Attachment 1- Statement of Requirement (Final).pdf

STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENT

Scanning Electron Microscope for X-ray Tomography

Quantum Calorimeters Group/Quantum Sensors Division (687.12)

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to support a CHIPS Metrology Program project in Grand Challenge #3 entitled “Nanoscale, Element-Specific X-ray Imaging for Integrated Circuit Metrology”. The SEM will be used along with a nanopositioning stage purchased in a separate procurement, state-of-the-art x-ray detectors, and semiconductor samples to perform nanoscale 3D x-ray tomography of nanoelectronics. The characterization of nanoscale subsurface features is a critical measurement need for the semiconductor industry and is challenging to achieve with existing laboratory tools. The procured SEM will be a central part of a novel instrument providing a new measurement capability to the semiconductor ecosystem. It will contribute to improved 3D metrology of integrated circuits, advancing nanoscale failure analysis, defect detection, and hardware security for chip manufacturing.

II. SCOPE

The goal of this contract is to supply and install an SEM in the Quantum Sensors Division at NIST. The contractor shall deliver an SEM, with all associated software and components outlined in the listed specifications, including delivery, installation, and warranty.

III. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall provide a system that meets all technical specifications identified below. If any specifications listed below will not be met for any reason, the contractor shall provide explanation and justification for the deviation from the desired specifications. All line items shall include all original documentation and software, when applicable. The technical specifications and performance tests are set by key parameters which influence the performance of the final tomographic instrument, such as the size, flux, and positional stability of the electron spot generated by the electron column. The Contractor shall work alongside NIST to ensure system compatibility with the sample motion stage and x-ray detectors. The system shall include a solution for cleaning (e.g., plasma cleaning) or be compatible with 3rd party cleaning solutions.

Line Item 0001: Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Description: An SEM meeting the minimum technical specifications, to be used as a core component in a novel x-ray tomography instrument.

Quantity: 1

A. Overall System Specifications

a. Vacuum requirement

i. The SEM shall be high vacuum compatible or better.

b. Electron column orientation

i. The envisioned instrument geometry favors a horizontal, rather than a vertical, electron column. An SEM with a vertical column will be considered, but horizontal column configurations are preferred.

c. Cleanliness

i. The Contractor shall include a low-energy plasma cleaner or other chamber/sample cleaning solution in the base configuration. The Contractor shall state what limitations may apply to repeated cleanings, if any. This includes but is not limited to plasma cleaning-related susceptibility to performance degradation of detectors, lubricants, and insulators in the electron optical column and the sample chamber.

ii. The system should be clean, such that when a sample is exposed to the electron beam under vacuum the amount of carbonaceous contamination left on the sample is reduced to a non-detectable level.

The system cleanliness will be assessed using the performance test listed in Section XI.

d. Compatibility with custom components

i. The Contractor shall provide a 250 mm port or larger on the vacuum chamber. The Contractor shall provide information on the location, size, and center take-off angle from 20 mm WD of all ports on the HV chamber. The chamber shall be compatible with standard commercial EDS systems. NIST x-ray detectors are not required to share vacuum with the HV chamber.

ii. The system shall allow for the use of a nanopositioner stage acquired as part of a separate procurement, with room to hold a stage of size 175 mm radius and 300 mm height without colliding with other components in the HV chamber.

B. Electron Column

a. Minimum and maximum accelerating voltage requirements

i. A minimum accelerating voltage of 3 kV is required. A lower minimum voltage than 3 kV is acceptable, but the minimum achievable accelerating voltage shall be no higher than 3 kV.

ii. A maximum accelerating voltage of at least 30 kV is required.

b. Spot size, beam current, positional stability, and focus stability

i. The desired application requires maximizing the achievable beam current in a given spot size, with good stability of the focus, electron beam spot size, and the beam position over time. To assess the performance of the SEM, performance testing will be applied. These tests are listed in Section

XI.

c. The ability to blank the electron beam shall be provided.

d. The system shall provide secondary and backscattered electron detection.

e. The ability to measure the electron beam current is required.

C. Software

a. External control of electron column parameters and beam position is required.

This shall include but is not limited to control of the beam position, focus, beam blanking, and current measurements.

i. External control via both Contractor supplied software and python is required. The mechanisms for software control of the electron column shall be clearly stated by the Contractor.

b. The system shall include a PC for operation of any instrument software.

D. Documentation and Delivery

a. Performance testing shall be performed and documented at the contractor’s facilities to verify that the final SEM meets the specifications outlined in this procurement. See Section XI for a list of required performance tests.

b. User manuals in English of all system components shall be included as pdf files and in printed format, at the time of instrument delivery.

c. CAD files of all items delivered shall be provided at the time of instrument delivery.

