The European Space Agency Tender

Nanostructured Optical Surfaces, Also Referred To As 2d Photonic Crystals Or Metasurfaces, Provide The Possibility To Manipulate Incoming Light In Unique Ways. In Articular, The Alteration Of Spectral Transmission And Polarization Have Been Widely Employed For Compact Spectrometers, Polarimeters And Imagers In Terrestrial Application Scenarios. The Main Objective Of This Study Is To Transfer The Concept Of These Components To The Application Case Of The Space-born Remote Sensing.the Increased Degree Of Freedom Compared To Conventional Dielectric Filters Or Polarizers Allows For The Tailoring Of Unique Transmission Properties. In Combination With Customized Computational Dataprocessing, E.g. Using Compressive Sensing Algorithms Or Machine Learning, Such Elements Provide A Powerful Tool To Achieve High Performance (e.g. High Sensitivity, Spectral Resolution) Using A Small Form Factor And Low Data Rate Instrument. Moreover, The Potential Of Ultiplexing Of Several Optical Functionalities, Such As Wavelength And Polarization Filtering Or Polarization Scrambling, In A Single Element Potentially Reduces The Complexity Of The Overall Optical System, Increases Its Robustnessand Allows For The Miniaturization Of Optical Payloads For Remote Sensing.this Activity Encompasses The Following Tasks:- Review Of State-of-the Art Technologies For Using Nano-structured Filters For Remote Sensing- Concept Study To Apply Nano-structured Filters For Space Born Remote Sensing Applications- Design And Theoretical Analysis Of The Nanostructured Optical Element- Demonstration Of Developed Nanostructured Optical Element Via Breadboardprocurement Policy: C(1) = Activity Restricted To Non-prime Contractors (incl. Smes). For Additional Information Please Go To:http://www.esa.int/about_us/business_with_esa/small_and_medium_sized_enterprises/opportunities_for_smes/procurement_policy_on_fair_access_for_smes_-_the_c1-c4_clauses