microdevices.jpl.nasa.govMicrodevices Laboratory

Skip to main content NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Microdevices Laboratory HOME ABOUT Overview Leadership Vision Statement -- Core Competencies Become a Partner Contact Tour Careers CORE COMPETENCIES Overview Mid-Infrared Detectors UV-Visible Detectors & Systems Systems & Nanoscience -- Submillimeter Devices Advanced Technologies -- Superconducting Devices Semiconductor Lasers Diffractive Optics Imaging Spectroscopy Broadband Thermal Detectors MEMS In Situ Instruments Tunable Laser Spectrometers Chemical Analysis & Life Detection Mass Spectrometry Microfabrication Technologies Infrastructure & Equipment MDL BEYOND KNOWLEDGE CENTER Overview Visiting Committee Annual Reports Publications Patents Awards Search Go MICRODEVICES LABORATORY A Story of Continuous Achievement LEARN MORE >> MICRODEVICES LABORATORY Euclid Mission Scheduled for Launch in 2020 LEARN MORE >> MICRODEVICES LABORATORY Is mineral dust heating or cooling the planet? LEARN MORE >> MICRODEVICES LABORATORY Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors for DSOC LEARN MORE >> MICRODEVICES LABORATORY Looking Back to the First Stars' Formation LEARN MORE >> Welcome to the Big things come from small technologies. As one of the institutional facilities of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the (MDL) is dedicated to the study of micro and nano-fabrication techniques. Our technology enables JPL and NASA to carry out new missions and perform new measurements in space. As the frontiers of science grow ever broader, we are proud of the not-so-small, but vital part we play in better understanding the world we know and those we have yet to discover. For us, every project is a journey, every idea (and even every temporary setback) an opportunity. These journeys take us through new dimensions of space and time, they help us understand our planet and take us to lands unknown. Whether we are studying the physics of the universe when it was less than a second old, examining molecular species in Earth’s atmosphere or searching for signs of past or present life on Mars, ours is a quest that is filled with both great mysteries and fascinating discoveries. HOME MDL Core Competencies List Grid Mid-Infrared Detectors Innovations at MDL by the Infrared Photonics Technology Group enable observations of our planet in specific infrared regions, as well as mapping of the world's ecosystems, defense, cloud structures, and natural disasters. UV-Visible Detectors & Systems Advances generated at MDL will extend our vision to unprecedented sensitivities, enabling future discoveries and capabilities. Submillimeter Devices Researchers in submillimeter-wave advanced technology at JPL specialize in developing and implementing submillimeter-wave and terahertz remotesensing technologies for a variety of applications. Superconducting Devices The possible detection of an imprint by inflation on the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) excited both astrophysicists and the general public around the world in March 2014 when BICEP2 published its results. Semiconductor Lasers Over the last two decades, semiconductor lasers have improved in performance to above-room-temperature operation with high output power (tens of milliwatts), low power consumption (less than a watt), and cover a wide range of wavelengths. Due to these advancements, tunable laser spectrometers have become the instrument of choice for precise measurements of gas abundances and their isotope ratios in Earth and planetary gases, arising from either the atmosphere or evolving from rock pyrolysis. Diffractive Optics The develops electron-beam lithography techniques to fabricate unique nanostructures and optics that enable JPL instruments to perform novel measurements and achieve unmatched performance. Imaging Spectroscopy At the most basic molecular level, all life on Earth is fundamentally the same, constructed from a relatively small set of chemical building blocks. By analyzing the distributions of organic molecules on other worlds, we can search for patterns of these building blocks that can provide clues about the presence of extinct or extant life. Broadband Thermal Detectors At the most basic molecular level, all life on Earth is fundamentally the same, constructed from a relatively small set of chemical building blocks. By analyzing the distributions of organic molecules on other worlds, we can search for patterns of these building blocks that can provide clues about the presence of extinct or extant life. MEMS The past year has been the "delivery" year for nano and micro systems. This is the most satisfying aspect of applied research, where a new technology is nurtured from its conception to a field-test-ready product, or in some cases, a laboratory-proven product ready for the next bigger stage. In Situ Instruments At the most basic molecular level, all life on Earth is fundamentally the same, constructed from a relatively small set of chemical building blocks. By analyzing the distributions of organic molecules on other worlds, we can search for patterns of these building blocks that can provide clues about the presence of extinct or extant life. Microfabrication Technologies Microfabrication technologies under development at MDL continue to support NASA's mission to drive advances in science, technology, and exploration. Infrastructure & Equipment The sophisticated semiconductor processing that takes place in the MDL requires complex integrated building systems and equipment. These closely monitored state-of-the-art capabilities installed in ultraclean environments form the foundation of MDL's technical implementation and innovation. Equipment Equipment within MDL must be maintained, reviewed, and updated on a continual basis in order to enable researchers to fabricate improved sensors for instrumentation. Investments in new capabilities, upgrades and replacements are prioritized and analyzed annually by need and available resources in accordance with a five-year investment plan. The current MDL equipment complement is delineated below in eight (8) categories. -- MDL Next Looking Beyond Tomorrow -- -- MDL HIGHLIGHTS -- HOT BIRDs The HOT BIRD focal plane array is at the heart of the Hyperspectral Thermal Imager (HyTI) 6U CubeSat (which needs a cooler, also developed in MDL ) that was recently selected by NASA’s In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies (InVEST) program. LEARN MORE >> MDL HIGHLIGHTS -- Silicon Sculpturing Over the last few years, NASA has funded development of super-compact submillimeter-wave instruments for planetary exploration. Submillimeter heterodyne instruments play a critical role in addressing fundamental questions regarding the evolution of galaxies and interstellar clouds, while enhancing our understanding of planet Earth by providing remote sensing data on the higher troposphere and lower stratosphere. LEARN MORE >> MDL HIGHLIGHTS -- EMIT Does mineral dust blown into the atmosphere cause it to warm or cool? This is the fundamental question that researchers hope a new space-based instrument will help them answer . Since much of the Earth's desert regions are remote and inhospitable, the best way to study them may be from space. LEARN MORE >> MDL HIGHLIGHTS -- HyTES HyTES was developed originally to support the Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) mission and is currently supporting science data products for future ESA missions as well as NRC 2017 decadal survey missions and SBG. SBG is the Surface Biology and Geology designated observable identified in the NRC 2017 Decadal Survey (PDF): "Thriving on Our Changing Planet: A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space." (For PDF documents download Adobe Reader ) LEARN MORE >> HOME What's Happening Now JPL Main Page Science & Technology Earth Solar System Stars & Galaxies RSS Feeds Videos Podcast ABOUT Leadership Vision Statement The ...