

The new microchip laser technology provides high-performance 

laser sources which are compact, rugged and mass producible. 

The nearly perfect beam quality, high-pulse repetition frequency 

(PRF), and miniature size of the microchip lasers combined with 

Under the sponsorship of the Armament Directorate, Lincoln 

Laboratories developed low-cost, high-performance microchip 

lasers that operate at pulse rates up to 2.3 million times per 

A laser radar (also known as a LADAR) consists of a laser source, 

a laser beam scanner, an optical detector and timing circuits. 

LADAR constructs a three dimensional image of a target on the 

ground using the scanner to direct the laser beam to various points 

in the target scene and timing how long it takes a laser pulse to 

return to the detector. This 3-D picture allows the weapon to 

identify the target, track it and guide the munition to it. In the 

past, laser radars operated too slowly to be used during the 

terminal guidance portion of the weapon's flight since the PRF of 

their inexpensive nature make them an ideal choice for use in laser 

radar systems. Small, high-performance laser radars are essential 

to developing smaller, less expensive and more powerful seeker 

components for the next generation of smart munitions. 

second. This rate is the highest PRF ever recorded for Q-switched 

solid-state lasers. 

the laser source limits the rate at which LADAR data can be 

acquired. Increasing the PRF of a laser source enables laser radar 

seekers to function during high-speed engagements such as in 

terminal guidance, which is the last few seconds the weapon bears 

down on its target. Other features of this new technology include 

highly efficient energy conversion and extremely small 

packaging--exactly what is required for highly sophisticated, yet 

compact weapon systems. 

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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

TRI·SERVICE MINIATURE INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNIT 

(IMU) SELECTED As BASELINE 

The tactical grade IMU exhibits the required performance (one 

degree per hour gyroscopic drift rate), small size (25 cubic inches 

in size) and low cost (less than $10,000/production unit) that 

McDonnell Douglas selected the Tri-service Miniature IMU 

design, developed by Wright Laboratory's Armament Directorate, 

as the baseline IMU for their competing JDAM guidance system. 

JDAM is the next generation self-guiding munition that utilizes 

both a global positioning system satellite receiver (to receive the 

In 1984, the Armament Directorate initiated a program to develop 

a miniature ring laser gyro (RLG). Since weapon guidance 

systems such as "smart" munitions need small, compact 

components in order to fit inside a weapon, a subsequent program, 

titled the Tri-service Miniature Inertial Measurement Unit, was 

initiated to incorporate the miniature RLG into a small, 

inexpensive tactical weapon grade IMU. This tactical weapon 

grade component is designed to be reliable, yet affordable, since it 

will be destroyed when the weapon detonates. In 1993, the Airmakes it suitable for use as a common core IMU for a variety of 

smart munition guidance systems such as the Joint Direct Attack 

Munition (JDAM) guidance system. 

satellite global positioning system signals) with an IMU (to sense 

the JDAM' s movements in space) for its guidance system. 

McDonnell Douglas is one of the two competing JDAM prime 

contractors. 

To-Surface Weapons System Program Office at Eglin AFB FL, 

conducted the Operational Concept Demonstration (OCD) 

program. The OCD program successfully demonstrated, via free 

flight launches of a GBU-15 air-to-surface weapon, that tightly 

coupled Global Positioning System!IMU navigation could be 

accomplished. The inertial navigation system used in the OCD 

modified GBU-15 weapon contained the miniature RLGs 

developed by the Navigation and Control branch of the Armament 

Directorate. 

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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

RAPID FouNDRY TooLING SYSTEM AuTOMATES PATTERN 

DESIGN FoR FoUNDRY CASTINGS 

The memory-driven software system reduces the time for design 

and generation of foundry sand casting patterns from two weeks 

to less than two days. This system can play a key role in 

Scientists at Wright Laboratory's Materials Directorate and 

AIW ARE, Inc., working together with the San Antonio Air 

Logistics Center, have developed an automated pattern design 

system that reduces the time for generating foundry sand casting 

High volume (1 00+) structural components of all sizes with 

complex geometry, and large, low volume mechanical parts are 

generally more economical to produce by molten-metal casting 

than via material removal operations. In the sand casting process, 

a sand mold is created for each new part by packing the sand 

around a template, called a pattern, which represents the part plus 

additional geometry for access of the molten metal into the mold 

cavity. The cost of designing and producing the pattern is very 

expensive. A pattern maker, in addition to translating the 

blueprint of a part into a pattern, must also include all the 

additional process features such as gates, risers, chills, drafts, 

shrinkage, and so on. Proper placement of these pattern features 

can impact final part quality by influencing the process. The 

Rapid Foundry Tooling System improves the overall casting 

process by employing four modules to bring the power of 

advanced computer-based information technology to the task of 

pattern making. First, a feature based design environment is used 

improving the quality and cost efficiency of cast metal parts, a 

critical factor in complex castings used in Air Force aircraft, 

missiles and spacecraft. 

patterns by as much as 80 percent. Their Rapid Foundry Tooling 

System brings the power of feature-based geometric modeling to 

the task of pattern design for cast metal parts. 

to translate the blueprint into a solid model of the pattern. Next 

the system's episodal associative memory relates past experiences 

of pattern makers with similar parts. These experiences may be 

applied to the current pattern design in the casting design module, 

where gates, risers, and other process features are also 

incorporated. Third, an automated design module uses expert 

casting knowledge to augment the part model adding process 

features to the part to create the casting patterns. Finally, a 

stereolithography output module generates a prototype of the final 

pattern. The Rapid Foundry Tooling System can also aid in the 

training of pattern designers. The Rapid Foundry Tooling System 

is now in use as a prototype at the San Antonio Air Logistics 

Center to design patterns for a wide range of cast aluminum parts 

for Air Force aircraft and weapons systems. A dual-use 

technology spin-off has also been developed with a Youngstown 

State University Industry Consortia of Metal Foundry Companies. 

II 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

IMPROVED HYBRID BALL BEARINGS OFFER INCREASED 

SERVICE LIFE 

Nitriding (a hardening process) the steel raceway surface of a 

hybrid ball bearing will benefit bearing applications where 

resistance to contamination and debris is needed, and where thin 

fluid or solid lubrication films could result in damage to the 

Researchers at Wright Laboratory's Materials Directorate and 

The Torrington Company ofT orrington CT developed an 

advanced process that produces a nitrided zone on the raceway 

surfaces of ball bearings that is an integral part of the steel 

Ball bearings are critical components in machinery with rotating 

parts. In the Air Force, the performance of equipment with ball 

bearings often determines the degree of success with which a 

weapon system completes its mission. In addition, as service life 

of Air Force systems are extended, they often require bearings 

with extended performance capabilities. For years, ball bearings 

have been made with steel balls and steel races. Severe operating 

conditions could cause the races to break, spall and pit, leading to 

early failure. As performance requirements increased, hybrid 

bearings were developed with silicon nitride ceramic balls. These 

bearings produced a 1 0-fold service life improvement over allsteel bearings, even though the mechanical properties of the steel 

races were not up to those of the ceramic balls. To complement 

raceway surfaces. The reduced lubrication requirement of the 

improved hybrid bearings as well as longer life cycle, combine to 

make them well-suited for Air Force systems where service 

requirements demand extended bearing life. 

surface and cannot break or spall off. The resulting hybrid ball 

bearings have a service life that is eight times longer than that of 

earlier hybrid bearings and twenty times longer than all-steel 

bearings in heavy-duty applications. 

the properties of the silicon nitride balls, the process for nitriding 

raceway surfaces of bearings produces raceway surfaces in the 

same hardness range as the ceramic balls. The nitrided zone of the 

raceway is an integral part of the steel surface and cannot break or 

spall off. A very high residual compressive stress zone near the 

raceway surface provides additional resistance to rolling contact 

fatigue in hybrid bearings. Improved corrosion resistance from the 

nitriding can extend the useful life of hybrid bearings in many 

applications. These hybrid bearings (offered commercially by The 

Torrington Company) could be used on the spindles of precision 

machine tools and grinding machines and as heavy-duty thrust 

bearings. 

ED 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

THERMOCHEMICALLY AcTUATED MoTION (TCAM) 

VALVE ACTUATOR TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATED 

A TCAM valve actuator is a low cost, lightweight, highly reliable 

alternative to electrohydraulic control valves. This technology 

could benefit future aircraft control and generate many advances 

in state of the art improvement in actuator characteristics, 

Under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program 

sponsored by the Fight Dynamics Directorate's Flight Control 

Division, the feasibility of applying new thermally expanding 

polymer actuation technology to aircraft valve control was 

demonstrated. This new mechanical actuation process is based on 

The state of the art in proportional hydraulic control currently 

requires complex hydraulic amplification circuits to amplify low 

power control signals to a level capable of operating the large 

electrohydraulic valves that control hydraulic actuators operating 

flight control surfaces. These valves provide power conversion 

and precise control of the mechanical advantage necessary to 

transform low power electrical signals into high force mechanical 

motion. They contain many precision machined parts that result 

in an undesirable level of failure modes and maintenance 

requirements. The Flight Dynamics Directorate initiated the SBIR 

particularly, in the area of small instrument and control actuators 

and hydraulic cylinder replacements. There is commercial interest 

in this technology from the medical, manufacturing, automobile 

and entertainment fields. 

thermally expanding polymers in a self-contained hydraulic 

cylinder which does not require support equipment such as 

pumps, reservoirs, valves, etc. Current TCAM actuators are 

capable of 170 millisecond operation with very large volumetric 

expansion exceeding 30,000 psi. 

program with TCAM Technologies, Inc. to evaluate the feasibility 

of their valve control technology to operate final valve assemblies 

directly, thereby reducing the complexity of the circuit's 

hydraulic portions. The TCAM process is accomplished using the 

large volumetric expansion of polymers in the melt zone. 

Polymers are inserted into pressure vessels outfitted with a piston 

arrangement, and a means of heating and cooling is provided to 

cycle the polymer through either a melting point or a glass 

transition temperature. In essence, the device is the equivalent of 

a hydraulic cylinder without the entire hydraulic support system. 

ED 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

40THANNIVERSARY OF THE NT-33A IN-FLIGHT 

SIMULATOR 

The NT-33A has aided the Department of Defense research and 

development mission by providing a highly useful and cost 

effective tool to researchers and aircraft designers. In-flight 

simulation allows an early evaluation of flying qualities in a 

The NT-33A in-flight simulator completed forty years as one of 

the world's truly unique and versatile research aircraft. This 

unique research aircraft has been used to predict flight 

characteristics of new aircraft that have not yet flown, correct 

flight control deficiencies and to perform generic research in the 

areas of flying qualities, flight control design, cockpit displays 

The Air Force accepted the T-33A in October 1951 and used 

it initially for engine research. The Air Force then assigned it 

to the Flight Control Laboratory, predecessor for the Flight 

Dynamics Directorate, and delivered it to the Cornell 

Aeronautical Laboratory in October 1954. Cornell modified 

the T-33A into an in-flight simulator and the aircraft made its 

first flight as the NT-33A in February 1957. Major 

modifications included: replacing the original nose with a 

larger one to house additional electronic systems; relocating 

internal systems and installing a data recorder, sensors, and 

computers upon which desired flight characteristics could be 

programmed; installing an independently controlled hydraulic 

center stick whose input went to the computer and installing 

hydraulic actuators controlled by the computer on all primary 

realistic environment, provides a flexible platform for many types 

of research and enhances the training of new test pilots. These 

translate into greater confidence in new designs, decreased risk on 

the first flight of new aircraft and better qualified test pilots. 

and human factors. The aircraft has also been used to train new 

test pilots. The NT-33A is the oldest flying Air Force aircraft and 

is the longest continuously operated research aircraft in the Air 

Force. Its successes are the result of the combined efforts of the 

Flight Dynamics Directorate and Calspan Advanced Technology 

Center (formally Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory), Buffalo NY. 

control surfaces. The first research program was performed in 

December 1959 and investigated the flying qualities of lifting 

bodies. The NT-33A has been active ever since, having supported 

the development of aircraft such as the X-15, A-10, F-15, F-16, 

YF-17, F-18, F-22, Lavi (Israel), and JAS-39 Gripen (Sweden). It 

has also performed research in the areas of flying qualities, flight 

control design, human factors and head-up displays. The NT-33A 

is also used by the Air Force and Navy test pilot schools to train 

new test pilots in issues pertinent to digital flight control design 

and display requirements. Most of the aircraft's electronic 

systems have been upgraded over the years, and other additions 

include a digital flight control system, fully programmable side 

stick and a head-up display. 

