Final SOW.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

Title: Electrochemical Atomic Force Microscope

Lab: MML/MSED/224/ B151 ACQ0042126

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The semiconductor supply chain is global, specialized, and interconnected. Chipmakers do business with thousands of individual suppliers that provide the highly complex materials and tools used to produce semiconductors. To address the lack of full visibility into the semiconductors markets supply chain and R&D ecosystem gaps NIST will conduct the measurement science, or metrology, critical to the development of new materials, packaging, and production methods in chip manufacturing.

The proposed acquisition will be used in support of CHIPS Act project to develop “Electrodeposition of Interconnect Materials and Packaging” at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In particular, the purpose of this procurement is to acquire an electrochemical atomic force microscope that will be used to study the nucleation and growth of thin metal films by electrochemical methods under conditions relevant to the fabrication of microelectronic interconnects. The instrument will facilitate the elucidation of mechanistic aspects of the deposition process and thereby enable the optimization of the conditions needed to obtain metallizations for vias and line interconnects with the desired electronic properties.

II. PURPOSE

An electrochemical atomic force microscope (ECAFM) is needed to study electrochemical deposition and etching processes relevant to the fabrication of advanced microelectronics chips and devices. In particular, the ECAFM will be used to study the electrochemical deposition of films for microelectronic interconnects in order to elucidate mechanistic aspects of the electrochemical deposition and dissolution processes. The proposed research will span lateral length scales from 10’s of microns to atomistic dimensions, both normal to, and in the plane of the working electrode surface. The ECAFM will enable in situ studies of adsorption and charge transfer reactions, nucleation and growth, dissolution processes as well as detailed investigation of the electrochemical double layer structure. An acid resistance electrochemical cell must provide for electrolyte perfusion and control of the surrounding atmosphere during in situ AFM study. The microscope must be capable of revealing atomic scale defects on surfaces such as adatom or vacancies, e.g. demonstrated by imaging calcite surfaces in an electrolyte. The microscope must demonstrate the ability to map force curves at high speeds, up to ~ 1 kHz, and provide for the analysis of curves for specific parameters in real time. Each curve should be captured at high bandwidth including the deflection signal, the Z-sensor and one optional channel. The software and system level data storage should support the fast force mapping operation including off-line software for detailed modeling of the force response. It should also be possible to upgrade the microscope to video rate imaging.

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III. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide a system that meets all technical specifications identified below. All items must be new. Used or remanufactured equipment will not be considered for award. Experimental, prototype, or custom items will not be considered.

The use of “gray market” components are not acceptable. All line items shall be shipped in the original manufacturer’s packaging and include all original documentation and software, when applicable.

Line Item 0001:

Description: Electrochemical Atomic Force Microscope Quantity:

A. Technical Specifications:

An electrochemical atomicm force microscope that scans an XY area of at least 30 µm x 30 µm and z range of at least 5 µm to be scanned with closed loop scanning. Closed loop scanning should be accomplished using a metal flexure design driven by piezo stacks. Position sensors should be based on linear variable differential transformer technology that is inherently linear and does not require periodic recalibration. The performance of these sensors must be such that position noise must be below <60 pm when measured as the average deviation in a bandwidth of 1 kHz over a full 10 second period. Scanners based simply on piezo tubes for XY and/or Z motion are not acceptable because of greater scan distortion and the need for regular calibration.

The AFM must operate at fast scan speeds that can be used for routine imaging at line scan rates of at least 20 Hz and up to 40 Hz in addition to conventional slow scan speeds of 1-2 Hz. Any claim of high-speed imaging must be supported by publicly available materials and demonstration of such, in archival publications, the company website or product brochure. The above imaging speeds must be available over the full scan range of at least 30 µm.

The microscope must support a wide range of modes that include at a minimum, contact mode, tapping mode, electric force microscopy, lateral force microscopy, loss tangent imaging mode, and piezoresponse force microscopy while using fast scanner hardware and capabilities. The AFM must also support other SPM modes, including specifically, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and conductive AFM with appropriate probe holders for both.

For STM the preamplifier circuitry with adjustable gain and bandwidth is needed that corresponds to 10 nA/V, 1 nA/V, 0.1 nA/V and a 3 dB bandwidth as low as ~1.6 kHz, but more preferably at least 160 kHz, to as high as ~700 kHz.

A start kit of cantilever probes must be provided to demonstrate the various AFM modes with a focus on probes suitable for high-speed imaging of metal surfaces in aqueous electrolytes and separately for measuring double layer force curves.

The system must support an imaging mode that is capable of generating quantitative nanoscale maps of storage and loss modulus, and loss tangent (loss modulus divided

3 | P a g e by storage modulus), at high pixel resolution (at least 1024x1024 pixels). Data capture must occur during AC mode (aka tapping mode) imaging of topography at normal scan rates (<20 minutes per scan). The system shall be capable of mapping force curves at higher speed up to 1 kHz including measurement of deflection but also the Z sensor and one additional channel. The system must have suitable software and data storage to handle full force curve analysis and modeling.

