Deadline: 23-Nov-22
Innovative Solutions Canada along with the Department of National Defence are seeking a quantum-enhanced Radio-Frequency (RF) sensing technology solutions to improve target detection using radars via quantum-enhanced radar transmitters and/or radar receivers.
Quantum information science enables the design of novel and improved RF sensors. This includes quantum-enhanced RF sensors based on novel technological platforms, such as neutral atoms, ions and Josephson parametric amplifiers. Another approach is quantum-enhanced RF sensors that are endowed with fundamentally quantum properties, such as entanglement, either at the transmitter or the receiver.
A superior RF sensor is defined as one that has reduced transmit power requirements for the same performance as an existing RF sensors. Size, weight and power is not a consideration in this challenge.
Funding Information
Multiple contracts could result from this Challenge.
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Phase 1:
- The maximum funding available for any Phase 1 Grant resulting from this challenge is : $150,000 CAD
- The maximum duration for any Phase 1 project funded by a grant resulting from this challenge is up to 6 months
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Phase 2:
- The maximum funding available for any Phase 2 Grant resulting from this challenge is : $1,000,000 CAD
- The maximum duration for any Phase 2 project funded by a grant resulting from this challenge is up to 24 months
- Note: Only eligible businesses that have completed Phase 1 could be considered for Phase 2.
- Note: Selected companies are eligible to receive one grant per phase per challenge.
- This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to award any grant for the total approximate funding. Final decisions on the number of Phase 1 and Phase 2 awards will be made by Canada on the basis of factors such as evaluation results, departmental priorities and availability of funds. Canada reserves the right to make partial awards and to negotiate project scope changes.
Desired Outcomes and Considerations
- Essential (mandatory) outcomes
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The proposed solution must:
- Be based on a technological approach for design of radar transmitters or receivers not used in current commercial or military RF sensing systems;
- Evaluate and compare the performance of the proposed approach with an existing sensor under identical conditions in a laboratory setting;
- Quantify gain in terms of the receiver operating characteristic curvemetric for the same transmit power obtained from experimental data;
- Provide at least a 6 dB reduction in required transmit power as compared to a state-of-the-art radar transmitter and/or receiver;
- Provide evidence of potential for long-range sensing (≥10km) via suitable extrapolation of laboratory investigations.
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Additional Outcomes
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The proposed solution should:
- Be able to provide range information with suitable signal processing;
- Have a fractional bandwidth of at least 5%;
- Have an operating range of at least 10 km.
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The proposed solution should:
Eligibility Criteria
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Solution proposals can only be submitted by a small business that meets all of the following criteria:
- For profit
- Incorporated in Canada (federally or provincially)
- 499 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employeesFootnote
- Research and development activities that take place in Canada
- 50% or more of its annual wages, salaries and fees are currently paid to employees and contractors who spend the majority of their time working in CanadaFootnote
- 50% or more of its FTE employees have Canada as their ordinary place of workFootnote
- 50% or more of its senior executives (Vice President and above) have Canada as their principal residenceFootnote.
For more information, visit Innovative Solutions Canada.
For more information, visit https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/innovative-solutions-canada/en/quantum-enhanced-radio-frequency-sensing