II 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

' 

I 

PROXIMITY SENSOR TESTED FoR GENERAL 

PuRPOSE BOMBS 

The successful array tests in an anechoic chamber of the Army's 

multi-option fuze for artillery (MOFA) proximity sensors enabled 

the Air Force to move one step closer to a one piece fuze stored in 

Personnel from Wright Laboratory's ArmamentDirectorate, the 

Air Force Development Test Center and the Army Armament 

Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) teamed 

to successfully test a miniature proximity sensor for use in aerial 

The All-Up Round Fuze program goal is to affordably combine 

the Army's proximity sensor, a wind turbine generator and an 

in-line explosive train, capable of detonating insensitive high 

explosives, into a one piece fuze stored in the warhead. The 

MOFA proximity sensor, identified through Project Reliance, 

uses a microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC), 

frequency modulated continuous wave radar of very low power 

and a sophisticated signal processor. It was developed by 

ARDEC to meet low cost artillery needs. The mutual 

interference criterion originates from the ripple or salvo drop of 

general purpose bombs where bomb-to-bomb distances during 

the warhead (All-Up Round Fuze) for general purpose bombs. 

The Air Force will realize an improvement in aircrew safety and 

in the number of bombs detonating on or near the target. 

bombing. Utilizing a large anechoic chamber located at Eglin Air 

Force Base for the test, the team determined that an off-the-shelf 

Army fuze proximity sensor can meet Air Force mutual 

interference criteria for multiple bomb drops. 

free-fall can be as close as five feet in a 24 bomb pattern causing 

some weapons with proximity fuzes to detonate prior to reaching 

the target. The test included a telemetry-equipped fuze at the 

center of a 31 point, close packed hexagonal pattern. Seven other 

fuzes were located at various points on the pattern with their 

antennae lobes oriented so as to maximize mutual interference. 

The center fuze was co-located with a device which simulated the 

effect of the sensors flying into the ground with various ground 

reflectivities. No significant self-jamming occurred until the fuzes 

were brought to within three feet of each other exceeding the Air 

Force's requirement. 

m 
- - - -
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

THE NEW LASER· BASED SENSOR PROVIDES REAL· TIME 

CoNTROL OF HIGH· TEMPERATURE CoATING PRocEss 

The new laser-based sensor offers precision control over coating 

applications that are essential for prolonging the life of critical 

components in Air Force turbine engines. Besides coatings for 

precise, high-temperature barrier applications, the laser ultrasonic 

Researchers at Wright Laboratory's Materials Directorate, 

working with scientists at United Technologies Research Center 

at East Hartford CT, have found a way to make noncontact, 

nondestructive, on-line measurements of the thickness of highMany parts for advanced Air Force systems must meet stringent 

requirements for light-weight, resistance to high-temperatures, 

consistent performance and long operational life. Coatings have 

become critical elements in meeting these requirements by 

providing vital protection for precision components which must 

operate in extreme environments. One such coating material, 

crystalline silicon nitride, is being applied as a thermal resistance 

barrier for carbon-carbon rotors in advanced, high-temperature 

turbine engines under the Integrated High-Performance Turbine 

Engine Technology initiative. Because the rotors must operate 

at high-speeds, precision balance is critical. Coating thickness 

must be uniform over all surfaces of the rotor, including each 

blade. Currently, measuring the thickness of coatings applied at 

high-temperatures is done by estimation, or by destroying a part 

sensor can be used to measure ceramic and polymeric coatings on 

the skins of advanced Air Force aircraft. It can also be used as an 

end-process sensor to measure the thickness of virtually any kind 

of coating. 

temperature coatings. Their method, which improves the quality 

and consistency of coatings, employs laser ultrasonics to 

accurately measure the thickness of coatings which are as thin as 

two mils, at temperatures as high as 1400°Celsius. 

for after-the-fact measurements. Because measurements with the 

newly developed laser ultrasonic sensor system are made in realtime, even at temperatures as high as 1400° Celsius, coating 

thickness can be accurately monitored and controlled. In 

operation, a pulsed laser ultrasonic generator directs a ring-shaped 

pulse at the coated surface. Ultrasonic waves travel through the 

coating to a central laser sensor point and are picked up and 

reflected back to an interferometer sensor so the coating thickness 

can be detected and read out directly. On-line, real-time 

measuring offers precision control over the coating process, 

especially when the interferometer sensor is linked to the coating 

equipment. Nondestructive operation permits measurements to be 

made even during the application of coatings. 

m 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

NEw PRODUCTION PRocEss FoR CoMPLEX 

SEMICONDUCTORS PERMITS REDUCED SYSTEM SIZE, 

IMPROVED PERFORMANCE 

A multiple function semiconductor chip (shown left, 

foreground) replaces complete circuit boards (shown left, 

background) in advanced electronic systems while generating a 

higher-powered output and less heat. With the new production 

process, these complex chips can be used to combine Air Force 

Researchers at Wright Laboratory's Materials Directorate, 

working with scientists at the University of California-San Diego, 

developed a new production process which employs lasers for 

selective deposition of dissimilar materials onto a wafer to 

Semiconductors, the basis for all solid state electronic systems, 

have permitted the miniaturization of scores of Air Force 

electronic systems. Semiconductor production has traditionally 

been done by patterning, masking and etching-- a low-yield, 

high-cost process. Advanced Air Force electronic systems 

demand greater accuracy for higher performance. At the same 

time, these higher-powered systems must often be downsized to 

increase payload or operational range of aircraft. One method to 

help achieve these requirements is to combine several 

systems such as infrared detection and signal processing or radar 

transmit and receive systems onto single chips. The new process 

offers 70 percent savings in production time and 50 percent 

savings in processing cost. 

combine several semiconductors onto a single chip. This 

process can permit electronic system size reduction by as much 

as 60 percent. 

semiconductors using the direct-write selective area epitaxy 

process, even those with different materials, onto a single chip. 

For example, transmit and receive systems for airborne radar can 

be combined into a single chip, as can infrared detection and 

signal processing systems, as well as complete controls for 

phased-array radar systems. Other uses for multiple function 

semiconductor chips might include combining electro-optics with 

digital electronics for greater capacity, and savings in weight and 

space. 

m 
lnGaAs 

GaAs 

lnGaP2 

ELECTRON ENERGY WELL 

·GATE 

I 

1 

I 

I 

I 
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

NEw PRODUCTION PRocEss IMPROVES PowER DENSITY, 

REDUCES SIZE OF COMPLEX SEMICONDUCTORS 

Development of a fast, highly accurate production metal-organic 

molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE) process makes it possible to 

prepare complex semiconductors (structure of a typical 

semiconductor shown left) that can be downsized by as much as 

90 percent while offering three times the power density. Savings 

Wright Laboratory's Materials Directorate, working jointly with 

American Telephone and Telegraph Bell Laboratories, Murray 

Hill NJ and General Electric/Martin Lockheed, Syracuse NY, 

developed a new production process for complex 

For many years, most multiple-layer semiconductors have been 

prepared by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition 

(MOCVD), a process not accurate enough for devices requiring 

high power density. Another process, molecular beam epitaxy 

(MBE), offers high accuracy, but is too slow for most 

production requirements. Neither process appears able to meet 

future requirements for quality and cost efficiency in the 

in size and weight make it possible for semiconductors produced 

by this process to be used in advanced space-based radar and 

communication systems that operate in the millimeter and submillimeter ranges. 

semiconductors. High-speed, digital integrated circuits produced 

by their MOMBE process have shown over a 50 percent reduction 

in defects for a corresponding increase in yield. 

production of complex semiconductors. MOMBE combines the 

best advantages of the MOCVD and MBE processes with few of 

the drawbacks. Semiconductors produced using the MOMBE 

process can provide increased resolution in millimeter wavelength 

radar systems to enable helicopter pilots to see and avoid power 

lines while conducting night operations. 

m 
Presented to 

U.S. Air Force Wright Laboratory 

for the Development of 

Propulsion Controlled Aircraft Flight Control Software 

Selected by R&D Magazine as One of the 100 ~lost 

Technologically Significant New Products of the lear 

1994 ~~~ I 

I 

I 

I 

I 
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

PROPULSION CONTROLLED AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGY 

SELECTED FoR 1994 R&D lOOAwARD 

R&D Magazine identified the Propulsion Controlled Aircraft 

(PCA) Flight Control Software as one of the 100 most 

technologically significant technologies of the year. This 

The development ofPCA Flight Control Software was 

recognized by R&D Magazine as one of the 100 most 

technologically significant products of 1993. The award given 

to Wright Laboratory was one of the prestigious R&D 100 

Awards made in 1994. This PCA program, partially funded by 

Wright Laboratory and managed by NASA Dryden, used 

Each year R&D Magazine recognizes the 100 most technologically significant new products of the year. Called the 

"Oscars of Invention" and the "Nobel Prize of Applied 

Research," one of the 100 awards presented in September 

1994 went to the Propulsion Controlled Aircraft Flight 

Control Software team members. They were recognized for 

their successful development and demonstration of an 

alternative approach to help pilots fly severely damaged 

aircraft to a safe landing. An extension of the joint Air Force/ 

NASA Self-Repairing Flight Control System program, the 

PCA program received its impetus following the 19 July 1989 

crash of a United Airlines DC-1 0 due to complete flight 

control surface lock. Preliminary attempts to control the 

aircraft through manual control of the throttle only, even when 

level and trimmed out, was determined to be very difficult but 

technology, coupled with other current digital and sensor 

technologies, offers the potential to recover damaged or impaired 

military and civilian aircraft without the loss of life. 

software developed by McDonnell Douglas. This computer 

program automated thrust augmentation functions to assist the 

pilot in successfully landing an impaired (all of its flight control 

surfaces locked) F-15 aircraft at Edwards AFB CAusing thrust 

only (no thrust vectoring) for control. 

possible. The PCA team found that, lacking the precision 

required to land the aircraft due to a lightly damped Dutch roll, 

Phugoid mode oscillation and slow response of the engines to 

throttle changes, automatic thrust augmentation was required. A 

computer program, using normal aircraft sensors and displays, 

measures aircraft angle and rate information and couples it with 

pilot commands to provide the augmentation required to safely 

land the F-15 with its flight controls locked. The display shows 

the commanded flight path of the aircraft enabling the pilot to 

immediately know the effect of his commands, thereby precluding 

over or under control of the aircraft. This system allowed 

consistently safe landings in a piloted simulator leading to the 

actual safe landing of the F-15 in April 1993. Transition of this 

technology to transport and commercial aircraft is underway. 

ED 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

Low INFRARED CoATING PROGRAM PROVIDES INTERIM 

AND LoNG· TERM SoLUTIONS 

The low infrared coatings program provided a fast interim 

solution, as well as a proven, highly effective long-term solution 

for reducing solar effects on Air Force aircraft. Off-the-shelf 

Research by engineers and scientists from Wright Laboratory's 

Materials, Avionics and Plans Directorates led to the 

identification of low infrared coatings for AMC aircraft that 

AMC aircrews often fly into hostile areas of the world to deliver 

personnel, supplies and equipment. In these environments, 

infrared-seeking missiles threaten aircrews and mission 

accomplishment. To make AMC' s transport and tanker aircraft 

less vulnerable to infrared tracking systems, AMC officials asked 

the Materials Directorate to identify a coating to reduce solar 

contributions to aircraft vulnerability. Within a month, engineers 

from the Directorate's Nonmetallic Materials Division and 

Systems Support Division provided AMC with a short-term 

solution. They identified a suitable coating that met the 

minimum durability requirements of 50 flight hours. In 

developing a long-term solution, candidate coatings were tested 

for effectiveness and durability. An array of Materials 

Directorate equipment and facilities were used to test various 

coatings for adhesion and resistance to rain erosion, ultraviolet 

coatings identified through the program will make Air Mobility 

Command (AMC) aircraft less vulnerable to infrared tracking 

systems. 

minimize solar effects on an aircraft's vulnerability to infrared 

threats. Both a short-term solution and a long-term solution met 

the minimum durability requirement of 50 flight hours. 

exposure, high-temperatures, humidity and a range of operating 

fluids, as well as optical properties. Throughout, close 

cooperation with suppliers paid off in quick response times to 

provide off-the-shelf coatings and near -off-the-shelf revised 

coatings. Testing was conducted against infrared sensors in flight 

tests at Eglin AFB and Wright-Patterson AFB. Engineers in the 

Avionics Directorate, and the Signature Technology Office of the 

Plans Directorate handled sensor analysis. The final coating 

selection met requirements for application using standard Air 

Force techniques as well as minimum durability requirements for 

application of 50 flight hours. For his leadership in moving this 

program to completion in less than 12 months the project 

manager, George F. Schmitt, Jr., of the Materials Directorate's 

Nonmetallic Materials Division, earned the Meritorious Civilian 

Service Award. 

