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AFMETCAL Microwave Power Research and Development Industry Day


Ohio, United States
Government : Military
RFP
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Abstract: The Air Force Metrology and Calibration (AFMETCAL) program has a Research and Development (R&D) activity respective to development of primary standards, technologies, and capabilities in support of the Air Force Primary Standards Laboratory (AFPSL). Similar metrology R&D programs are also active within the other Department of Defense (DoD) services. This facilitates coordination of primary standards and calibration requirements among the DoD primary labs so these needs are met in a cost effective, uniform manner with adequate measurement uncertainties. Typically these efforts are other National Metrology Institute (NMI), or industry.partnered with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a other National Metrology Institute (NMI), or industry.

*** 9 April 2019 ***

This amendment is to clarify that this Industry Day is intended to address R&D topics relating to the Microwave measurement area.


*** 24 April 2019 ***


There were a couple of questions asked and the engineer has provided his response to those questions. They are posted here so that all interested parties may see.


Question 1.) In the R&D requirements, the required technology is described as "thermoelectric". Is this an absolute requirement? Is this requirement intended to specifically exclude sensors based on the sensing technology used in 8474E-K01 "thinfilm"?


Answer 1.) It is not an absolute requirement meant to exclude sensing technology of a "thinfilm". Because this is an "Industry Day" and we are soliciting inputs from industry, other sensing approaches are welcome. We do realize the final performance requirements (TBD in many regards as they may be an outcome of feasibility/necessity inputs from Industry Day) could be achieved via other power sensing approaches. However in the market survey thus far the consensus of feedback has been heavily weighted in the "thermoelectric" implementation approach being the most promising next-generation long-term supportable technology. The current preponderance of thought has suggested that there have been significant advances in the "thermoelectric" approach so that while cranking up a "thinfilm" technology production setup is feasible and could be lower risk it is not viewed as a "stop-gap" implementation just till industry catches up with a true "next generation" mount. It is further speculated that research on "thermoelectrics" is further along than conceptual and functional units may already have been realized. Because the "thermoelectrics" research does offer potential advantages and development of such does not seem far away from full feasibility evaluation that there probably is not a need to do a stop-gap rerun of "thinfilms". However, as a R&D effort, all thoughts and proposals respective to meeting the projected performance requirements by a "thinfilm" approach would be welcome.



Question 2.) The intended work product is described as a "transfer standard", however the two devices listed as items for replacement also serve as "calorimeter artifacts". Please clarify if the intended products are required to be suitable for use in the NIST coaxial calorimeters or other calorimeters, OR if they are really only to be transfer standards.


Answer 2.) Both. AFMETCAL has ongoing current projects for both a coaxial (Type-N) calorimeter from 10 kHz to 18 GHz, and a Waveguide (WR-42, WR-28, WR-22) to coaxial calorimeter from 18 GHz to 50 GHz in the AFPSL. So we see these "next generation" of power standards as transfer standards from either calorimeter and they would also have to fit into the AFPSL calorimeters as appropriate. If NIST themselves would possibly be interested in some quantity of these power mounts for their own use, then for sure we would want design parameters on the mounts to accommodate fitting into the NIST calorimeters. Further, the Army has a NIST Type-N calorimeter and if they were to procure for themselves a NIST 50 GHz coaxial calorimeter, then again the "next-generation" of mounts are seen as needing to be compatible with fitting in the NIST calorimeters.]


Michael D Hickey, Phone 740-788-5043, Email michael.hickey.2@us.af.mil - Kathryn A Vaccaro, Phone 740-788-5078, Fax 740-788-5157, Email kathryn.vaccaro@us.af.mil

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