The AFM must accept sample sizes at least 15 mm diameter and at least 5 mm in height for imaging at conventional and “fast scanning” scan rates.

The AFM must include top-view optics where the imaging objective has a numerical aperture (NA) of not less than 0.45 and a camera with sufficient pixels such that the optical view from the AFM software provides resolution of less than 1 µm and a field of view of no smaller than 600 µmx 800 µm.

Laser spot positioning and photodetector adjustments must be motorized and controlled though software.

The AFM must allow the full calibration of both the cantilever spring constant and optical lever sensitivity without the need to touch the cantilever tip to a surface. Methods that require a force curve are likely to blunt the tip and reduce imaging resolution.

The AFM must allow user-exchangeable light sources for the cantilever deflection detection system. The system must include RF-modulated laser diode sources which provide superior performance for most imaging applications, super luminescent diode sources that provide the best performance of force measurements and a small spot source for compatibility with small cantilevers where the largest dimension of the laser spot on the back of the cantilever is no longer than 9 m and smallest dimension of the spot is not larger than 3 m.

Low noise must exist between the AFM probe and specimen. An on-surface noise specification of <15 pm must be meet as measured directly from the calibrated deflection of the cantilever when it is positioned on a sample while the imaging feedback is disabled. This is distinct from the noise in the cantilever detection system alone which is usually lower but does not include the full mechanical loop of the device.

The AFM must offer an optional photothermal drive function to excite the cantilever resonance in AC mode (tapping mode) with a drive frequency up to at least 7 MHz. The focal plane and cantilever plane must be parallel to allow simple spot positioning. Spot positioning must be motorized and under software control, with the spot location being controlled with a single mouse click. Photothermal excitation uses a second beam focused on the back of the cantilever to drive its vibration instead of the conventional approach of placing a tapping/shake piezo near the probe. The photothermal excitation beam must be focused to a spot no larger than 5 µm in diameter so that it can be used with both conventional AFM probes and with small cantilever probes for fast-scanning imaging. The clean drive response with photothermal excitation makes it simpler to setup the instrument and to derive quantitative information from the cantilever response.

The drive response should be stable with time, even when flowing liquid through the sample cell and as the fluid volume changes due to evaporation in order to make

4 | P a g e longer-term experiments simpler as the user will not need to continuously monitor imaging parameters. For this reason alternative means for cantilever excitation, such as acoustic or shake piezos will be rejected. Note, sub-resonance imaging modes do not constitute "cantilever excitation"; and are not a substitute and will be rejected.

The AFM must include a fully-sealed sample chamber compatible with use with both gas and liquid electrolyte environments. The cell should be pressure-tight to no less than 5 psi (~345 mbar or ~35 kPa). An integrated pressure sensor must be included for confirming that the cell is sealed (<2 mbar/min gas leak rate).

The sealed electrochemical sample cell/ chamber should include cooling and heating stage, with FFKM seals, that is capable of controlling the temperature in the cell between 0 and 120 oC.

The AFM must include an Electrochemistry perfusion cell for real-time, in situ nanoscale studies of electrochemical phenomena, including deposition, dissolution, surface and adsorbate dynamics and charge transfer reactions. The ECAFM should enable nanoscale topographical changes induced by electrochemical reactions to be imaged from atomistic to the mesoscale length scales. Materials in contact with the electrolyte are to be fused silica (quartz), perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) O-ring and/or PEEK or PPS.

The perfusion probe holder has 2 additional perfusion ports for liquid perfusion/exchange. The probe holder should be designed for easy cleaning.

Placement in the cell for a reference electrode (Ag wire reference with the option to use other types of RE) and a concentric counter electrode (Cu with the option for the customer to use other types of wire or foil as the CE).

AFM must be capable of Kelvin probe microscopy that includes the ability for single pass heterodyne, sideband and amplitude modulated modes with automatic tuning and scan settings.

The AFM must include an acoustic isolation chamber or hood that provides at least 20 dB isolation from ambient noise sources.

Line item 0002 (Optional):

Description: Extended Warranty

Quantity: 1

Technical Specifications

1. Provide pricing for extended warranty. Standard warranty conditions apply.

2. This is an optional item. The evaluation team will make a decision on if this item will be included in the purchase order at time of award.

Line Item 0003 (Optional):

Description: 1st year Service Agreement

Quantity: 1

Technical Specifications:

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1. Provide pricing for an upgraded one-year manufacturer’s warranty to include free repairs, system certification, AFM training course, advanced applications consultation/training (remote), discount on probes & consumables, free updates to SPM software.

2. This is an optional item. The evaluation team will make a decision on if this item will be included in the purchase order at time of award.