II 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL CAN IMPROVE 

PERFORMANCE OF NEAR-INFRARED SOLID STATE LASERS 

Highly ordered indium gallium phosphide In (GaP2

) crystal 

layers, integrated on a gallium arsenide substrate to form 

arsenide lasers, can improve the performance and reliability of 

tunable mid-infrared laser systems for military, industrial and 

Under a Small Business Innovation Research program 

sponsored by the Wright Laboratory's Materials Directorate, 

Spire Corporation of Burlington, MA developed an advanced 

non-linear optical crystal semiconductor material that improves 

Lasers today are at work in an incredibly broad range of 

applications, from laser guided bombs for the military to laser 

surgery for the medical field and industrial lasers for machining 

operations. One widely used near-infrared laser is based on 

gallium arsenide crystals. These gallium arsenide lasers use 

components which have been constructed from layers of 

aluminum gallium arsenide, a material that has proven 

susceptible to oxidation, causing reduced life performance and 

early failure. Specially constructed InGaP2 layers have proven 

to be a promising new material to replace aluminum gallium 

arsenide layers in gallium arsenide lasers. This atomically 

ordered InGaP2 has outstanding crystal uniformity and low 

absorption loss. It bonds well with the gallium arsenide 

medical applications. This advanced material can also improve 

communication networks and aircraft warfare countermeasure 

systems, and make possible remote pollution monitoring systems. 

the performance of near-infrared solid state lasers. The material, 

InGaP2

, is specially constructed for maximum useful nonlinearity 

and clarity, and eliminates many of the shortcomings associated 

with conventional materials. 

substrate because it matches the substrate perfectly and the 

oxidation resistance oflnGaP2 is superior due to the elimination 

of aluminum as a component. Highly ordered InGaP2 layers 

integrated on a gallium arsenide substrate will produce improved 

gallium arsenide lasers which can be used as solid state optical 

pumping sources in high-efficiency, compact, tunable midinfrared lasers for Air Force optical countermeasure systems. 

Other potential Air Force applications include more efficient solar 

cells and improved optical detectors. Commercially, gallium 

arsenide lasers incorporating InGaP2 will be useful in medical 

applications such as photodynamic therapy which involves the use 

of photosensitive dyes in the treatment of a number of skin 

ailments. 

II 
- - -
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

AwARD FoR CoNTRIBUTIONS To CERAMIC MATRIX 

CoMPOSITES DEVELOPMENT 

Dr. Ronald J. Kerans' role in the development of ceramic matrix 

composites has led to the transition of these materials to Air 

Force systems such as the advanced turbine engine. Dr. Kerans' 

contributions to the development of advanced fiber-matrix 

Dr. Ronald J. Kerans of Wright Laboratory's Materials 

Directorate received the 1995 Engineering and Science Award 

from the Engineering and Science Foundation/ Affiliate Societies 

Council of Dayton for his lifetime leadership and contributions to 

the design and development of ceramic matrix composite 

The Engineering and Science Foundation and Affiliate Societies 

Council of Dayton jointly sponsor annual Engineering and 

Science Awards presented to outstanding engineers and scientists 

in the Dayton area for significant contributions to their 

professions and the local community. One effort, led by Dr. 

Kerans, included an analytical model unique in its abilities. This 

model is the first to include interface roughness and all residual 

stresses and predict that these factors substantially affect ceramic 

matrix composite behavior. It is also the first model to clearly 

identify and isolate the most relevant interface property, the 

fracture toughness of the interface, from frictional and residual 

stress effects. These results have provided guidance for the design 

interface concepts will result in the transfer of these concepts to 

industry to meet a range of military and commercial needs. He is 

a role model in showcasing Wright Laboratory's research and 

development accomplishments. 

materials. As an international leader and authority in the ceramic 

composite community, Dr. Kerans led research on composite 

interfaces that has resulted in the development of advanced fibermatrix interface concepts. 

and development of a series of advanced fiber-matrix interface 

concepts. Newly initiated collaborations with industry will 

transfer these concepts to meet a range of military and commercial 

needs for improved state-of-the-art ceramic matrix composites and 

next generation materials. Dr. Kerans also led an activity that 

successfully identified a series of complex oxides capable of 

operating in advanced gas turbine engines at temperatures in 

excess of 3,000°F. This research resulted in the identification of a 

series of complex oxide materials, currently the focus of 

continued development in both Air Force and National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration programs for turbine 

engine applications. 

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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

NEw PHoro-ELEcrrucANALYSIS TECHNIQUE OF 

PSEUDOMORPHIC TRANSISTORS 

The photo-electric analysis of pseudomorphic (irregular fonn) 

high electron mobility transistors (PHEMTs ), using the 

experimental set-up shown left, has revealed new insight into their 

operation. This technique has led to a better understanding of 

Wright Laboratory's Solid State Electronics Directorate invented 

a new technique based on photo-electric conduction and emission 

which allows nondestructive, on-wafer analysis of fully fabricated 

PHEMTs are finding application in micro-electronic integrated 

circuits for use in electronic systems where superior perfonnance 

is of paramount importance. Superior electronic technology has 

made it possible for the Air Force to penetrate enemy territory to 

perfonn surgical strikes with minimal danger to the aircraft. To 

retain this capability, it is necessary to continually improve the 

perfonnance of the electronic systems. Pseudomorphic 

heterostructure device technology provides the foundation for 

next generation avionics systems. The pseudomorphic 

heterostructure transistors are fonned in a materiel structure 

which is made up of many layers of different semiconducting and 

insulating materials. These layers are very thin with typical 

PHEMT characteristics and will help in optimizing the design of 

electronic devices for next generation avionics systems that will 

enable the Air Force to penetrate enemy territory with minimal 

danger to the aircraft. 

PHEMTs. This represents an important advancement in analysis 

techniques since device processing changes electronic materials 

parameters. 

thickness of 50 to 100 atomic layers. Optical techniques have 

been used routinely to investigate these material structures. The 

new photo-electric analysis technique modifies the energy 

configuration within the thin layers by applying electric potentials 

to the drain and gate electrodes. In the experimental setup, 

monochromatic (single wavelength) light is directed towards the 

backside of the wafer via a fiber optic cable. The measurements 

are perfonned in a wavelength regime in which the substrate is 

optically transparent at the selected wavelength and the light can 

be absorbed in the channel of the device, resulting in 

photogeneration of electron-hole pairs. These charges are 

detected as photocurrents at the electrodes. 

Em 
- Molecular Beam Epitaxy Growth Chamber 

-... 

+ 1 Arsenic Flux 

1 1 Controller 

I I 

I ---------- Desired Composition 1 

-

I 

I Wafer Temperature 1 

Incident 

Jtlmes 

Profile Obtained by I_ 

Feedback Control of 

Gallium Desorption 

Rate vs Time Profile Controller --------------

I 

Laser Structure 

GaAs:Be 

GaAIAs:Be 

Grown GaAIAs 

Using InGaAIAs 

DMS GaAIAs 

Control ... GaAIAs:Si 

GaAs:Si 

In+ GaAs Wafer 

Lasing 

Region 

DMS Control of MBE for Advanced Semiconductor Laser Technology 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

IN-SITU CONTROL OF CRYSTAL GROWTH ADVANCES 

SEMICONDUCTOR LASER TECHNOLOGY 

The ability to optimize optical and electrical properties while 

maintaining continuous control of the composition of the growing 

wafer makes the desorption mass spectrometry (DMS) feedback 

approach extremely attractive for semiconductor laser 

applications. The improved reproducibility of laser wavelength 

A research development in the Solid State Electronics Directorate, 

which pioneered fundamental studies of molecular beam epitaxy 

(MBE) growth processes, has resulted in the initiation of a CRDA 

between the Directorate and Semiconductor Laser International 

The Solid State Electronics Directorate's Device Materials Branch 

received the 1992 Air Force Office of Scientific Research Star 

Award for excellence in basic research in the area of crystal 

growth science. Their continued success in pioneering 

fundamental studies ofMBE growth processes has hinged on their 

development of the in-situ sensor technique called DMS. The 

DMS sensor, when placed in the MBE crystal growth 

environment, provides for continuous monitoring of several 

which should result from a Cooperative Research and 

Development Agreement (CRDA) is expected to provide 

significant cost reduction and yield enhancements associated with 

producing lasers designed to operate in specific narrow 

wavelength regions. 

(SLI) of Binghamton NY. The in-situ sensor technique called 

DMS has enabled the monitoring and controlling of growth 

conditions during MBE to produce ultra-thin layered 

semiconductor structures for advanced laser applications. 

important growth parameters. When the Directorate's researchers 

implemented conventional feedback principles to control the 

DMS sensor output, an unprecedented ability to continuously 

control the composition of the growing film under conditions 

giving rise to significant desorption was provided. Such 

conditions are well known to benefit the optical and electrical 

properties of the resulting crystalline structure but are traditionally 

avoided because of the loss of control of composition. 

m 
.------.. 

I 

PC Calculates Required 

LIMO Position to Give 

Desired Composition Profile 

I 

I I 

LIMO Position 

Sensor and 

ControUer 

Variable Incident In Flux 

ll~:lljjll~i~l~llljllljl ~ 

Growing 

Crystalline 

Wafer 

Molecular Beam Epitaxy 

Growth Chamber ' I 

Linear Motion Oven (LIMO) for Variable Incident Molecular Beam Flux 1 

I 

I 

I 
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

LINEAR MoTION OvEN (LIMO) PROVIDES CRITICAL 

ADVANCES IN SEMICONDUCTOR CRYSTAL GROWTH 

The advances in semiconductor crystal growth technology 

directly translate into enhanced yield, increased flexibility and 

reduced cost associated with production of semiconductor 

materials. These materials have direct application for advanced 

electronic and opto-electronic devices used both for military and 

Researchers in the Solid State Electronics Directorate developed 

a LIMO that enabled three critical advances in the 

semiconductor crystal growth technology known as MBE. They 

discovered that imparting a linear movement capability to the 

Many advanced electronic and opto-electronic devices are 

fabricated from semiconductor heterostructures produced by the 

MBE crystal growth process. The ability to reproduce device 

properties rests largely in the ability to control layer thicknesses 

and compositions during MBE crystal growth. While MBE is the 

most precise crystal growth process available, it also is very 

expensive- in part because of problems associated with flexibility 

and reproducibility. Movement of the LIMO during the MBE 

growth process results in vertical composition grading; i.e., the 

crystal composition varies in the growth direction. By computerprogramming a time-varying LIMO position, purposely graded 

structures can now be produced simply and in a very reproducible 

manner, in marked contrast to previous approaches to obtain 

composition grading. Applications for such grading include: 

commercial applications. As a result, EPI MBE, the largest 

United States -based manufacturer of molecular beam epitaxy 

(MBE) systems, formally applied for exclusive license of Wright 

Laboratory's advanced flux control technology. 

traditionally stationary molecular beam source ovens, used in 

MBE chambers, greatly enhanced the reproducibility and 

flexibility associated with the MBE growth process. 

graded index regions in semiconductor laser diodes, graded 

contact regions in many devices, including field effect transistors, 

and graded emitter regions in heterojunction bipolar transistors. 

The ability to controllably and reproducibly grow structures for 

such applications directly improves the yield of the MBE growth 

process, which translates into reduced cost associated with 

advanced device production technology. The LIMO movement 

capability also enables two other important advances in MBE 

growth technology. Many devices require improvements in the 

uniformity of the incident molecular beams. Such uniformity 

improvement is a natural by-product of moving the LIMO back 

from the traditional oven position. Also, by keeping the LIMO in 

a "back" position when that oven is not in use, traditionally 

troublesome flux transients are completely eliminated. 

