67 -- ULTRAHIGH SPEED FRAMING CAMERA IS REQUIRED TO SUPPORT RESEARCH AT THE MSFC PROPULSION RESEARCH LABORATORY

Notice Date

March 14, 2001

Contracting Office

NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Procurement Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812

ZIP Code

35812

Solicitation Number

8-1-1-T4-D2185

Response Due

March 21, 2001

Point of Contact

Ronald B. Smith, Contract Specialist, Phone (256) 544-0311, Fax (256) 544-2812, Email ronb.smith@msfc.nasa.gov -- George E. Pendley, Contracting Officer, Phone (256) 544-2949, Fax (256) 544-2812, Email george.pendley@msfc.nasa.gov

E-Mail Address

Ronald B. Smith (ronb.smith@msfc.nasa.gov)

Description

THIS NOTICE CONSTITUTES AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE COMBINED SYNOPSIS/RFQ FOR ULTRAHIGH SPEED FRAMING CAMERA. Companies shall acknowledge all amendment(s) in their quote. This notice serves as the official amendment to subject synopsis/RFQ and a written amendment will not be issued. The purpose of this amendment is to amend the Photocathode specifications for the image intensifier, and list questions and answers as follows: The photocathodes of the image intensifiers must have sensitivity from 220nm to 850nm to meet or exceed the following specification: Sensitivity > 10 ma/W at 220 nm Sensitivity > 40 ma/W at 400 nm Sensitivity > 50 ma/W at 500 nm Sensitivity >30 ma/W at 600 nm Sensitivity >15 ma/W at 700 nm Sensitivity>10 ma/W at 750 nm Sensitivity > 1 ma/w at 850 nm This may be met with a S20 Photocathode having a fused silica window. A better response than this is, of course, allowed. The original specification stated "spectral range from 220 to 900 nm " which may have been too stringent. The use of fused silica optics throughout the system will be required to allow transmission of light below 300 nm and allow a UV response in the region 220 nm to 300 nm. Questions and Answers: 1) Based on the applications, what is the required interframe time for 4 or 8 images? 10 ns between frames, less than this (programmable) is OK, but NOT required. 2) Would it be desirable to have a 25 mm vs. 18 mm intensifier for a larger field of view without sacrificing resolution? Ok to exceed specification, but this is NOT a requirement in this solicitation. At some point it will be necessary to increase the no. of pixels as well as the dia in order to "reap the benefit" of the larger area. This is an open issue.... it would depend on the detailed data. 3) Would there be a requirement with the current or future anticipated applications for a gate time of less than 10nsec? The specification is a gate speed of 10 ns FWHM. It is OK to have a detector which had a SHORTER gate time, say 2 ns, but this is not to be viewed as a change of the requirement. 4) Would there be an advantage in having 22% light transmission per channel vs. 12% (Cordin 220B-8) which would provide greater SNR in a given image and hence better information? Unable to evaluate this, insufficient information given. In general, higher SNR is better, but there is no particular requirement stated. 5) Would the application benefit from more gray levels, hence more contrast? For example, a 12-bit camera can provide up to 4096 gray levels vs. a 10-bit which provides 1024 gray levels. A 10 bit camera is specified, OK to exceed spec with 12 bits, but it is NOT a requirement of this solicitation. This would have to be accomplished at the same (or greater) digitization speed. Usually, the speed drops as the number of bits goes up. Also the noise figures are usually worse as data is clocked out at higher speeds... specific data would be required for evaluation. 6) Please provide a summary of the anticipated applications? Camera used to view luminous plasma dynamics at high speeds. Plasmas are 1 to 10 cm in extent traveling at velocities of 10 -- 200 km/sec. Also may be used to characterize explosions of H.E. or detonations in combustion gases. 7. Is there a Technical Point of Contact we can discuss these and any further question with? There is a point of contact, but the solicitation procedures are to submit questions in writing for clarification and response. 8. Is your real need for 2 Eight Frame cameras or would one 16 frame cameras be sufficient for your needs? We need 2 seperate cameras 9. Do you require the UV sensitivity of the system or just the Components ie Just the MCP tubes are UV sensitive? If so . The system must have a spectral range from 220 nm to 900 nm. This will require a "Blue" photocathode and UV achromat objective lens. All relay lenses and beam splitting elements must be fused silica. 10. Do you require UV objective lenses or will you supply them? see above 11. We have several cameras that can produce 8 or more separate frames of time resolved data with 10 nanosecond exposures that do not require 8 separate channels of intensified CCDs. Would this approach be acceptable? The specs must be met, ie eight seperate frames of data taken at the resolution specified with interframe and gating times as specified, all from the same optical field of view. 12. As the specification seems to be a copy of the Cordin spec. sheet do you require that framing rate or is there a minimum and maximum rate you can live with. The framing rate is 10 ns frame to frame . It is OK to exceed this (for example, down to 2 ns frame to frame would be OK).....This is of course programmable in 10 ns steps and can be made much larger if required (up into the milliseconds regime) 13. Do you have a specification on system resolution besides the pixel numbers for the CCD as you know the number of pixels does not define system resolution? An 18 mm GenII MCP has 45 lp/mm resolution, the spec would be 40 lp/mm resolution (minimum) 14. Can we have the opportunity to demonstrate our system/s to you prior to you making a decision on such a technically involved and expensive system as this is? It would be to NASA's and the government's benefit to see our system in operation at your facility or by visiting a government user facility before any decision is made. There is no plan for a demonstration of any proposed system. 14. What is the actual application the cameras will be used for? The cameras will be used to image plasmas which are self-luminous and moving at velocities of 10 km/sec to 200 km/sec, these plasmas are 2cm to 10 cm in extent. Also the camera may be used to look at material compression with High explosives (7 km/sec) or detonation of combustion gases in a pulse detonation device. 15. What is the working distance from camera to subject? 1 meter to 2 meters 16. What is the field of view required 2.7 cm to 13.3 cm 17. What is the resolution within the field of view required? .02 mm to .1 mm 18. Is the event self luminous or will additional lighting be required? self luminous 19. Will the camera require special shielding from the event in the case of explosives or combustion. Special shielding for explosives or combustion is not part of this requirement. The due date for receipt of offers is extended to 3:30p.m.local (CST), March 21, 2001. Documents related to this procurement are available over the Internet and are in Microsoft Office 97 format and reside on the World Wide Web (WWW) server which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/MSFC Business Opportunities home page is http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?gr=CL&pin=62

Web Link

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Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010316/67SOL001.HTM (D-073 SN50G1B3)