SOURCES SOUGHT
66 -- RECOVERY: Dual-beam Scanning Electron Microscope and Focused Ion Beam System
- Notice Date
- 11/24/2009
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Room B129, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899-1640
- ZIP Code
- 20899-1640
- Solicitation Number
- SS-10-SS09
- Archive Date
- 12/16/2009
- Point of Contact
- Kim S Stavish, Phone: 301-975-2672, Patrick K Staines, Phone: (301)975-6335
- E-Mail Address
-
kim.stavish@nist.gov, patrick.staines@nist.gov
(kim.stavish@nist.gov, patrick.staines@nist.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- RECOVERY: The National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) seeks information on commercial vendors that are capable of providing a “two-beam” system including a high-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a high-resolution focused-ion-beam (FIB), both with advanced direct-write capabilities. The system will be used primarily for maskless fabrication of three-dimensional micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS), nano-photonic devices, nano-plasmonic device, and nano-optomechanical devices. This will be achieved by two-beam-enabled methods such as FIB milling, ion- or electron-induced gas-assisted etching, and ion- or electron-induced gas-assisted deposition. System will also be used for cross-sectional imaging, construction analysis, top-down and cross-sectional metrology, nano-wiring, and preparation of lamellas for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It will also serve as a platform for in-situ experiments involving real-time electrical and optical sample probing under simultaneous imaging or writing by SEM or FIB. After results of this market research are obtained and analyzed and specifications are developed for a dual-beam system that can meet NIST's minimum requirements, NIST may conduct a competitive procurement and subsequently award a Purchase Order utilizing FAR Subpart 13.5. If at least two qualified small businesses are identified during this market research stage, then any competitive procurement that resulted would be conducted as a small business set-aside. This contemplated procurement is anticipated to utilize American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funding if it is determined that responsible sources can satisfy the requirement. NIST has a need for a dual-beam system that would meet the following requirements: 1. Ion beam accelerating voltage should cover at least the range 500V to 30kV. Ion-beam current should cover (in discrete values) at least the range 1.5 pA to 20nA. Best achievable ion-beam resolution at the FIB-SEM coincident working distance should be no less than 5nm (at 30kV and at an ion current no less than 1.5pA). 2. Electron beam accelerating voltage should cover at least the range 350V to 30kV. Electron beam resolution at the FIB-SEM coincident working distance should be equal to or better than 1.0nm at 15kV, equal to or better than 1.6nm at 5kV, and equal to or better than 2.5nm at 1kV. 3. To enable adequate management of the ion or electron dose delivered to the sample, it must be possible to switch from SEM imaging mode to FIB imaging mode (or FIB imaging mode to SEM imaging mode) without initiating a beam scan. 4. Stage should provide motion in at least 5 axes (x, y, z, tilt and rotation). Range of motion in x and y directions, respectively, should be at least 150mm, with a landing repeatability of at least 1 micron. For maximum processing flexibility, possible tilt angles should cover at least the range -10 degrees to 60 degrees. 5. In order to facilitate setup of in-situ electrical and optical probing experiments, routine method for sample loading and unloading must not involve a load-lock, but must take place via a large, single door providing access to the vacuum chamber. 6. System should include a gas delivery system for beam-induced gas-assisted deposition. Deposition gases must include a gas for deposition of platinum, a gas for deposition of gold, and a gas for deposition of an insulator. 7. System should include a gas delivery system for beam-induced gas-assisted etching. Etch gases must include xenon difluoride (for selective etching of silicon), and a gas for selective etching of carbon-based materials (such as polymers, photoresists, or diamond). 8. System must be furnished with an in-situ mechanical probe allowing extraction of FIB-prepared samples such as lamellas for TEM microscopy. 9. System must provide a built-in library of “shapes” which define useful or routine geometries and scanning strategies for FIB milling, ion- or electron- induced gas-assisted deposition, and ion- or electron-induced gas-assisted etching. 10. Provided shape geometries must include square, rectangle, circle, ellipse, circular ring, elliptical ring and polygon. 11. To maximize process latitude, writing of FIB and SEM shapes should be achieved via an integrated digital pattern generator of resolution no less than 16 bit. Minimum dwell time must be no more than 25 nanoseconds. 