IV. WARRANTY

The Contractor shall provide, at a minimum, a one-year warranty for the entire system. The warranty shall cover all parts, labor and travel. The warranty shall commence upon formal Government acceptance and at a minimum shall include the following:

1. Repair or replacement of any broken or malfunctioning components

2. Preventative or corrective maintenance as needed

3. Software updates as needed

4. Remote support as needed

5. On-site support as needed

V. INSTALLATION

The system shall be installed by the Contractor and meet all specifications no later than 6 weeks after delivery. Installation, at a minimum, shall include uncrating/unpackaging of all equipment, rigging, set-up and hook-up of the system, demonstration of all specifications, repeat of the performance testing described, and removal of trash. Onsite installation and demonstration shall be done at NIST, (Boulder, CO – Building 1). Installation shall take place during normal business hours, between 8:00am and 5:00pm Mountain Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays, and will be coordinated with the NIST Contracting Officers Representative (COR)

VI. TRAINING

After installation, the contractor shall conduct an in-person or virtual training session for up to

4 users at NIST, Boulder, CO. The training shall provide a thorough demonstration of all system functions, maintenance, and basic troubleshooting. Training shall be provided during normal business hours, between 8:00am and 5:00pm Mountain Time, Monday through Friday, except

Federal Holidays, and will be coordinated with the NIST Contracting Officers Representative

(COR) to ensure maximum availability of NIST personnel. The training must be completed no later than 4 weeks after installation.

VII. DELIVERABLES

VIII. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

a. All work shall be performed at NIST Boulder bldg 1, 325 Broadway St., Boulder, CO 80305

b. The government shall provide access to Building 1 to the contractor for the delivery, setup, and acceptance testing for this requirement.

c. The day-to-day supervision and direct control over the work performed by the on-site contractor personnel shall be the sole responsibility of the contractor.

IX. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE/LEAD TIME

The period of performance will take approximately 75 weeks after award.

Item Description Period Date(s)

Performance Testing 57 weeks after award

System Delivery 65 weeks after award

Installation 6 weeks after delivery

Commissioning the system 4 weeks after installation

X. DELIVERY TERMS

Delivery shall be F.O.B Destination and shall occur in accordance with the delivery due dates provided in the above table.

Milestone Description Due Date Format

1 Performance testing results 57 weeks after award PDF and associated data files

2 Scanning electron microscope

65 weeks after award

Physical Instrument

3 User manuals 65 weeks after award

Electronic and hard copy

4 CAD files 65 weeks after award

Solidworks or .stl

5 Installation 6 weeks after delivery

Physical installation

6 Training 4 weeks after installation

Virtual or in-person

FOB Destination means: The contractor shall pack and mark the shipment in conformance with carrier requirements, deliver the shipment in good order and condition to the point of delivery specified in the purchase order, be responsible for any loss of and/or damage to the goods occurring before receipt and acceptance of the shipment by the consignee at the delivery point specified in the purchase order; and pay all charges to the specified point of delivery. The contractor shall deliver all Line Items to:

DOC/NIST

Shipping & Receiving 325 Broadway St Attn: Daniel Swetz Boulder, CO 80305

XI. INSPECTION & ACCEPTANCE

In addition to the inspection and acceptance terms articulated in 52.212-4, the Government reserves the right to perform such performance tests and assessments as defined below to verify specified system performance. The Contractor has the right to be present during the tests and evaluations, if performed, at the Contractor’s expense.

The performance tests listed shall be performed by the contractor prior to shipping to NIST, and again upon installation in NIST Boulder. NIST team members have the right to be present for performance testing at the contractor site.

Performance Tests:

The data collection procedure and results shall be documented in a pdf file and sent to NIST 400 days after receipt of order. Other files associated with the results, such as .tif files, simulation results, and other outputs as described below shall be sent to NIST along with this performance testing report.

1. System Cleanliness:

A pre-cleaned Si chip with amorphous Si patterns will be provided by NIST. The chip shall be exposed to the electron beam continuously for 1 hour with an electron beam landing energy of 30 keV, approximately 10 nA electron beam current, measured by a Farady cup, and a 20 mm working distance (WD). The exposure shall consist of rastering the electron beam over a rectangular field of view approximately 1 micrometer horizontal fieldwidth (HFW) and approximately 750 nm high with an individual raster frame time of approximately 30 seconds, and at least 512 pixels in the HFW. Electron images of the exposed region shall be acquired using the Everhart-Thornley detector before and after the 1 hour exposure, with an electron beam landing energy of 30 keV, a beam current of ~10 nA, a WD of 20 mm, a HFW or no less than 3 micrometers and no more than 6 micrometers, an aspect ratio of ~4:3, and no less than 512 pixels across the HFW. The exact imaging conditions used in these exposures shall be stated and the image(s) sent to NIST. 2 micrometer HFW images shall also be acquired at the end of this test. The Subject Matter Expert (SME) will determine the overall system cleanliness based on the surface contamination from these images. The pre-cleaned sample shall also be sent back to NIST, and further imaging will be performed at NIST by the SME to assess surface contamination.

