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Dynamics-Enabled Frequency Sources (DEFYS)
Program Manager and PoC: Dr.Jeffrey Rogers
Questions and Answers
Q1. Regarding BAA 09-60 Dynamics-Enabled Frequency Sources (DEFYS), we would like to find more details, e.g. frequency range, power limits, and the format of the proposal.
A1. For instructions on the abstract and full proposal formats please reference the BAA under Section IV. Application and Submission, B. Content and Form of Application Submission. The frequency range and all other technical specifications can be found in the BAA under the DEFYS Program Metrics on p.6.
Q2. How much emphasis should be placed on the device? Shouldn't devising new geometries and actuation schemes to favor (instead of reducing) non-linearities and tuning them, be the main focus of the effort?
A2. The program's emphasis is spelled out in the BAA under the Program Objectives on pages 5 and 6. The three headings in that section are: Use nonlinearity to reduce phase noise, Tune system to optimize performance for a given noise level, and Innovative Engineering.
Q3. Should ckt designers be heavily involved in the proposal or would a mix of ckt design and device development be more appropriate? Should the device development be the main focus?
A3. Teams best suited to meet the Program Objectives (listed on pages 5 and 6 of the BAA) and the Metrics (listed on page 6 of the BAA) will have the best chance of success. It is expected that proposers will assemble the team they feel is best suited to meet these goals.
Q4. How interesting is a rather conservative but effective approach that starts by using very good resonators that exploit minimal non-linearities (for example to simply eliminate ckt noise) considered? Would a more exotic (fully nanomechanical approach) that heavily exploits non-linearities (for both ckt noise elimination + spectral narrowing) be favored?
A4. The last paragraph of the Program Objectives section states on page 6 that "Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice".
Q5. The frequency specified for each phase is the "natural" frequency output of the oscillator. Would an approach involving overtones or electronic frequency multiplication of a resonator be ruled out so long as the metrics are met?
A5. Natural frequency is the value at which the source oscillates without additional multiplication or division. The resonator of the device must have a natural frequency as specified by the metrics chart on page 6 of the BAA. The frequency metric is described on page 6, paragraph 2 under the section "Explanations and Rationales for Phase Objectives."
Q6. It is expected that meeting the goals of DEFYS will require an alternative architecture using a nanoscale oscillator. As long as the Phase III volume metric is met, could the mechanical resonator be larger than strictly nm scale?
A6. Successful proposals will meet the Program Objectives (listed on pages 5 and 6 of the BAA) and the Metrics (on page 6 of the BAA) and the Explanations and Rationales for Phase Objectives (on pages 6 and 7 of the BAA).
Q7. At sufficient drive amplitudes, a cubic term in the restoring force produces a response that is single-valued in frequency but multi-valued in phase. Do you have examples of this?
A7. There have been several observations of resonance curve bending reported. For example, see Yurke, et al. Phys. Rev. A. 1995, 51, 4211-4229.
Q8. The BAA specifies that a bibliography can be attached to the full proposal and does not count towards the page limit. For the white paper, should references be included in the 10-page write-up, or can an additional page of references be attached?
A8. You may have an additional page for references.
Q9. The volume stated for the for the Oscillator in phase three of the program is 1mm(3). In the BAA description, it states that the oscillator must be completely contained inside the volume including all components and packaging. Does this include all supporting electronics such as registers, eeproms, control loops and bias feeds? If an array of oscillators are used in say phased arrays a single shift register or eeprom can be used ultimately to feed the entire array of oscillators, would this justify leaving these components outside the desired volume for the BAA metrics?
A9. The explanation given for volume on page 7 of the BAA says "The oscillator must be completely contained inside the prescribed volume, including all components and packaging". That means everything. If you choose to use an array of components to produce your oscillating source, all of those components are considered when evaluating your proposal against the metrics. Preferred solutions will be those that can meet all the metrics.