Intevac Photonics says its DeltaNu business unit received the Defense Department deal worth more than $1 million. The announced contract is for DeltaNu to develop its Raman spectroscopy system to support threat detection capabilities in both the military and civilian sectors.

The Raman spectroscopy technology will be expected to detect toxic and pathogen materials from long-distance ranges.

"With their ability to rapidly detect hazardous materials, DeltaNu's advanced, high-performance Raman systems enable soldiers to be more effective," Keith Carron, DeltaNu vice president and general manager, said in a statement.

"When life-threatening materials can be detected in seconds, countermeasures can be quickly developed and implemented immediately in the field to significantly improve troop survivability."