------

IJ 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

NEw FIRE FIGHTING FoAM CoNTAINS NoN-Toxic 

CHEMICAL COMPONENT 

Testing demonstrated the aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) 

containing an environmentally friendly solvent blend 

performed equally as well as the AFFF containing a toxic 

solvent. By replacing the toxic chemical, butyl-carbitol, the 

Wright Laboratory's Air Base Systems Branch at Tyndall Air 

Force Base developed a non-toxic solvent blend that could 

replace butyl-carbitol (a glycol ether) in Military Specification 

foams without degrading the fire suppression properties of the 

Over the past several years, severe restrictions have been placed 

on the use of AFFF due to its disruption of waste water treatment 

plant operations, slow degradation in the environment and 

conversion of fuels into emulsions (as fat in milk). These 

restrictions include: limited training with AFFF; disconnecting 

AFFF hanger fire suppression systems from fire detectors and 

connecting them to heat detectors (which delays the time AFFF 

can be discharged in a fire event); and closure of over 100 fire 

training pits that previously used AFFF as a training agent. To 

develop a more environmentally friendly AFFF, the Air Force 

formed an AFFF Interagency Steering Group in 1993, which 

includes members from the Navy, Army and Federal Aviation 

requirement to report an AFFF spill over the reportable quantity 

limit, as required under the Emergency Planning and Community 

Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), has been eliminated. 

foam. Since the blend is non-toxic, thus environmentally 

friendly, no severe restrictions would be placed on the use of the 

AFFF. 

Administration. Initial work sponsored by this group included 

evaluations of alternative surfactants, and solvents that are more 

biodegradable than the ones currently used in AFFFs and bacterial 

additives. When glycol ethers were put on the list by the 

Environmental Protection Agency in 1994 as toxic chemicals that 

required reporting under the EPCRA, the focus of the AFFF 

replacement program was redirected from improving the 

biodegradability of AFFF to developing a non-toxic solvent 

blend. With this development accomplished, work sponsored by 

the steering group is reverting back to optimizing alternative 

surfactants and bacterial additives that will make AFFF an even 

more environmentally friendly foam. 

II 
- - - - - -
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

I 

NEw INSULATING PRocEss FoR SEMICONDUCTORS CouLD 

LEAD To HIGHER-POWERED, MoRE-CO:MPACT INTEGRATED 

CIRCUITS 

Gallium arsenide semiconductor wafers can be mass-produced 

with uniform, high structural quality barrier layers of lowtemperature gallium arsenide. These gallium arsenide substrates 

will offer high-power, high-frequency operation in Air Force 

Scientists at Wright Laboratory's Materials Directorate developed 

a process for applying an insulation layer to integrated circuit 

materials for production of higher-powered, more-compact 

integrated circuits. Their low-temperature process for depositing 

The need to produce faster, more powerful, yet smaller and 

more compact electronic systems has driven electronic 

materials research for years. One area of interest is the 

development of an insulator material for gallium arsenide 

semiconductor substrates. While integrated circuits based on 

gallium arsenide semiconductor substrates are currently 

standard equipment in many aircraft electronics systems, new 

systems require higher output/operation at higher frequencies 

than can be provided by ordinary gallium arsenide-based 

devices. Problems such as sidegating and backgating, low 

output resistance and low output power gain at RF frequencies 

result in interference and reduced, erratic operation. A solution 

to these problems is to deposit a layer of gallium arsenide, 

produced at low-temperature (200°C), as a barrier between 

the gallium arsenide substrate and the integrated circuitry. 

Until now, reproducing the barrier layer production conditions 

systems such as extremely high-frequency radio terminals, fiber 

optic networks, communications satellites, phased array radar 

systems, airborne laser systems and smart weapon systems. 

a uniform, high structural quality barrier layer of gallium arsenide 

to semiconductor substrates provides up to 10 times more 

accuracy for precision production of semiconductor substrates 

than conventional temperature control methods. 

necessary to achieve precise physical properties has been an 

inexact science. Accurate temperature control is extremely 

important since low-temperature gallium arsenide properties are 

dramatically altered with small changes in production 

temperature. Current techniques, at best, can approximate 

production temperatures only to within ± 1 0°C. The new process 

employs ellipsometry for real-time control of production 

temperature to within ± 1 °C. Ongoing control also permits 

observation of the state of formation of low-temperature gallium 

arsenide to anticipate and prevent structural breakdown which 

could ruin the entire wafer. As a result, gallium arsenide 

semiconductor wafers can be mass-reproduced that offer 

performance advances for high-power, high-frequency integrated 

circuits such as microwave power amplifiers and control circuits; 

high-power, wide-bandwidth wave sources and ultra-fast and 

wide-bandwidth opto-electronic detectors. 

m 
- - - - -
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

DIAMOND-COATED BALL BEARINGS LAST 100 TIMES 

LONGER THAN STEEL BEARINGS 

Diamond coating silicon nitride ceramic ball bearings and 

raceways for high-load, high-temperature applications will 

significantly reduce, and in some cases eliminate, the need for 

certain types of maintenance. Diamond coating offers an 

Ball bearings that last up to one hundred times longer than 

conventional steel ball bearings have been developed under a 

program sponsored by the Materials Directorate. These diamondFrom turbine engines to weapon systems to spacecraft 

components, the dependability of ball bearings often determines 

the degree of success with which Air Force systems complete their 

missions. Since ball bearings are subject to load and friction, they 

must be designed to resist the effects of these forces. Ball 

bearings have traditionally been made using steel balls and steel 

races to withstand loads, with lubrication added to reduce friction. 

In response to more stringent performance demands, hybrid 

ceramic bearings were developed with ceramic balls and steel 

races to operate under very heavy loads and in high operating 

temperatures. While the ceramic bearings can last up to twenty 

times longer than all-steel bearings, severe applications have 

evolved that demand even higher performance. The diamondcoated ball bearings developed by Crystallume Corporation, San 

Jose CA, offer extended performance limits in severe operating 

conditions. These bearings start with performance-proven silicon 

economical way to improve bearing performance in severe load 

and thermal applications with long life between lubrication and 

replacement requirements. 

coated silicon nitride ceramic ball bearings require no lubrication 

and offer smooth, near-frictionless operation in severe conditions. 

nitride ceramic balls and raceways for high-load, high-temperature 

applications. Controlled carbon deposition is then used to 

produce a precision diamond film on the surfaces of bearing balls 

and raceways. Diamond-coated bearings operate with one-tenth 

of the friction of ceramic bearings, so they can perform smoothly 

in a range of severe loads and environments. Diamond-coated 

ball bearings were tested in a tracking system gimbal on a Navy 

heat-seeking missile. Bearings in this heavy-load application 

must operate in thermal extremes, with long life between 

lubrication and replacement. The diamond-coated bearings 

needed no lubrication or external lubricating system. Time 

between overhaul for tear-down and bearing replacement was 

extended to the service life of the missile. Miniature Precision 

Bearings of Keene NH is working to commercially develop and 

market diamond-coated ball bearings. 

--l 

IJ 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

NEw SouRcE FoR GROWTH OF ADVANCED 

TRANSISTOR MATERIALS 

An environmentally safe carbon source is now available for the 

development of advanced transistor materials for both military 

and commercial applications. The new carbon source is heated by 

Under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program 

sponsored by the Solid State Electronics Directorate, SVT 

Associates developed a new and improved source for molecular 

beam epitaxy (MBE). This carbon dopant source involves 

controlled evaporation of a carbon or graphite rod by an electron 

The SBIR program with SVT Associates was initiated to develop 

an environmentally safe, solid carbon dopant source so that 

semiconductor materials, like GaAs, can have p-type dopants 

controllably grown in the host material, such as in a 

heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT). A HBT is a solid state 

component used in low-noise and high-power amplifiers and 

receivers with controllable and predictable optimal performance. 

The p-type dopants are necessary to create a high gain device. 

Initially, a p-type dopant called beryllium was used for the growth 

an electron beam to achieve a controlled deposition of a thin 

material layer for use in advanced transistor materials. 

beam for deposition on gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium 

antimonide ( GaSb) substrates. The state-of-the-art impurity levels 

(defect densities) obtained are impressively high: (5xl019 cm-3 

for GaAs and 3xl020 cm-3 for GaSb). 

of p-type GaAs. Beryllium diffuses or moves into the host 

material causing poor device performance and decreases device 

reliability. To overcome these problems, a carbon filament 

dopant source was developed. However, it was unreliable due to 

its brittleness. The approach using a carbon or graphite rod 

exposed to an electron beam has proven to be rugged and reliable. 

The impurity levels obtained are comparable to current dopant 

levels attained with other gas sources. The developed source has 

been used by the government, industry and universities. 

Iii 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

WRIGHT LABORATORY TEAM RECEIVES AwARD FoR 

HALON REPLACEMENT CONTRIBUTIONS 

The Environmental Protection Agency has recognized the 

significant contributions made by the team in finding a halon 

replacement that is effective at extinguishing fires, complies with 

all national and international environmental legislation and does 

The Flight Dynamics Directorate's aircraft Halon Replacement 

Team was presented the 1994 Stratospheric Ozone Protection 

Award by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. 

With the end of 1993 came the halt of international 

production of Halon 130 I. Scientific discoveries had 

determined that chlorinated and brominated compounds, such 

as halons, are effective in deleting the earth's ozone layers. 

Stratospheric ozone depletion is predicted to have an adverse 

global impact on human health, climate and natural 

ecosystems. Since halons are the primary fire fighting 

extinguishing chemicals in all Department of Defense (DoD) 

and commercial aircraft, the Directorate initiated a joint DoD/ 

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) three phase program 

to identify a near-term alternative. During the first phase, 

researchers determined which parameters in an aircraft fire 

most influence the amount of agent needed to extinguish that 

not produce a significant aircraft performance penalty. 

Replacement candidates will be made available to commercial 

aircraft and marine industries and the auto racing community. 

This team, led by J. Michael Bennett from the Directorate's 

Vehicle Systems Division, received the award for contributions to 

the elimination of an ozone depleting substance. 

fire. In phase two, three agents were selected by a joint DoD IF AA 

team from a group of 12 candidate agents tested at the National 

Institute of Standards and Technology during phase one under 

laboratory conditions. These three candidate chemicals were 

subjected to full-scale live-fire testing at Wright Laboratory's 

Aircraft Survivability Research Facility using the parameters 

determined in phase one. The outcome of phase two was the 

selection of the most promising replacement chemical for phase 

three testing. In phase three, further testing will establish design 

criteria for the new agent. There are several important 

considerations in replacing halon in aircraft fire protection 

systems- chief among them are the weight and volume of the 

agent and delivery system. 

IJ 
Detector 

Apparatus 

Wafer 

Holder 

Detector 1 1 Wafer 

Readout x·z Drive 

Computer 

1/4-meter 

Monochromator 

1.50 Jlm Absorption 

and 

Free Carrier Concentration 

0.90 llm Absorption 

Dislocation Density 

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I 

I 
I 

I 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

NoNDESTRUCTIVE TECHNIQUE FoR EvALUATION OF FREE 

CARRIER CONCENTRATION AND DISLOCATION DENSITY IN 

DoPED GALLIUM ARSENIDE ( GaAs) 

A nondestructive inspection technique, using transmission maps 

like those shown left, permits rapid screening of wafers of doped 

GaAs before fabricating devices on semiconductor materials that 

Solid State Electronics Directorate researchers developed a 

unique, non-destructive capability to characterize GaAs wafers 

that is recognized throughout the compound semiconductor 

industry. Infrared transmission mapping (500 11m x 500 11m 

For silicon doped GaAs wafers (GaAs:Si), widely used in the 

fabrication of lasers, solar cells and other devices, very little 

whole-wafer characterization has been carried out. Two major 

materials-related difficulties with GaAs:Si are; avoiding any 

crystalline dislocations and maintaining high free carrier 

concentration. Dislocations lead to dark-line defects and other 

dissipative defects which are harmful to lasers. Maintaining high 

free carrier concentration produces two desirable device 

properties, namely, low series resistance and good ohmic contacts. 

All previous techniques for measuring free carrier concentration 

may be unsuitable. This technology has enhanced the compound 

semiconductor industry's predictive and diagnostic materials 

evaluation capability. 

resolution) at wavelengths of 0.9-l.S!lm on 3 inch wafers 

correlated well with the carrier concentration and dislocation 

density measured by destructive techniques. 

and mapping dislocation density damage the wafer. Hall effect 

measurement of free carrier concentration requires small pieces 

and contacts to the piece. Dislocation density measurement 

generally requires etching the wafer and counting etch pit density. 

The Solid State Electronics Directorate researchers demonstrated 

that both free carrier concentration and dislocation density can be 

precisely mapped nondestructively in doped GaAs wafers. The 

infrared transmission through the wafer at one wavelength ( 1.5 

11m) was correlated to the free carrier concentration and at another 

wavelength (0.9!lm) to the crystalline dislocation density. 

m 
Assembled microwave system (control box, cavity, and six magnetrons). 

