The San Diego-based Research Div. of Jmar Technologies Inc. has received a $3.5 million contract from the US Department of Defense to advance a compact, soft x-ray light source for applications that would otherwise require access to a synchrotron facility. The company will work to upgrade the light source for continuous operation as well as to improve the device's performance, reliability and maintenance requirements. It has developed advanced laser-produced plasma x-ray source technology for semiconductor nanolithography under a contract with the department. The funding is under the company's previously announced $34.5 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency contract.