2. Electron column performance:

a. Positional stability test:

A sample of known feature size and shape will be provided. It is recommended to secure this sample to the vacuum chamber, rather than mounting on a sample manipulation stage, to decouple the positional stability of the electron beam from positional stability of the stage. The sample shall be imaged at two beam current conditions: (1) approximately 20 nA, and (2) approximately 100 nA. Both conditions shall be at 30 keV and a working distance of 20 mm and FOV of 20 micrometers HFW with at least 1024 pixels across that HFW. Electron images will be acquired using the Everhart-Thornley detector from a pre-specified region, and they shall be taken every 5 minutes over an hour time frame (12 images forming a time-lapse for each beam current condition), and .tif files of each image shall be sent to NIST for further analysis. The SEM operator shall not re-center the images, re-focus the microscope, or change Z position of the sample during the hour when the 12 images are being acquired. The image sharpness and location of imaged features over time will be quantified by the SME and used as a proxy for assessing the beam size and stability of the electron source at the two beam currents. If there are more than 1 secondary and 1 backscattered electron detectors, provide the same images acquired with all electron detectors.

b. Simulated beam current vs spot size relationship:

Simulations of the beam current distribution at 10, 20, and 30 keV and 15, 30, and 50 nA of beam current shall be provided to estimate the relationship between current distribution and operating parameters. The results of these simulations do not need to be verified experimentally.

c. Positional repeatability test:

A sample with a nanoscale metal feature will be provided. The SEM shall be operated at 30 keV, approximately 20 nA, and a 20 mm working distance. The electron beam shall be directed and held at the center of the metal feature for 30 seconds, while collecting EDS data of the fluorescence from the metal feature. After 30 seconds, the beam should be directed off of the metal feature and held away from the feature for 10 seconds such that no part of the beam is incident on the metal feature. The beam shall then be directed back to the center of the feature, and the on/off 30/10 second process shall be repeated a total of 50 times. EDS data shall be collected during the measurement and provided to NIST along with the performance testing report and will be used to assess that the positional repeatability and stability of the electron beam. This measurement should be performed at 0 FOV.

NIST may choose at its discretion to forego this part of acceptance testing.

A visual inspection of the equipment will be performed by the NIST COR to identify surface defects or any form of indication that any equipment was damaged during transport to NIST. The Government shall have sole discretion to require repair or replacement of damaged and/or nonconforming supplies at no cost to the Government. The Government at any time prior to acceptance shall reject the equipment due to defects and/or nonconformance. The Contractor is responsible for latent defects discovered any time after final inspection. However, the extent of its liability shall be prorated over the useful life of the equipment.

Ownership of the equipment shall transfer to NIST upon acceptance by the Government.

The Government will test, inspect, and accept or reject the equipment within 10 weeks of the receipt of the equipment unless otherwise indicated above. The Government reserves the right to conduct quality assurance testing to confirm that a given instrument(s) meets the manufacturer’s and/or the Government’s performance specifications. It is anticipated that the equipment will meet all manufacturer’s specifications and/or the Government’s performance specifications identified in the most recent operations and maintenance manual for each piece of equipment and/or in this document.

XII. TRAVEL

a. The contractor shall be responsible for all travel expenses.

XIII. CONTRACTOR SUPPLIED MATERIALS

a. The contractor shall supply all parts, hardware, equipment, and labor required to perform the tasks listed.

XIV. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Safety: The Contractor employee must be responsible for knowing and complying with all installation safety prevention regulations. Such regulations include, but are not limited to, general safety, fire prevention, and waste disposal.

Security: NIST is a restricted campus. An identification badge is required for access for entry into buildings and is shown to the armed Security Police when entering the campus.

Regular Business Hours. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Mountain Time, excluding Federal holidays and NIST closures.

Identification Badges: Contractor employees must comply with NIST identification and access requirements. Each Contractor employee must wear a visible identification badge provided by the NIST Security Office. The contractor shall provide personnel that pass required government background checks to be issued badges for work on site.

Vehicle Registration: All Contractor employees must register their vehicles with the NIST Security Office to gain access to the campus. A valid driver’s license, Government-furnished civilian ID, proof of insurance and current registration must be presented to the NIST Security Office, at which time a NIST vehicle pass will be issued. The pass must be displayed on the vehicle in accordance with NIST Security Office instructions.