Interior of the microwave cavity (four inch diameter, 611 long combustor can). 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

I 

MICROWAVE CHEMICAL VAPOR INFILTRATION (MWCVI) 

PRocEss IMPROVES CERAMIC MATRIX CoMPOSITE PARTS 

The MWCVI process will enable the production of larger 

thickness ceramic matrix composite parts than are possible with 

conventional CVI methods. The process requires less raw 

material and less time for densification of the fiber preform 

Under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, 

sponsored by Wright Laboratory's Aero Propulsion & Power 

Directorate, the feasibility of microwave-assisted chemical vapor 

infiltration for fabricating low cost ceramic matrix composite 

(CMC) parts was demonstrated. With MWCVI, process time is 

The use of advanced CMCs has been plagued by the high cost of 

component materials and the long processing times required to 

densify the fiber preforms which results in high fabrication cost. 

In conventional CVI, the preform is heated from the outside so 

that the densification reaction occurs at the surface. The surface 

soon plugs up so that no more reactant gas can get into the center 

of the preform; therefore, part thicknesses are limited. With 

microwaves, heat is generated internally so that densification 

occurs from the inside outward toward the surface making thicker 

resulting in a fabrication cost reduction of over 40%. The 

assembled microwave system, including the microwave cavity, six 

magnetrons and control box, is shown left. 

decreased from hundreds of hours to tens of hours, and material 

density is more uniform. The amount of reactant gas needed is 

decreased significantly due to more efficient deposition of the gas 

on the fiber preform. 

parts possible. Under the Ceramic Composite Combustor Cans 

for Expendable Turbine Engines SBIR program, Ceramic 

Composites, Inc. was able to demonstrate several payoffs from 

using MWCVI technology over conventional CVI such as more 

uniform part density, decreased processing time, reduced amounts 

of raw material needed and significant cost savings. Also, 

because the matrix precursor is deposited on the preform more 

efficiently, so that less of it is wasted, MWCVI is a much more 

environmentally friendly process. 

m 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

INTELLIGENT CoNTROL OF CoATING PRocEss FoR 

LIGHTWEIGHT TuRBINE ENGINE CoMPONENTS IMPRoVEs 

THERMAL PROTECTION 

Intelligent control of a chemical vapor deposition process 

provides precision deposition of the crystalline form of silicon 

nitride for coatings that offer thermal protection of carbon-carbon 

turbine engine components in temperatures as high as 3200°F. 

Materials Directorate and United Technologies Research Center 

researchers collaborated to develop intelligent control of a 

chemical vapor deposition process for precision coating of 

To meet increased performance demands for Air Force 

weapon systems, innovative component materials are being 

developed under the Integrated High Performance Turbine 

Engine Technology (IHPTET) initiative. High performance 

goals for turbine engines in all military aircraft have been set 

including a 55 percent operating range increase for Air Force 

cruise missiles. The most direct way to achieve this goal is to 

reduce component part weight without compromising 

performance. In one weight -savings application for the cruise 

missile engine, a metallic bladed rotor will be replaced with a 

bladed ring made of advanced, three-dimensional weave 

carbon-carbon. While this lightweight material can meet 

performance demands, it needs protection against high 

temperatures which cause oxidation and severe degrading of 

the part. A crystalline silicon nitride coating can provide that 

protection. Since the thermal expansion rate of crystalline 

Crystalline silicon nitride coatings will allow the use of weight 

saving material in cruise missile engines to help provide a 55 

percent increase in missile operating range. 

carbon-carbon turbine engine components. On-line, real-time 

measuring offers precision thickness control to ±5 percent, even 

with coatings as thin as two thousandth of an inch. 

silicon nitride is very close to that of carbon, the coating will not 

work loose and break off through typical engine cycles of hot 

and cold. Achieving the crystalline form of silicon nitride in 

coating deposition depends on intelligent control to maintain an 

application temperature above 1400°C, as well as controlling the 

deposition rate. At lower temperatures and deposition rates the 

material structure remains uncrystallized, which results in a 

coating with oxidation resistance and lessened structural stability 

at elevated temperatures. Intelligent control of the coating process 

is achieved by use of a non-contact laser ultrasonic sensor system 

for in-processing evaluation of coating thickness, linked to the 

coating equipment to maintain precision deposition rates. The 

coating process and intelligent control are being transferred for 

use in a manufacturing-scale reactor at the Amercom Corporation, 

Santa Ana CA. 

• 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

ELECTRICALLY POWERED ACTUATION DESIGN (EPAD) 

VALIDATION FLIGHT TEST PROGRAM TEAM RECEIVES 

LAURELS 

Replacing hydraulic systems on aircraft with a flight control 

actuator powered by electric motors will greatly simplify 

flightline maintenance, enabling the frequency of aircraft sorties 

to increase. The successful flight test of the smart actuator is the 

first step toward this goal. This flight test validated the 

The EPAD validation flight test program team was recognized 

by Aviation Week and Space Technology in January 1995 for 

contributions in the electronics field of aerospace. This joint 

Air Force/National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

(NASA)/Navy team, led by the Flight Dynamics Directorate, 

Current flight control actuators depend on the central hydraulic 

system for power to move control surfaces and on the flight 

control computer for electronic logic to provide accurate surface 

positioning. Improved performance of future/ derivative tactical 

fighter aircraft will increase actuator requirements. Electrically 

powered actuators and incorporation of local actuator control 

are two ways to eliminate problems associated with central 

hydraulic systems (leakage, maintenance, vulnerability, etc.). 

A memorandum of agreement between the Air Force, Naval Air 

Warfare Center and NASA Dryden, resulted in each participant 

contributing resources that enabled flight test of the smart actuator 

survivability of control electronics in the severe environment in 

which the actuator will operate. The application of smart actuator 

technology to actuation devices will reduce flight control 

computer complexity and improve the monitoring of actuation 

integrity. 

received the 1994 Aerospace Laurel Award for a flight test of a 

smart actuator. The application of control and monitor electronics 

local to the flight control actuator on the aileron control surface of 

a F/ A-18 aircraft was successfully demonstrated. 

on the aileron control surface of NASA's F/A-18 systems research 

aircraft. Most of the preliminary development of the actuator was 

accomplished for the Navy by H. R. Textron, Valencia CAusing 

Navy and independent research and development dollars. The 

final form of the smart actuator, including closed loop fiber optic 

communication, was delivered to the Navy in 1991. Flight testing 

commenced in April1993 and concluded inN ovember 1993. The 

smart actuator performed flawlessly during 33 flight test hours. 

Pilots of the F/ A-18 said they could not differentiate between the 

performance of a traditionally-powered actuator and the EPAD 

smart actuator. 

II 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

MATERIALS REsEARCH PROVIDES QuicK SoLUTION To 

F -15 FuEL LEAKAGE PRoBLEM 

Replacing the fluorosilicone sealant used in the F-15 wing 

fuel areas with new polysulfide sealant eliminated a fuel 

leakage problem and returned Nellis Air Force Base F-15s to 

Researchers at Wright Laboratory's Materials Directorate, 

working with engineers from Warner Robins Air Logistics 

Center, Air Combat Command and McDonnell-Douglas, 

solved a fuel leakage problem on the Air Force's F-15 

aircraft. By avoiding costly disassembly, their quick analysis 

To lessen the potential hazard from fuel during flying operations, 

the Air Force switched from JP-4 fuel to less volatile JP-8 fuel. 

While improving operational safety, some Air Force aircraft 

experienced fuel leakage problems as a result of the switch. 

Within four months after the change, 37 of 39 F-15s at Nellis 

AFB NV were restricted from flight due to fuel leaks in the wings. 

These leaks occurred in the fuel areas that had been sealed with a 

fluorosilicone sealant injected into a groove. A similar leakage 

problem had been seen by Materials Directorate engineers seven 

years earlier when several Air National Guard (ANG) F-15s had 

been fueled with JP-5, a fuel with many of the characteristics of 

JP-8. At that time, an in-house investigation determined that fuelinduced sealant shrinkage caused the leakage, which led to the 

development and testing of compatible sealants. In the case of the 

Nellis F-15s, the problem was exacerbated by previous overfull operational status. This enabled test exercises and weapons 

and tactics training classes to proceed as scheduled. 

and approach to solving the problem proved to be more than 90 

percent faster than previous repair methods. Within three months, 

97 percent of the affected aircraft at one Air Force base were 

returned to fully operational status. 

pressure application of sealant into the grooves. This caused gaps 

which permitted the sealant to escape from the grooves. The 

polysulfide-based sealants, developed earlier as a result of the 

investigation of the ANG' s F-15s, proved effective in filling the 

gaps, adhering to interior wet surfaces and resisting fuel-induced 

shrinkage. Improved sealant application techniques were 

developed to assure precision injection, an operation requiring 

about two days per plane. Without the polysulfide-based sealant, 

the leading edge of each wing would need to be disassembled, the 

channels cleaned and new sealant injected--an operation that 

would take nearly three weeks work per plane. Follow-on work 

performed by Materials Directorate and Air Logistics Center 

engineers has resulted in the development of a successful repair 

program for all F-15s that includes the new sealant and improved 

sealant application techniques. 

ED 
--
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

150 KILOWATT LASER REnucEs CosT OF CoMPOSITE 

MATERIAL THERMAL TESTING 

In simulating the thermal conditions inside a solid rocket motor, 

the 150 kilowatt laser proved its value and versatility as a tool for 

isolating and quantifying thermomechanical events in material 

Materials Directorate engineers assisted Southern Research 

Institute of Birmingham, AL and Physical Sciences Inc. of 

Andover, MAin reducing the cost of testing composite materials 

used for nozzles on solid rocket motors by over 99 percent. Using 

the Directorate's 150 kilowatt laser, they configured a 

reproducible, controllable and affordable testing environment 

Solid-fuel rockets use carbon-phenolic composite nozzles to focus 

and direct hot exhaust gases. Some charring and lifting of plies in 

the composite material is expected and acceptable during firing, 

but too much leads directly to nozzle failure. Nozzle thickness is 

critical-- excess thickness adds costly weight and reduces 

payload; not enough thickness destroys the nozzle and its 

usefulness. Traditionally, testing with data-gathering 

instrumentation on the nozzle has involved solid rocket motor 

ground-firing. The cost of each firing is $2 million, and all too 

often, nozzles and instrumentation have been consumed, making 

it difficult to quantify test results. In comparison, the 

Directorate's Laser Hardened Materials Evaluation Laboratory 

(LHMEL) facility provided a testing environment capable of 

simulating the thermal conditions inside a solid rocket motor 

evaluation. Accurate selection of nozzle thickness and material 

configuration can now be made for a fraction of the cost of 

traditional methods. 

capable of simulating the thermal conditions inside a solid rocket 

motor nozzle during firing. The laser test established the range of 

ply lifting material response as a function of heating rate, and 

proved that ply lifting failure mode can be readily reproduced in 

controlled laboratory conditions. 

nozzle during firing. The facility's 150 kilowatt continuous wave 

carbon dioxide laser provides a large, uniform flat -top beam 

profile. As material is irradiated, its surface temperature can be 

precision-controlled within a range of ±20°C. For the nozzle 

composite, 22 tests were conducted on eight material 

configurations to determine the relationship of test sample ply 

lifting and charring to that seen in actual nozzles. Four irradiation 

levels produced surface temperatures as high as 1300°C. The 

controlled laser exposures, as well as the combination of the range 

of specimens and visualization techniques, allowed thorough 

investigation of the modes of material response. The LHMEL 

facility provides unique opportunities for the application of laser 

technology to a broad range of test requirements. 

