Attachment A Statement of Work.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

High-Precision Stage for Nanoscale X-ray Tomography Quantum Calorimeters Group/Quantum Sensors Division (687.12)

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) is seeking a high-precision stage to support a CHIPS Metrology Program project entitled “Nanoscale, Element-Specific X-ray Imaging for Integrated Circuit Metrology.” The stage will be operated inside the high-vacuum (HV) chamber of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and will be used to precisely control sample motion for nanoscale 3D x-ray imaging. The characterization of nanoscale subsurface features is a critical measurement need for the semiconductor industry and is challenging to achieve with existing x-ray tomography laboratory tools. The procured stage 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.

To clarify the technical specifications outlined here, a description of how the high-precision stage will be used for data collection is provided. During data collection, the sample is first moved with a coarse step such that an electron beam is incident on a specific location, deemed the start of the region of interest. This coarse step is on order millimeters to centimeters. The sample is then rotated to a specific rotation angle relative to the incident electron beam. A waiting period ensues, for the stage to settle to a steady-state positional drift. Finer positional steps are then taken to move the electron beam back to the start of the region of interest (due to movement from sample rotation), and a 10 to 10,000 square micrometer area is scanned by collecting a grid of points of separation on order 10s of nm. During scanning, the electron beam position is held stable and the stage moves the sample to each step in the grid. At each point in the grid, the sample is held for a time period during which it is desirable for the combined electron beam and stage positional drift to be minimized. After a grid covering the entire region of interest is collected at a given angle, the stage is rotated to a new angle and the process is repeated. This mode of operation results in different requirements for the precision and repeatability of the coarse, fine, and rotational motion. The procured solution may use a stack of multiple stage components or a single XYZ and rotational positioner, provided the specifications listed below are met.

II. SCOPE

The goal of this contract is to supply and assist with the installation of a high-precision stage inside the HV chamber of an SEM for the Quantum Sensors Division at NIST. It is also expected that basic training on stage operation and software will be provided as well as standard warranty.

III. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall provide a system that meets all technical specifications identified below. All line items shall include all original documentation and software, when applicable. The technical specifications and areas that will receive additional consideration are set by key parameters which influence the instrument performance, such as stage precision, repeatability, and positional drift. Other technical specifications are set by compatibility and integration with the x-ray tomography instrument. Specifications are written such that the high-precision stage is a single line item component. Multi-component solutions are acceptable. It should be clearly stated by the contractor if the proposed stage is single or multi-component, and to what degree these components will be integrated into a fully functioning positioning system by the contractor. 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.

Line Item 0001: High-Precision Sample Motion Stage Description: A high-precision sample motion stage to control sample motion for nanoscale x-ray tomography.

Quantity: 1 A. Physical Specifications

1. The total stage shall be contained within a cylinder of radius 175 mm and height 300 mm or a smaller volume when stationary at the home position. It is acceptable for the stage range of motion to move components outside of this volume. This specification is set by the size of the high-vacuum (HV) chamber and potential collisions with other components in the chamber.

2. All components shall be HV compatible.

3. Stage components shall be non-magnetic or have a non-magnetic option.

i. If magnetic components will be included, the contractor shall clarify which stage components are magnetic or where magnetic fields may be generated.

4. If a homing procedure of the stage is required in any axis to obtain a reference position, the procedure should not require movement through the entire range of motion in any axis. The contractor shall state whether or not the stage requires a homing procedure at any point and describe the homing procedure. It is preferable to have the absolute position of each axis without the need for a homing procedure. The need for a homing procedure and the homing process is an area that will receive additional consideration.

5. The stage shall be compatible with existing hardware, including the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and HV chamber. The degree of compatibility with existing hardware is an area that will receive additional consideration. This compatibility includes:

i. The HV chamber. CAD of the HV chamber can be provided to ensure the stage will not collide with existing components.

ii. Existing interferometers. Interferometer mirrors should be included with the positioning system, such that interferometers can provide an external measurement of the position of the stage on the X, Y, and Z axes. Interferometers do not need to be included as part of this procurement but can be listed as an optional item.

