• AFRL’s Support of Nanolithography Pioneer Continues to Pay Off

    In 1997, the Air Force Research Laboratory took a chance on a process called Dip-Pen Nanolithography (DPN), "a far out idea" which proved to be basic research that changed the world. First highlighted in the journal Science in January 1999, DPN is a technology that builds nanoscale structures and

  • The First "Metatronic" Circuit

    The Air Force Research Laboratory is supporting University of Pennsylvania researchers who are pushing circuitry forward in a radically different way: replacing electricity with light. The Penn research group has created the first physical demonstration of "lumped" optical circuit elements,

  • AFRL Program Results in Unique Terahertz Source for Scanning

    An Air Force Research Laboratory-funded program at Microtech Instruments, Inc. resulted in a uniquely capable terahertz source that can be employed in airport scanning. The Terahertz Parametric Oscillator (TPO-1500) averages up to 0.1 mW of power, but significantly, its central 1.5 THz wavelength,

  • AFRL-funded Research Leads to Super-Strong Nano-based Muscles

    Funding by the Air Force Research Laboratory is supporting a University of Texas/Dallas research team's pioneering work in artificial muscle types, including electrochemical carbon nanotube and conducting polymer muscles, as well fuel-powered muscles. This pioneering work stems from an exploratory

  • Nanocomposite Coating Offers Protection Against Assortment of Agents

    Research funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory has resulted in a coating that shields surfaces from myriad liquids, including toxic hydrochloric and sulfuric acids. The coating also provides protection against the coffee, soy sauce and vegetable oil, and has proved resistant to resistant to

  • Smaller Antennas Could Further Shrink Hand-held Electronics

    Just when it appeared that our hand-held electronic devices could not get smaller or more efficient, a research program funded by the Air Force Research Lab developed an innovative fabrication process to produce small, efficient antennas about the size of a quarter. Dr. Anthony Grbic leads a team of

  • Air Force Announces Basic Research Awards

    The Air Force Office of Scientific Research granted seven awards to various academic institutions to perform multidisciplinary basic research. The AFOSR awards, totaling $67.5 million, are the result of the Fiscal Year 2013 competition conducted by AFOSR, the Army Research Office, and the Office of

  • AFRL STEM Team Wins National Recognition

    The STEM team from the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy and Space Vehicles Directorates are this year's top national award-winner, taking home the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer's 2013 STEM Team Award. This honor is is one of the FLC's top recognitions, with