II 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

INTEGRATED TooLKIT AND METHODOLOGY (ITKM) FoR 

AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING DEVELOPED 

The methodology to improve and develop integration technology 

will enable the Department of Defense and industry to keep pace 

with the ever increasing complexity of computer systems that 

support manufacturing processes. The impact on integration 

Under a project sponsored by the Manufacturing Technology 

Directorate, a set of integration tools was developed that enhance 

and compliment the current set oflntegrated Computer- Aided 

Manufacturing DEFinition (IDEF) Languages. These tools enable 

Three programs were initiated under the Integrated Toolkit and 

Methodology Project to examine ways to improve database 

management, network development and information systems for 

manufacturing. Under the Manufacturing Methods and Prototype 

Toolkit Program, Industrial Technology Institute developed a 

manufacturing systems design method called X Spec® which 

significantly reduces the time and cost to create complex 

prototype gears. XSpec® models simulate the complete 

manufacturing process which allows the designs to be tested and 

validated before committing to implementation. Under the 

Automated Protocol Analysis/Reference Tool Program, 

Corporation for Open Systems International developed a rapid 

proto typing program called ENGAGE to design and test protocols 

for networking. Using a graphical representation for each state in 

efforts and modeling methodologies has resulted in several actual 

manufacturing systems for prototype gears and projected 

reductions of 20-30 percent in distributed system development 

times. 

simulation of a complete manufacturing process, design and test 

of networking protocols and a data representation for all phases of 

a system's development life cycle. 

the network, ENGAGE allows developers to simulate and test the 

compatibility of different computer systems and communication 

protocols throughout the network to ensure proper connectivity. 

After a complete analysis, ENGAGE then automatically produces 

the proper protocol for the network. A third program, Corporate 

Data Integration Tools, provides a user friendly design interface to 

the Platform for the Automated Construction of Intelligent 

Systems (PACISTM) product to develop executable representation 

code. This code provides an aggregation which allows the tools 

to share the information and data derived from each information 

system model. The Corporate Data Integration Tools Program has 

been transferred to system analysts at Northrop, Westinghouse 

and Alcoa. 

II 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

I 

ScANNING RADIOMETRIC IMAGER (SRI) SYSTEM 

CHARACTERIZES CANOPY LASER ScATTER 

Using the SRI to characterize canopy laser scattering will 

enable the development of eye protection and countermeasure 

technologies for use against anti-personnel laser weaponry. 

Wright Laboratory's Avionics Directorate developed in its Laser 

Sensor Technology Lab Facility a high-resolution, radiometric 

scanner for collecting laser scatter data from aircraft canopies. 

The SRI system supports eye modeling and psycho-physical 

The emerging electro-optical threat harbors the potential for antipersonnellaser weaponry. This potential has prompted the search 

for an understanding of how such weaponry might affect aircrew 

missions, as well as the required countermeasures and warning 

technologies. In pursuit of this understanding, is the need for 

accurate characterization of the optical artifacts (scatter profiles) 

associated with cockpit illuminations. The Avionics Directorate 

was tasked by the Air Staff to investigate experimental 

methodology for acquiring radiometric data from aircraft canopies 

that is suitable for eye model validation. The challenge was to 

design an acquisition system which would not produce selfinduced artifacts in the imagery over a large optical dynamic 

range requirement. The instrument was to measure narrow ray 

bundle intensities from physical points of scatter around the 

This measurement device will provide a critical data base for the 

development of eyewear, laser warning sensors, canopies and 

mission tactics. 

studies at Armstrong Laboratory. It is capable of collecting 

radiometric and photometric imagery over a 40 degree viewing 

angle, with 0.15 degree resolution while maintaining a large 

optical dynamic range. 

canopy, to hand-off to ray tracing modeling being developed by 

Armstrong Laboratory. Four design iterations led to an acceptable 

design, incorporating all reflective optics. The parabolic 

collecting optics were designed to permit wide angle scanning 

with high fidelity instantaneous resolution. A user interface 

allows the operator to specify various measurement modes, scan 

limits and resolution and it provides quick-look, false colored 

images during acquisition. The finished device is configured to 

sit in the cockpit seat and observe from the pilot's point of view. 

SRI is being utilized to validate F-16 mock-ups at Armstrong 

Laboratory. The device will undergo field trials in a full-scale 

aircraft turntable facility to generate data that will be utilized in 

an Air Staff sponsored flight test scheduled for late summer, 1995. 

II 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

I 

INSENSITIVE EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE MAKES BOMBS SAFER 

Utilization of a new explosive mixture in the Fuzed, Insensitive 

General Purpose Bomb (FIGPB) system enabled 500 pound 

FIGPB systems to survive bullet impact tests (left top) and to pass 

slow cookoff qualification tests without detonating (left bottom). 

The Armament Directorate's Munitions Division demonstrated a 

technology that reduced the sensitivity of a MK-82 general 

purpose bomb, while achieving reliable initiation with existing 

fuze technology and maintaining lethality. The FIGPB system 

Munitions-related accidents have cost U.S. forces hundreds of 

lives and nearly I billion dollars since the mid-1960s. The FIGPB 

system integrates the insensitive AFX-645 high explosive and a 

robust initiation system into aMK-82 general purpose bomb. 

AFX-645 is nearly 9 times less sensitive to shock than the current 

explosive used in the MK-82 with comparable performance 

characteristics. This low sensitivity means that an intentional 

detonation of a single FIGPB while stored in a standard munition 

rack, will not cause detonation of the surrounding FlGPBs even if 

they are fully assembled. AFX-645 complies with the United 

Nations criteria for extremely insensitive detonation substances as 

The insertion of this technology into future bomb systems will 

enhance munition maintenance, operational safety and eliminate 

system vulnerability to accidents and sabotage. 

utilized a new explosive mixture designated AFX-645 that is 

nearly 9 times less sensitive to shock than the current explosive 

used in the MK-82. 

well as the full scale insensitive munition criteria for slow cookoff 

and bullet impact. The FIGPB's mild response to exposed fire is 

a first for a fully assembled general purpose bomb system. The 

initiation system, derived from the standard FMU-I39 fuze, 

consists of an innovative combination ofPBXN-7 and PBX-9502 

boosters that provide the exceptionally high levels of energy 

required to initiate explosion of the AFX-645 while maintaining 

insensitivity for the overall system. This technology is ready for 

introduction into the next generation of weapon systems and is 

being employed in upgrades to existing ammunition systems such 

as the I 05mm gun. 

m 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

AIR FoRcE OFFICE OF SciENTIFIC REsEARCH (AFOSR) 

STAR TEAM AWARD 

The AFOSR Star Team Award fosters excellence within the 

research community and highlights the critical role of basic 

research within the Air Force's broad technology spectrum. The 

1994 Wright Laboratory Star Team strengthens the role of basic 

A team of researchers led by Dr. T. Walter Haas of the Materials 

Directorate received the 1994 Air Force Office of Scientific 

Research Star Team Award. The award is based on the team's 

contributions to the understanding of the unique solid surface and 

The research goal of Dr. Haas and his team is to understand and 

control surface and thin film phenomena to provide advanced 

materials systems for a wide range of Air Force applications with 

particular emphasis on tribology (lubrication and wear-resistant 

coatings). The team developed a new material, carbon nitride 

(CNx), which is theoretically predicted to be potentially harder 

than diamond. The material was grown using reactive magnetron 

sputtering and by reactive pulse-laser deposition. Characterizations of these films show that they are environmentally stable, 

possess high hardness and offer promising tribological properties. 

Their understanding of friction and wear at a molecular level has 

permitted the designated growth, by pulse laser deposition, of 

ultra low friction solid lubricant films and self-forming, 

composite-adaptive solid lubricants. These adaptive lubricants 

research within the Air Force Science and Technology program by 

showcasing achievements in the area of material surface 

phenomena. 

thin film phases of materials whose properties affect a broad range 

of Air Force applications. The award rewards teams of 

researchers that have proven, through their track record, world 

class status and excellence in their chosen areas of basic research. 

have proven "reversible" in their effectiveness, allowing them to 

cycle between both low and high temperature ranges. Research 

showed that optical sensing of plume dynamics can lead to 

significant improvements in pulsed laser deposition rate and film 

properties. This work is currently being transitioned to local 

industry. Dr. Haas's teams work in Nanoscopic Surface 

Preparation (NSP), which involves surface preparation by 

diamond turning, has the potential to be a unique thin film surface 

preparation technique, as well as, a mechanical lithography for 

advanced electronic devices. Advanced X-ray diffraction and 

optical techniques have been used to characterize subsurface 

damage in single crystal substrates following NSP in preparation 

for future thin film growth experiments. 

ED 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

FuEL LEAKAGE PROBLEM ON AIRCRAFT GROUND PowER 

GENERATION SYSTEM (GPGS) UNITS SOLVED 

The Materials Directorate's teaming with the Aeronautical 

Systems Center to solve a GPGS unit fuel leakage problem 

permitted rapid deployment of safe, high-quality GPGS units. 

The utilization of stabilized stainless steel and special welding 

Engineers from Wright Laboratory's Materials Directorate and 

Aeronautical Systems Center's Aeronautical Equipment Systems 

Project Office teamed to solve a fuel leakage problem on portable 

GPGS units that provide conditioned air and electrical power for 

turbine engines. External electric power is needed during 

maintenance and preflight checks when the engines are shut off. 

To accomplish both of these tasks, GPGS units are used. For 

many years GPGS units were diesel-powered. They were difficult 

to start and required a special type of fuel. Their deficiencies led 

to the development of a unit powered by a regenerative gas 

turbine capable of achieving the output capability and reliability 

goals required for advanced aircraft. Yet when the new GPGS 

units were undergoing field tests, the stainless steel fuel tanks 

sprang multiple leaks. The team found that fuel tanks on earlier 

GPGS units used flat flanges that were welded. The particular 

type of stainless steel being used, 304, couldn't take the heat 

generated during welding. Carbide precipitation caused by the 

welding heat led to metal sensitization, microcracking and 

corrosion at the welds that resulted in fuel contamination and 

techniques for these units eliminated a serious safety problem and 

made it possible for the ground power unit to be quickly returned 

to service. 

Air Force aircraft. They performed a failure analysis, 

recommended corrective steps and developed qualification 

procedures that eliminated a major safety problem. 

Compressed and conditioned air are required to start aircraft 

leakage. Use of an incorrect welding specification resulted in lack 

of penetration, undercuts and porosity at unacceptable levels. 

Inspection of the fuel tanks on the entire inventory of field 365 

gas turbine units indicated that 50 percent were defective due to 

poor quality welds. Since a leaking unit could possibly damage 

the aircraft it was intended to service, this was considered a major 

safety issue. Materials Directorate engineers recommended 

changing to a stabilized grade of stainless steel such as 304L, and 

changing the welding specification to one specifically designed 

for the welding of stabilized stainless steel. In the process, a new 

tank manufacturer was selected and improved manufacturing 

procedures were employed. Mini-qualification procedures 

developed by Materials Directorate engineers helped quickly 

return the previously defective tanks to service. 

• 
- - - - - -
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

I 

I 

TITANIUM MATRIX CoMPOSITE REDUCES WEIGHT OFF -22 

AIRCRAFT 

Actuator rods, like the one shown left, made of titanium matrix 

composite material have been selected for the preproduction 

version of the F-22's F119 engine. Design, manufacturing and 

The Materials Directorate, working with the F-22 System Program 

Office, the Aero Propulsion and Power Directorate, Pratt and 

Whitney Aircraft, Parker Bertea Aerospace and Atlantic Research 

Corporation in a Wright Laboratory corporate program led by the 

Manufacturing Technology Directorate, has demonstrated a 

titanium matrix composite material that has been selected to 

It is estimated that every 100 pounds of added weight equates to a 

loss of 1.4 miles from the range of the F-22 aircraft. Reducing the 

weight of individual parts while maintaining high performance 

levels is a prime objective, often achieved by making small 

incremental weight reductions in a large number of parts. One 

area for weight reduction on the F-22 is in the engine's aft section, 

where a system of flaps and seals make up an adjustable nozzle. 

Precision adjustment of the nozzle opening is controlled by a pair 

of hydraulic actuators with rods that extend and contract to 

position the flaps. The two rods must deliver precision 

performance through a range of severe operating conditions. For 

maintenance experience obtained from this first application of 

titanium matrix composite material will enable its utilization in 

more demanding future Air Force aircraft applications. 

replace stainless steel for the divergent nozzle actuator rods on the 

F119 engine of the F-22 aircraft. Mechanical tests have shown 

this composite material capable of withstanding the expected 

tension, compression, thermal and mechanical fatigue stresses that 

the rods will be subjected to. 

years actuator rods have been made of stainless steel, a 

dependable but heavy material. Replacing stainless steel for the 

actuator rods with the lighter ( 40 percent) titanium matrix 

composite material reinforced with continuous silicon carbide 

fibers will result in a weight savings of 7.4 pounds per aircraft. 

Future Air Force applications for this material could include 

actuator rods for ailerons, flaps and landing gear components. In 

turbine engines, the material could be used as reinforcement for 

hollow fan blades, as bladed compression rings or disks, and as 

shafts and cases. 

