September 9, 2004 – DARPA has awarded Lucent Technologies a $9.5 million contract to develop an advanced microsystem that will make the design, engineering, and fabrication of next-generation advanced silicon ICs faster, more economical, and with increased security for military apps such as homeland security.

Lucent said the four-year contract, N66001-04-C-8028, was awarded by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego, and is valued at $9.5 million, including options. Lucent will design, develop and demonstrate micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS)-based spatial light modulators (SLMs) that will enable maskless optical lithography.

The Bell Labs-developed MEMS SLM technology is made possible by advanced nanofabrication, Lucent added.

“One of the most critical barriers in the areas of maskless lithography is the development and implementation of the appropriate beam modulation technology,” said Dave Bishop, VP of nanotechnology research and president, NJ Nanotech Consortium at Bell Labs. “The micromirror technology Lucent is providing to DARPA is a giant leap forward in the area of advanced MEMS designed and engineering, and is being achieved by combining innovative design with our unique MEMS fabrication capability. We foresee this technology having positive impact on such critical areas as homeland security and military transformational communications. “

The Lucent team includes Corning Tropel, DuPont Photo Masks, Lincoln Laboratories.

Based at and run by Lucent Technologies’ Bell Labs, the NJ Nanotechnology Consortium conducts basic and applied nanotechnology research and provides fabrication and packaging capabilities.