The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals for directly converting radiation energy into electricity, focusing on radiation voltaics (also known as radiovoltaics). Typical radiovoltaic unit cell configured devices can produce power at the milliwatt-level. Rads to Watts seeks approaches that can scale unit cells to broad-area collection volumes to produce power at kilowatt-levels over relevant timescales. Proposed work should include innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in high fluence- resilient, radiation-hardened, charge-carrying materials and techniques that specifically apply to radiovoltaics. Specifically excluded from Rads to Watts is research that primarily results in incremental improvements to the existing state of practice and research that applies to direct conversion methods other than radiovoltaics.

If successful, the Rads to Watts program will produce proof-of-concept radiovoltaic unit cells that could be scalable to high-power form factors (i.e., radiovoltaic array, stack of unit cells, etc.). The program is designed so that different performers can explore a range of unique, mission-relevant solutions, so that the program as a whole will identify the most promising application areas for further development.

The primary challenge of the Rads to Watts program is achieving high power density and high specific power with minimum degradation after simultaneously accruing a cumulative radiation dose over time. Because the performance limits of radiovoltaics for high-power applications are not yet known, it is too early to prescribe a single point metric and target use case for the program. Rather, the program is designed to explore different designs and determine if there are multiple opportunities across a range of trades between power density and resistance to cumulative radiation dose.

To view the full program solicitation, please go to the following link.

All technical, contractual, and administrative questions regarding this notice must be emailed to [email protected]. Emails sent directly to the Program Manager, or any other address, may result in a delayed or no response.