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Carbon-carbon (CC) composite containers will allow the use of 

lighter, more efficient sodium-sulfur batteries in large, complex 

space power systems. These batteries can achieve up to three 

times the power increase at fixed battery weight, or a 67 percent 

-------

reduction in battery weight at fixed power. These economies can 

reduce satellite launching costs and permit smaller, less expensive 

launch vehicles. 

----------·------· 

Materials Directorate researchers, working with Materials and 

Systems Research, Inc. of Salt Lake City UT and coordinating 

with Phillips Laboratory, developed a new type battery container 

capable of housing a sodium-sulfur battery that resists corrosion 

and denting and also acts as a current collector. Using a carbonSince electrical power systems make up a major part of a 

spacecraft's weight and batteries are typically the largest 

component of the power system, it is critical to improve the 

efficiency of spacecraft batteries. Battery efficiency is measured 

in terms of specific energy, or watt-hours of energy output per 

kilogram of battery weight (Wh/kg). Nickel-cadmium 

rechargeable batteries, the mainstay in space application for over 

two decades, can deliver specific energy only in the range of7 to 

50 Wh/kg. Sodium-sulfur batteries have been developed that can 

deliver a specific energy performance level up to 200 Whlkg, but 

a successful container is a key challenge. Current sodium-sulfur 

batteries with steel containers are limited to a specific energy 

performance level of75Wh!kg. These containers, even with 

protective coatings, can be easily dented or scratched, leading to 

corrosion and rapid failure. Materials and Systems Research, Inc., 

carbon composite material developed by the Directorate, the 

container makes possible the application of a battery that can 

provide as much as 400 percent more power efficiency (200Wh/ 

kg vs 50Whlkg) than conventional batteries. 

developed carbon-carbon containers that exhibit outstanding 

performance in several key areas. Resistance to corrosion is 

assured by excellent stability in the presence of molten sulfur and 

sodium polysulfides. Excellent strength and rigidity prevents the 

denting which leads to premature failure. These containers offer 

good electronic conductivity and excellent thermal conductivity 

for efficient heat removal to prevent cell overheating. Batteries 

were tested at temperatures up to 350°C through a range of 

discharge/charge cycles and freeze/thaw cycles. No failures 

occurred, and no corrosion or damage to the carbon-carbon 

container was observed in any of the tests. While Phase I testing 

determined the feasibility of carbon-carbon as a container for 

sodium-sulfur batteries, Phase II testing will determine the most 

efficient container production process. Phillips Laboratory will 

test the complete battery system delivered as a result of Phase II. 

~ 

I 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

wAVEGUIDE LASER COMBINES SMALL SIZE, PRECISION 

OPERATION ANn LowER Cosr 

Compact waveguide lasers that operate in the blue region of the 

visible spectrum offer high-precision capability for a broad range 

of Air Force and commercial opto-electronic applications, such as 

complex data transmission and interpretation. The simplified 

Development of a lightweight waveguide laser less than one 

inch in length is the result of a collaborative Small Business 

Innovation Research effort between the Materials Directorate 

and Laser-Matter Laboratories of Albuquerque NM. Their laser, 

Across the visible light spectrum, the color red has the longest 

wavelength; blue has the shortest. A shorter wavelength is 

necessary to overcome diffraction limitations and produce high 

precision light transmission. Red lasers, for example, can scan bar 

codes on food packages; while blue lasers can scan images that are 

90 percent smaller and more intricate. While lasers in the Air 

Force today are used for range finding, weapons tracking, optical 

countermeasures, communication networks, remote monitors and 

a host of other offensive and defensive applications, there are 

many more uses. These include small lasers for data storage, 

compact disk reading, printing, xerography, communications and 

flat panel displays. Until now, low-cost lasers for these 

applications have been capable of operating only in the red region 

of the visible light spectrum, which means their accuracy is 

construction of the waveguide laser offers cost reductions of up to 

85 percent over conventional red-emitting compact lasers and up 

to 20 percent over light-emitting diode lasers. 

uniquely configured from a doped polymer, produces a bluecolored beam that offers higher resolution with a shorter 

wavelength than red lasers, so that the beam can have sharper and 

more accurate definition. 

limited. Presently available blue lasers utilize argon gas-filled 

tubes or crystals as the lasing medium, or long fiber waveguides, 

with the result that they are costly, have limited life or are big and 

bulky. As light is directed through the new waveguide laser, a 

low degree of scattering produces a laser beam of remarkable 

purity at higher intensities. The devices lasing waveguide is 

made of a special polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) thermoplastic 

polymer on an integral silicon oxide/silicon base, which results in 

light weight and easy integration into optical circuits. It is a very 

compact unit, typically measuring less than one inch in length, so 

it can fit into cramped spaces. A future application for blue 

waveguide lasers is in optical computing, where instead of hard 

wiring to transmit electrical signals, waveguide channels will 

transmit light beams. 
----------------------~--~--~~--- ....... ....... ........ ........ 
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

I 

IMPROVED CRYSTAL GROWTH TECHNIQUE 

PROVIDES MoRE RELIABLE LASER SouRcE 

The improved crystal growth technique will produce potassium 

titanyl phosphate (KTP) crystals that are lower in cost and more 

reliable than traditional KTP crystals for lasers in the visible and 

near-infrared spectral regions. Their improved reliability permits 

higher power operation. which leads to the availability of largeScientists at the Materials Directorate and Crystal Associates 

Incorporated jointly developed an improved growth technique 

which produces large-aperture nonlinear optical KTP crystals 

used in neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) 

Many solid state lasers in use today for military, medical and 

industrial applications are made of Nd: Y AG, a material that 

generates a laser beam with a fixed wavelength of about one 

micron. To increase the power and wavelength variability of 

these popular lasers, KTiOP04, or KTP crystals are used. KTP 

crystals offer proven dependability, capability, high quality and 

low cost in scores of laser applications. To be effective, laser 

light must be transmitted without scattering or absorption, either 

of which absorb the laser's power and weaken the laser beam. A 

problem that has plagued KTP crystals since their introduction is 

a phenomenon called gray tracks. A possible solution to this 

problem was to develop new crystalline materials, a costly and 

time-consuming effort. Scientists at Crystal Associates 

Incorporated of Waldwick NJ, receiving financial support 

aperture KTP crystals for laser-based satellite sensing systems, 

airborne counte1measure systems, projection television, medicine 

and other applications that require lasers with 

high-average power. 

lasers. Their improvement eliminates the formation of local 

discolorations (gray tracks) that gradually develop when the laser 

beam passes through the KTP crystal, forming an area of light 

absorption. 

through the Small Business Innovation Research Program and 

technical support from the Materials Directorate's Nonlinear 

Optical Materials Characterization Facility found a direct 

solution to the gray tracks problem. They took a systematic 

approach to find a correlation between the causes and the nature 

of the gray tracking. From this effort, they developed an 

improved crystal growth technique which reliably and 

consistently produces large-aperture KTP crystals at a lower cost 

than traditional crystals. In a standardized laser test system 

capable of inducing gray track damage on ordinary KTP crystals, 

crystals produced using the new growth technique could not be 

damaged even after 10,000 shots at power densities several times 

higher than the operating range of ordinary Nd: Y AG lasers. 

Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

I 

NEw LASER PARTICLE CouNTER SENSOR IMPROVES 

SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE YIELDS 

Using the laser particle counter (LPC) system probe, shown 

above, to monitor particle contamination in real time inside a 

variety of semiconductor process machines will enable 

equipment operators to obtain improved device yields. The 

Under a program sponsored by the Manufacturing Technology 

Directorate, a LPC system using state-of-the-art optical and 

electrical components was designed, fabricated and demonstrated. This LPC sensor system, for detection of particle 

Electronic components in weapon systems are becoming more 

complex and denser in packaging. To meet future mission 

requirements, there is a continuing need to reduce size and 

weight of electronic components. With the feature sizes in 

semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) becoming smaller as IC 

density increases, defects caused by small particles in the 

semiconductor process environment are becoming more of a 

problem. In the past, when these features had sizes of about 

several microns, 0.3 micron particles did not pose as large a 

problem to device yield as they presently pose for 0.5 micron 

features. Particulate contamination inherent in the manufacture 

of new advanced ICs increases product cost. One of the major 

sources of manufacturing defects on small feature, state-of-theart devices is contamination from particulates generated within 

the IC fabrication equipment. Previously, high levels of small 

particles inside the process equipment itself were not thoroughly 

LPC sensor system's capability to detect particle contaminates as 

small as 0.08 microns in semiconductor process equipment will 

result in a significant reduction in manufacturing defects on 

small feature semiconductor devices. 

contamination in real time within semiconductor process 

equipment, is able to detect particles as small as 0.08 microns 

inside a variety of semiconductor process machines. 

addressed. Such particles can be formed in the process 

equipment by sputtered or etch materials that dislodge from the 

vacuum chamber as it is evacuated or brought up to ambient 

pressure. New in-situ sensors and control techniques were 

needed to provide methods to control the semiconductor 

manufacturing process to improve device yields. The 

application of advanced laser and fiber-optic techniques to online particle monitoring in the process chamber was developed 

by Honeywell Sensor and System Development Center and 

successfully demonstrated in a Perkin Elmer 4400 sputtering 

machine. The LPC system's materials and design are 

compatible with high temperature vacuum, radio frequency and 

corrosive environments of existing semiconductor process 

equipment. It has built in diagnostic and automatic sensitivity 

adjustments for aging or process damage. 

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....... ........ ........ 
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

I 

~ 

I 

ANTENNA WAVEFRONT SIMULATOR (AWFS) ADDRESSES 

CuRRENT AND FuTURE ANTENNA ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS 

The A WFS enables both industry and the Department of Defense 

(DoD) to identify and correct, if necessary, any potential Global 

Positioning System pitfalls with respect to receiver vulnerability, 

accuracy and performance prior to insertion in DoD systems. An 

The Avionics Directorate's Navigation and Information 

Transmission Branch developed the world's first radio frequency 

Antenna Wave Front Simulator (AWFS) specifically designed to 

evaluate current and future antenna electronics (AE) in both a 

static and dynamic jamming environment. This unique 

One of the key cornerstones of the exploration of GPS receiver 

technologies is to evaluate the current and future antenna 

electronics, as their performance directly impacts overall GPS 

receiver capability. The AWFS basically simulates a nullsteering seven-element array Controlled Reception Pattern 

Antenna (CRP A) from which an ideal RF wavefront is generated 

and fed to an AE box followed by a GPS receiver. By its very 

nature, this innovative simulator has several key advantages over 

the traditional research environment (e.g., an anechoic chamber 

and flight testing) as it is repeatable, relatively low cost to 

implement and flexible in terms of platform dynamics and the 

enhanced version of the A WFS will simulate real-world moving 

jammers and platforms and save an estimated $20 million per 

test in test and evaluation costs. 

capability is used to explore both military and commercial 

Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver technologies 

associated with GPS jamming susceptibility, integration issues, 

improved precision accuracy and controlled access on the 

battlefield. 

multiple jammer types. The A WFS can also be reconfigured to 

support critical antenna beam-steering experiments that evaluate 

GPS performance against multiple jammers. Members of the 

GPS user community such as the GPS Joint Program Office 

(JPO), the National Air Intelligence Center and the F-117 System 

Program Office have commended performance results obtained 

using the A WFS. Additional members of the GPS user 

community have expressed keen interest in using the A WFS for 

evaluation of the Anti-jam GPS Technology Flight Test 

(AGTFT) System, the next generation AE-1 upgrade (AE-1A) 

and the GPS Antenna System (GAS). 
- - - - - -
Payoff 

Accomp! islhment 

Back9Jround 

~ I 

FLOW FIELD ENHANCERS IMPROVE AIRCRAFT 

CONTROLLABILITY 

A set of pneumatic and mechanical maneuvering devices that can 

be used as flow field enhancers will improve controllability for 

advanced fighter aircraft configurations. These devices, 

evaluated in wind tunnels at realistic speeds and sizes, could 

The Flight Dynamics Directorate's Aeromechanics Division's 

investigation of flow field enhancers indicated that enhancers 

represent an effective way to control forces and moments 

induced by an aircraft maneuver. Using two innovative types of 

The Flight Dynamics Directorate initiated a Fighter Lift and 

Control program to investigate forebody devices that show 

potential for enhancing the maneuver performance of advanced, 

low observable class fighter aircraft that have a chined forebody. 

