Raytheon receives DARPA contract for optical processing

Raytheon, an RTX business, has been awarded a phase one contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency under its PICASSO program. The work centers on processing intended to let operators detect threats sooner and respond faster.

The stated gains in contested environments are earlier threat detection, quicker response and stronger situational awareness for operators.

The technology under development uses light rather than electricity to process signals. Current photonic circuits must convert optical signals into electrical ones to refine and process data. Removing that conversion step keeps signal strength and integrity intact as circuits become smaller and more complex.

Raytheon’s Advanced Technology team will design and demonstrate the new photonic circuit technology. The work draws on the company’s photonics process development, radio frequency design knowledge and fielded military solutions. Commercial partner Synopsys will provide design and simulation tools to support development.

“This program recognizes a fundamental shift in how processing can be achieved,” said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon. “By moving critical processing entirely into the optical domain, we can enable significantly faster response times for a broad range of applications.”

The effort is intended to accelerate the maturation of all-optical processing techniques for the PICASSO program.