12. Shape properties should allow for specification of which beam (ion or electron) is to be used during shape execution. When shape is executed, system must automatically switch to specified beam. 13. During shape execution with a given beam (FIB or SEM), the system must be able to collect and display, as a live image, the secondary or back-scattered electron signal generated by that same beam. This live image should preferably be displayed within the graphical boundaries of the shape. In particular, this live-imaging feature is necessary for endpoint control during FIB milling of features not in the line of sight of the SEM (such as the bottom of a high-aspect-ratio hole). 14. Live imaging with the SEM should be possible during shape execution with the FIB. Live imaging with the FIB should be possible during shape execution with the SEM. 15. To maximize ease of use and process repeatability, shape size must be expressed in absolute (micron) dimensions, and not nominally depend on system magnification setting at time of execution. 16. To minimize hidden side-effects, shape position must be referenced only to center of the field of view, not to a stage position. 17. To avoid offsets, shape rotation must be achieved via the digital pattern generator, not via temporary rotation of the scan field. 18. To maximize ease of use and process latitude, shape properties must allow for independent specification of horizontal and vertical pixel spacing, in absolute dimensions. 19. For precise management of dose-rate effects during milling, it must be possible to explicitly specify the slow scan direction used during execution of a rectangular shape, including at least “left-to-right”, “right-to-left”, “bottom-to-top”, and “top-to-bottom” directions. 20. In order to enable milling, etching or deposition of shapes with complex topography, it must be possible, within a given shape, to specify a dwell time which varies from pixel to pixel. Such a specification must be achievable via use of a grayscale image bitmap. 21. Shape properties should allow for specification of which gas is to be used (if any) during shape execution. System must automatically insert relevant gas delivery nozzle upon launching of shape execution, automatically deliver specified gas during shape execution, and automatically retract nozzle upon completion of shape execution. 22. System must allow automatic execution of a group of shapes within a same field of view, where individual shapes may have, respectively, different values of dose, dwell time, scan direction, specified beam and specified gas. It must be possible to explicitly specify the order of execution of the shapes. The full list of shapes ready for execution must be apparent, explicit and editable at all times. 23. System must allow for routine scripting and fully automatic execution of arbitrary, user-defined process sequences involving, but not limited to, FIB milling, ion- or electron- induced gas-assisted deposition, ion- or electron-induced gas-assisted etching, stage motion, SEM image acquisition, and FIB image acquisition. 24. It must be possible to store a group of shapes under a single name, as well as recall the group at a later time for immediate execution, including via a script. NIST is seeking responses from all responsible sources, including large, foreign, and small businesses. Small businesses are defined under the associated NAICS code for this effort, 334516, as those domestic sources having 500 employees or less. Please include your company’s size classification in any response to this notice. Companies that manufacture analytical transmission electron microscopes are requested to email a detailed report describing their abilities to kim.stavishl@nist.gov no later than the response date for this sources sought notice. The report should include achievable specifications and any other information relevant to your product or capabilities. Also, the following information is requested to be provided as part of the response to this sources sought notice: 1. Name of the company that manufactures the system components for which specifications are provided. 2. Name of company(ies) that are authorized to sell the system components, their addresses, and a point of contact for the company (name, phone number, fax number and email address). 3. Indication of number of days, after receipt of order that is typical for delivery of such systems. 4. Indication of whether each instrument for which specifications are sent to kim.stavish@nist.gov are currently on one or more GSA Federal Supply Schedule contracts and, if so, the GSA FSS contract number(s). 5. Any other relevant information that is not listed above which the Government should consider in developing its minimum specifications and finalizing its market research.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NIST/AcAsD/SS-10-SS09/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899, United States
- Zip Code: 20899
- Zip Code: 20899
- Record
- SN02010529-W 20091126/091124235153-2bd3ed6b766fd61984c177dce782d156 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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