Line Item 0004 (Optional):

Description: Additional two-year service agreement Quantity: 1 Technical Specifications

1. Provide pricing for two additional years of the Service Agreement In addition, if this coverage is accepted when combined with option 2 a free PC upgrade will be included in year 3.

2. This is an optional item. The evaluation team will decide on if this item will be included in the purchase order at time of award.

Line Item 0005 (Optional):

Description: Video Rate Scanning Technical Specifications

1. Provide pricing for video-rate scanning with line scan rates of at least 1200 Hz or better in contact and tapping modes.

2. System shall offer at least 10 µm x 10 µm X- Y range at line scan rate up to 600 Hz and at least 0.5 µm range between 600 Hz and 1200 Hz.

3. The video data capture shall be continuous and stored in a single file without information loss. Supplier shall offer writing or conversion of the files to open formats. Contractor shall describe or reference the used open file format with their technical submission.

4. The upgrade shall not require any change to the fluid cell hardware and the probe holder. Conventional and custom holders and fluid cells used with the base system shall be transferable without modification to the upgraded system.

5. This is an optional item. The evaluation team will make a decision on if this item will be included in the purchase order at time of award.

1. The upgrade shall not require any change to the fluid cell hardware and the probe holder. Conventional and custom holders and fluid cells used with the base system shall be transferable without modification to the upgraded system.

IV. SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES

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Deliverable Number Description Quantity Due Date

Place of Delivery

1 ECAFM 1

20 weeks NIST (Gaithersburg)

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Work (Installation of the instrument and training) will be performed on the Government site at NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Normal duty hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with the exception of Federal holidays and NIST closures.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The device will be delivered within 6 months from the date of award.

V. DELIVERY TERMS

Delivery shall be F.O.B Destination (or equivalent incoterms, such as DDP) and shall occur in accordance with the delivery due dates provided in the below 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:

National Institute of Standards and Technology 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301 Gaithersburg, MD 20899

VI. INSTALLATION

The system shall be installed by the Contractor and meet contract specifications no later than (21 business days) 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, and removal of trash. Onsite installation and demonstration shall be done at NIST, (Gaithersburg, MD- Building 224, B151).

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Installation should take ½ day. Installation and training are not concurrent with system delivery. Installation and familiarization training should occur on concurrent days.

Note: The Contractor shall supply the initial installation manual, utility requirements, full system design schematics, and a diagram showing the tool footprint, measurements, and wall penetrations for the system at the time of award. Likewise electronic pdf copies of the relevant operating and training instructional manuals for the operation of the device shall be provided.

VII. TRAINING

Upon completion of successful site acceptance testing, the Contractor shall train users on the operation and maintenance of the system. The training shall provide a thorough demonstration of all system functions, maintenance, data administration, and basic troubleshooting. This will include hardware/software overviews, topographic imaging in contact and AC (Tapping) modes, basic force measurements, cantilever calibration, scanning tunneling microscopy, conductive-AFM, basic image modification/ analysis and operation of the electrochemical cell and related accessories. The training may be completed at NIST Monday – Friday during the operating hours of 9 am to 6 pm immediately after installation and demonstration of specifications and must be completed no later than 7 days after installation. The contractor shall conduct training session for up to three users at NIST.

I. INSPECTION & ACCEPTANCE

In addition to the inspection and acceptance terms articulated in the specific FAR clause that allows 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.

Performance Tests:

All performance tests will be performed with conventional commercial cantilever probes on HOPG, PVD Au on Si or mica, calcite, or test gratings.

1. Visual physical inspection.

2. Contact mode and tapping mode scans testing maximum scan range and maximum scan rate.

3. Scan flatness, linearity and noise level test.

4. Open-loop stability test.

5. Demonstration of atomic lattice and point defect AFM imaging of calcite or a similar minerals, metal, or ceramic.

6. Imaging in liquid at slow and high speeds using photothermal excitation.

7. Lattice and point defect imaging demonstrated by AFM

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8. Atomically resolved STM imaging of HOPG.

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 POC 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 (21 days) 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.

II. WARRANTY

A one-year warranty covering all manufactured parts and labor for problems or failures occurring due to normal and intended usage 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: repair or replacement coverage of Contractor manufactured parts and accessories, including shipment. All other parts shall be covered by their manufacturer warranties for no less than 1 year.

III. PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The Contractor will be paid, in accordance with the payments clause in the contract and as otherwise noted in this document, upon receipt of a proper invoice.

1. 100% after installation and acceptance by the POC of fully installed system, AND

2. After the successful completion of the testing requirements set forth in this document under section set forth in this document, AND

3. After successful demonstration by the instrumentation that it performs in accordance with the requirements set forth in this document.

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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.

IV. REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL

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.

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.

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.

Media Inquiries: The Contractor shall not respond to any media inquiries. Any inquiries from the media shall be immediately relayed to the NIST COR and/or Contracting Officer (CO). There shall be no interviews, comments, or any other response without the knowledge and approval of the NIST COR or Designated Government Official.