1. If positioning specifications can be met without the need for interferometers, the contractor shall provide justification for excluding interferometer mirrors.

iii. Integration with the x-ray tomography instrument. The degree of integration provided by the contractor shall be stated. This can refer to integration of separate stage components into a full positioning system, integration of the components or system into the HV chamber, and integration of the stage with instrument operation and software of the SEM, among others.

6. All electrical connections necessary to power and/or control stage components must be included.

B. Positioning Requirements

1. Rotational requirement as follows:

i. Rotational range of at least 120, centered around the normal of the incident electron beam.

ii. Rotation shall be about the z-axis, with positive z is the vertical direction.

iii. Repeatable positioning with no more than 100 rad absolute error.

iv. At least 0.1 Nm driving torque in the clockwise and counterclockwise direction.

v. Includes encoder or other sensor for measurement of absolute rotation angle.

2. Fine motion requirement as follows:

i. Translation range of at least 150 m in X, Y, and Z for fine motion positioning.

ii. Positioning with no more than 30 nm absolute error

3. Coarse motion requirements as follows:

i. Minimum 3 degrees of freedom with range of motion of at least 20 mm in each axis

ii. Repeatable positioning for coarse motion (step size > 150 m) with no more than 3 m absolute error.

iii. Settling time of 2 minutes or less on coarse motion, after which positional drift measurements must meet the specifications given in Section D.

4. Total positioning requirement as follows:

i. Positional drift magnitude should be no more than 50 nm per minute.

ii. Includes encoder or other sensor for absolute positional measurements in each axis for both fine and coarse motion.

C. Operation and Software

1. All stage components shall be controllable via a programming API and/or custom scripting. The capability for python is strongly preferred.

D. Documentation and Delivery

1. Acceptance testing will be performed and documented at the contractor’s facilities to verify that the final positioning system meets the specifications outlined in this procurement. See Section X for a list of required acceptance tests.

2. The contractor shall state the underlying operating principles of each stage component provided (e.g. piezo flexure, stepper motor, field coil). The operation principle of each stage component is an area that will receive additional consideration, as different underlying operating principles will offer different trade-offs for operation in the x-ray tomography instrument.

3. Contractor will provide support at NIST Boulder site to assist with stage integration with the x-ray tomography instrument.

i. Acceptance testing at NIST Boulder is limited to ensuring fit inside the HV chamber without collisions with existing components and that basic stage control can be performed. Other acceptance tests as described in Section X will be performed, but will not be compared to listed specifications due to the different environment of the NIST Boulder HV chamber than test conditions at the contractor site.

4. Full technical documentation and user manuals in English must be included as pdf files and in printed format.

5. CAD files of all stage components shall be included.

IV. DELIVERABLES

Standards of Acceptance: The NIST SME or COR shall review all deliverables and respond with an acceptance or request for revision email to the Contractor Point of Contact (POC) within 4 weeks of receipt of deliverable. This section applies to deliverables which must be reviewed and approved for acceptances (draft plans, drawings, etc.).

V. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

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

2. The government will provide access to Building 1 to the contractor for the delivery, setup, and acceptance testing for this contract.

3. 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.

VI. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE/LEAD TIME

The period of performance will take approximately 75 weeks ARO.

VII. DELIVERY TERMS

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

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

VIII. INSTALLATION

The system shall be installed by NIST team members with assistance from the Contractor and meet contract 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 acceptance testing described, and removal of trash. Onsite installation and demonstration shall be done at NIST, (Boulder, CO – Building 1).

IX. TRAINING

After installation, the contractor shall conduct a training session for up to 4 users. The training shall provide a thorough demonstration of basic system operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting. The training may be complete at NIST or virtually Monday-Friday during the operating hours of 9am to 5pm Mountain Time. The training must be completed no later than 4 weeks after system installation.

