Northvale, NJ--Crystalline materials and optical components manufacturer Inrad Optics was awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award worth approximately $1 million dollars by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to support development and industrial production of the organic crystal stilbene for neutron detection. The detection of neutrons is a critical capability for the detection of special nuclear materials in homeland security applications, as well as applications in research and radiation protection.
The Phase II contract is a continuation of work begun under a Phase I award in 2011, and is part of an on-going collaborative effort with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL; Livermore, CA). The collaboration recently demonstrated that solution crystal growth is a highly promising route towards large-scale production of organic scintillators like stilbene. Inrad Optics has leveraged its long and successful history producing other solution-grown crystals for laser applications and ultraviolet (UV) filters in this new development effort. A technical news story on the stilbene growth method will appear in the November issue of Laser Focus World magazine.
Inrad Optics CEO Amy Eskilson said, "Inrad Optics is continuing to push forward its development of organic scintillator crystals, and we are making significant progress on an almost daily basis. We appreciate the support and guidance of both LLNL and the DNDO, and are committed to providing the agency both high quality research results and a market ready product."
Inrad Optics manufactures crystalline materials and devices and fabricates precision glass and metal optical components. Originally founded as Inrad, Inc., the organization matured via organic and acquired growth as Photonic Products Group, Inc., and in January 2012 announced its name change to Inrad Optics. The company says that its vertically integrated manufacturing expertise includes solution and high temperature crystal growth, extensive optical fabrication capabilities (including precision diamond turning and the handling of large substrates), optical coatings, and extensive in-process metrology. Its customer base includes corporations in defense, aerospace, process control and metrology, medical, and industrial laser sectors of the photonics industry, as well as government, national laboratory, and university customers worldwide.
SOURCE: Inrad Optics; www.inradoptics.com/about-us/press-releases/item/217-inrad-optics-receives-sbir-phase-ii-for-stilbene-production-for-fast-neutron-detection