Design of Experiments methodologies were applied to aid in 

selecting the most promising devices from the large number 

considered. Two types of fore body vortex control augmentation 

were investigated during eight wind tunnel tests using 3 percent 

to 55 percent scale models. One device is mechanical and uses 

fore body strakes, while the other device is pneumatic and uses 

forebody blowing to enhance maneuverability. Modem and 

advanced fighter aircraft are required to operate in a flight regime 

that requires the maximum maneuverability and controllability 

possible for effectiveness in the combat arena. Geometries that 

have been designed with low observable requirement have 

increase maneuverability for next generation fighters by 15 

percent and increase nose pointing ability by 25 percent, giving 

pilot advantage in maneuvering during aerial engagements. 

forebody vortex control augmentation developed by the 

Directorate, vortices were used directly as an alternate source of 

high angle of attack control. 

"'~·-~-·---··-~·-··~~ 

shown an aerodynamic penalty in the aircraft maneuver 

performance. Requirements for high maneuverability necessarily 

dictate that aircraft must fly at high angles of attack where 

aerodynamics are dominated by separated and vortex flows. 

These flows can induce or exacerbate adverse control 

characteristics such as wing rock, loss of yaw and roll control 

and uncontrolled pitch-up. One method to overcome these 

adverse control effects is the use of thrust vectoring. Mechanical 

thrust vectoring is quite effective, but additional weight and 

system complexity are a penalty. Instead of relying upon thrust 

vectoring to overcome the forces and moments induced by a 

maneuver, a more effective way to control these effects and 

enhance the aircraft controllability is to directly use the vortices 

as an alternate source of high angle of attack control. 
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Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

AIRCRAFT RoBOTIC PAINT STRIPPING SYSTEM PROTECTS 

ENVIRONMENT 

The deployment of a robotic high-pressure water paint stripping 

system will protect the environment by eliminating the use of 

toxic stripping chemicals and reducing hazardous waste 

Under a program sponsored by the Manufacturing Technology 

Directorate, United Technologies Corporation developed an 

automated paint stripping system that has been transitioned to the 

The Large Aircraft Robotic Paint Stripping (LARPS) Program 

was initiated in 1991 to establish an automated low-cost 

environmentally safe paint removal system for aircraft and 

aircraft components at OC-ALC. One of its eight contract line 

items was the Aircraft Component Subsystem (ACS), a 50ft x 

20ft paint stripping cell at OC-ALC. It provides automated, 

high-pressure water coatings removal for components that are 

removed from the aircraft. About 285,000 square feet of aircraft 

components are stripped annually at OC-ALC. Parts as large 

as the B-52 inboard flap measuring 31 ft x 8 ft can be stripped in 

this work cell. It is a self-contained, high-pressure, environmenproduced by 94 percent. In addition to removing personnel from 

a hazardous environment, manhours for paint stripping will be 

reduced by 50 percent. 

Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC). This system 

uses a high-pressure water process which does not damage thinskinned aircraft surfaces. 

tally safe coatings removal system that keeps personnel out of a 

hazardous work environment. The LARPS Program was 

modified to also include a joint initiative line item with the Navy. 

Under this effort a high-pressure water coatings removal process 

in a naval shipyard was demonstrated and employed to remove 

coatings from ships and submarines in dry dock. The Navy's 

system uses a 6-inch nozzle designed to remove extremely thick 

coatings of paint from steel surfaces. It is portable with full 

recovery of contaminant at the source and has demonstrated 

stripping rates from 100-175 square feet per hour. 

~~~~~ ~-~1 
- - -
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

TF39 ENGINE FAN BLADE ANALYSIS 

SAVE 

The repair procedure developed under a joint effort led by the 

Materials Directorate and San Antonio Air Logistics Center will 

significantly reduce the risk of costly engine damage caused by 

the failure of current second stage C-5 TF39 engine fan blades. 

Engineers at Wright Laboratory's Materials Directorate assisted 

San Antonio Air Logistics Center (SA-ALC) personnel in 

analyzing and solving a cracking problem in second stage fan 

Its implementation could save the Air Force $300 million over 

the cost of acquiring new blades and more than 5,000 man-hours 

required for non-destructive inspection of current fan blade 

spans. 

blade interlocks of the C-5' s TF39 engine. This joint effort 

resulted in the development of key repair processes in a $30 

million modification program of the fan blade's mid span. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background Even with the introduction of the new C-17 aircraft, the C-5 will 

be a mainstay for years to come. Sustaining these aircraft will 

require the repair and replacement of various components that 

will exceed their original design life. These actions will take 

place in modification or update programs or after the discovery 

of a problem during normal use. A cracking problem discovered 

in the second stage fan blade interlocks of TF39 engines on C5AJB aircraft resulted in 12 critical fan blade failures. One such 

failure led to a blade separation and destruction of an entire 

engine. Two other failures resulted in fuselage penetration by 

uncontained debris. The Materials Directorate specialists, 

following an extensive evaluation of the failures, identified the 

problem as fatigue cracking in the high stress area of the midspan blade interlocks. Working with the SA-ALC, General 

Electric and Praxair in Kansas City MO, they assisted in 

designing a repair procedure to avoid fan blade failures. The 

repair process includes grinding out the high stressed area 

(approximately 2 in. x 3 in.) from the interlock, forging a Ti 64 

insert, electron beam (EB) welding the insert into the open 

interlock, and machining the blade back to original dimensions. 

Since poor EB welds, if undetected, could cause similar failures 

of equal or greater magnitude to those already occurring, 

Materials Directorate engineers performed an in-house analysis 

to qualify the repairs for both General Electric and Praxair. The 

repair program includes the implementation of the suggested 

repair procedure to 210 blades on actual TF39 engines. 
- - - -
Payoff 

Accomplishment 

Background 

NEw CoMPOSITE MATERIAL PROVIDES 900 PERCENT 

INCREASE IN OPERATIONAL LIFE OF AIRCRAFT 

AFTERBURNER NozzLE CoMPONENTS 

The use of the high-perfonnance silicon carbide-reinforced 

carbon material in the shape of an augmentor nozzle seal (shown 

glowing red left) on the F414 engine for the Navy's F-18 is 

necessary, since metal components fall far short of perfonnance 

requirements. Ceramic matrix composites can easily meet the 

Composite technology developed by Wright Laboratory's 

Materials Directorate has been utilized to achieve a 900 percent 

increase in the operational life of afterburner nozzle components 

on aircraft turbine engines. The ceramic matrix composite 

Military aircraft powered by turbine engines use afterburners 

when a quick-response power boost is needed. To augment this 

boost, a system of flaps and seals make up an adjustable nozzle 

that can partially close to intensify the velocity of the exhaust. 

While temperatures of conventional turbine engines are low 

enough to pennit use of nickel-based superalloy flaps and seals, 

today's advanced engines with greater thrust operate at 

temperatures beyond the capability of superalloys. Metal 

components tend to warp, crack and fail after only one-third of 

their design life, effectively grounding the aircraft until repairs 

can be made. A carbon-carbon matrix material was developed 

several years ago by the Materials Directorate and Hitco, Inc. of 

Gardena CA, and was tested in a General Electric engine at 

Evendale OH. The silicon carbide fibers provide tensile strength 

and durability, while maintaining a close match in coefficient of 

thennal expansion with the matrix. The matrix offers stiffness 

operational life requirements of afterburner nozzle flaps and 

seals in advanced, high-temperature turbine engines, and are 

expected to achieve significant life cycle cost savings over 

conventional flaps and seals. 

material that combines silicon carbide continuous fibers in an 

inhibited carbon matrix can withstand the extreme thennal, 

mechanical and acoustic environment in high-perfonnance 

engines. 

and temperature resistance, and a silicon carbide coating protects 

against oxidation. Besides outstanding heat resistance, ceramic 

matrix composites are extremely damage-tolerant, and offer 

increased toughness over monolithic ceramics. These flaps and 

seals provide a 900 percent operating life improvement over 

metal components. The first application for ceramic matrix 

composite flaps and seals is in the F414 engine upgrade. This 

engine is under development by General Electric, Lynn MA, who 

adapted the technology from General Electric -Evendale, for 

installation in the Navy F-18 Hornet aircraft. The success of the 

F414 program has resulted in an ARPA-funded program to 

develop the first structurally-designed oxide-oxide ceramic 

matrix composite flaps and seals for afterburner nozzles on the 

Air Force F11 0 engine family for the F-16. Life cycle cost 

savings for the F11 0 engine are expected to reflect substantial 

savings. Engine tests are scheduled during mid-1995. 

1m 
-
AcRONYM LisT 

Acronym Definition Acronym Definition 

2D ....................... Two-Dimensional HBT .................... Heterojunction BipolarTransistor 

AC ....................... Alternating Current HSAP .................. High School Apprenticeship Program 

ACS .................... Aircraft Component Subsystem IC ........................ Integrated Circuits 

AE ....................... Antenna Electronics IDEF ................... Integrated Computer-Aided Manufacturing DEFinition 

AE-lA ................. AE-1 Upgrade IHPTET ............... Integrated High Performance Turbine Engine Technology 

AFFF ................... Aqueous Film Forming Foam IMU ..................... Inertial Measurement Unit 

AGTFf ................ Anti-Jam GPSTechnology Flight Test JDAM .................. Joint Direct Attack Munition 

AMC ................... Air Mobility Command JETEC ................. Joint Expendable Turbine Engine Concept· 

ANG .................... Air National Guard JPO ...................... Joint Program Office 

A WFS .................. Antenna Wavefront Simulator KTP ..................... Potassium Titanyl Phosphate 

ARDEC ............... Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center LADAR ............... Laser Radar 

ARPA .................. Advanced Research ProjectsAgency LARPS ................ Large Aircraft Robotic Paint Stripping 

C-C ...................... Carbon-Carbon LHMEL .............. Laser Hardened Materials Evaluation Laboratory 

CDP .................... Career Development Program LIMO ................. Linear Motion Oven 

CDRA ................. Cooperative Research and DevelopmentAgreement LPC .................... Laser Particle Counter 

CMC ................... Ceramic Matrix Composite MBE ................... Molecular Beam Epitaxy 

CRPA .................. Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna MMIC ................ Microwave Monolithic Integrated Circuit 

CVD .................... Chemical Vapor Deposition MOCVD ............. Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition 

DC ....................... Direct Current MOFA ................ Multi-Option Fuze for Artillery 

DMS .................... Desorption Mass Spectrometry MOMBE ............ Metal-Organic Molecular Beam Epitaxy 

DoD ..................... Department ofDefense MWCVI ............. Microwave Chemical Vapor Infiltration 

EB ....................... Electron Beam Nd:YAG ............. Neodymium Doped YttriumAluminum Garnet 

ELITE ................. Extended Long-Range Integrated Technology Evaluation NSC ................... National Semiconductor Corporation 

ELMS .................. Electrical Load Management System OC-ALC ............. Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center 

EPCRA ............... Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-KnowAct OCD ................... Operational Concept Demonstration 

FAA ..................... FederalAviationAdministration PACIS ................. Platform for the Automated Construction of Intelligent Systems 

FlGPB ................. Fuzed, Insensitive General Purpose Bomb PCA ................... Propulsion ControlledAircraft 

GaAs ................... GalliumArsenide PHEMT .............. Pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistors 

GAS .................... GPSAntenna System PMMA ............... Polymethylmethacrylate 

GaSb ................... GalliumAntimonide PRF .................... Pulse Repetition Frequency 

GC ....................... Gas-Chromatograph RLG ................... Ring Laser Gyro 

GPGS .................. Ground Power Generation System 

GPS ..................... Global Positioning System 

Rf ...................... Remote Terminals I I 

~ A-I 
Acronym Definition 

SA-ALC ............. SanAntonioAir Logistics Center 

SBIR .................. Small Business Innovation Research Program 

SLI ..................... Semiconductor Laser International 

SRI ..................... Scanning Radiometric Imager 

SSPC .................. Solid State Power Controller 

TCAM ................ Thermochemicall y Actuated Motion 

TRIT .................. Turbine Rotor Inlet Temperature 

WR-ALC ............ Warner Robins-Air Logistics Center 

ZGP .................... Zinc Germanium Phosphide 

AcRONYM LIST 

A-2 

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'1 
I 

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I 

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e To receive more information from the experts involved in the "Success Stories" 

contained in this document, please call WUDOR @ (513) 255-4119. 

e To receive information on one or more of the following activities in Wright Laboratory, 

please check the appropriate blocks: 

D Technology Transfer 

D Cooperative Research & Development Agreements 

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WUDOR, BLDG 45 

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