X. 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 evaluations as defined below to verify specified system performance. Such tests and evaluations, if performed, shall be conducted within the environment that the system is to be operated. 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. Specifications shall be met at the contractor site prior to shipment to NIST Boulder, and NIST team members have the right to be present for final acceptance testing at the contractor site. Performance testing in NIST Boulder will repeat these measurements.

Performance Tests:

1. Step Size This test will verify that the minimums step size matches or exceeds the specifications listed above. To perform this test, the contractor shall follow the steps below.

a. Move the stage setpoint 30 nm in any direction and allow for 1 second of settling time.

b. Record the position with internal positional measurements for 1 second on each of the X, Y, and Z axes.

c. Perform 100 consecutive steps, repeating steps (a) and (b) each time.

d. Calculate the mean position for each step, and provide the raw positioning data and calculated mean values at each step to NIST.

2. Repeatability This test will verify the repeatability of the stage for both coarse and fine motion. The coarse and fine motion shall be tested separately. The steps to perform the test are identical for the coarse and fine motion, with the exception of the step size to take. To perform this test, the contractor should follow the steps below.

a. Move the stage setpoint 50 µm (coarse motion) or 200 nm (fine) and allow for 1 second of settling time.

b. Record the position with internal positional measurements for 1 second on each of the X, Y, and Z axes.

c. Move the stage setpoint back to the original starting position.

d. Log the position with internal positional measurements for 1 second on each of the X, Y, and Z axes.

e. Perform 100 cycles of steps (a), (b), (c), and (d).

f. Determine the mean position at each setpoint. Provide the raw positioning data and calculated mean values at each setpoint position to NIST, for both the coarse and fine motion test.

3. Positional Drift This test will verify the level of positional drift in the system. To perform the test, the contractor shall follow the steps below.

a. Move the stage setpoint 50 µm using the coarse motion stage, if the coarse and fine motion stages are separate components. If the solution is a single stage, move the stage setpoint 50 µm. Allow for a settling time of 1 second.

b. Log the position in the X, Y, and Z axes with internal positional measurements for 10 minutes.

c. The magnitude of the positional drift shall be calculated for each second of the 10-minute collection time.

d. Provide the raw data and positional drift per second to NIST.

4. Rotational Tests Repeat the above tests with the rotation stage, with the following changes:

a. All positional measurements should be done with respect to the rotation axis.

b. For the step size test, a step of 100 µrad shall be used.

c. For the repeatability test, a step size of 500 µrad shall be used.

d. For the positional drift, a step of 0.5 rad shall be taken prior to the 10-minute data collection period.

5. HV Chamber Fit This test is to ensure fit and compatibility with the HV chamber. This test will only be performed at NIST Boulder and will not be performed at the contractor site prior to shipping. CAD of the chamber will be provided to the contractor prior to shipping to verify fit and compatibility. In this test, the stage will placed inside the chamber and inspected for fit and potential collision points under normal operating conditions of the x-ray tomography instrument.

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 vendor 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.

XI. WARRANTY

The contractor shall warranty the entire system for a period of a minimum of 1 year after receipt of the equipment and shall be in accordance with terms in FAR 52.212-4. Warranty shall commence upon acceptance of the system by the Government and at a minimum shall include the following:

1. Repair or replacement of any broken or malfunctioning components

2. Preventative or corrective maintenance

3. Software updates

4. Remote support

XII. PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Advance payment is not authorized. The Contractor must invoice in arrears according to the payment schedule. The Contractor shall be paid, in accordance with Net 30-day payment terms, upon receipt and acceptance of a proper invoice, in accordance with the following schedule:

NOTE: Partial shipments and partial invoices will not be accepted, unless otherwise requested and accepted by the Contracting Officer prior to award offer. Proposed payment schedules shall be submitted with vendor’s response to the RFQ for consideration.

XIII. TRAVEL

The contractor shall be responsible for all travel expenses.

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.

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