LPTA Form Micromechanical Testing System for Scanning Electron Microscope.docx

Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable Form “LPTA” Procurement Strategy Micromechanical Testing System for Scanning Electron Microscope December 9, 2024

Technical Requirements are:

24 weeks lead time (as described under Schedule in SOW on Page 1)

OFFEROR’S PROPOSED LEAD TIME:

Sample Stages/Positioning

1. Sample positioning must be controlled by encoded piezo drive motors.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

2. Sample motion must be ≥ 26 mm in the X and 12 mm in the Z direction and ≥ 29 mm in the Y direction (indentation direction).

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

3. Positioning resolution must be 1 nm in X, Y, and Z directions.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

4. Multiple samples can be mounted.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

Loading Configuration

1. Primary actuator must operate in parallel loading configuration. (Load applied while simultaneously measuring displacement via a feedback loop, which adjusts the load to enforce a predescribed displacement rate). Series-type loading configurations will not be accepted.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

2. The sample must be stationary during the test. Only the indenter tip is allowed to move during testing.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

3. Only electrostatic force (or directly applied electrostatic force) can be used to measure load. System cannot use spring deflection force or other method to measure load.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

4. The system must feature a modular, variable load frame design which provides the freedom to allow for multiscale testing over various loading regimes.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

5. Optional high load configurations must achieve forces ≥ 500 mN and displacements of ≥ 150 μm. Stage moves will not be accepted as a replacement for transducer actuation. High loads up to 3500 mN must be available as a future upgrade.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

6. Low load configuration must achieve forces ≥ 10 mN and displacements of ≥ 150 μm when piezo flexure is used and ≥ 5 μm when piezo flexure is not used. Stage moves as part of the mechanical test are not accepted.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

Depth Sensing

1. Depth sensing of the tip into the sample must be achieved using a 3-plate differential capacitive sensor in 10 mN transducer when a piezo flexure is not used.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

2. Depth sensing of the tip into the sample must be achieved using piezo flexure when a piezo flexure is used.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

3. The displacement noise floor must be ≤ 1 nm measured at 60Hz, at the customer site upon installation.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

4. System must have multiple test modes including a) Transducer-actuated displacement control (closed-loop, feedback-controlled) and b) Transducer-actuated load control (closed-loop, feedback controlled).

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

5. System must provide active damping when tip is out of contact.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

Digital Feedback Controller

1. System controller must have DSP based controller architecture.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

2. Controller must have 16 bit DAC and 24 bit ADC with programmable gain amplifiers.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

3. Must come with high voltage drives for electrostatic (force) actuation.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

4. Must have USB 2.0 connectivity

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

5. Must have a user-definable data acquisition rate of at least 39 kHz.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

6. Must have an internal digital feedback loop rate of at least 78 kHz.

Nanomechanical Property Mapping The system must include accelerated property mapping (XPM) to investigate quantitative nanomechanical property maps and property distribution statistics of a sample using high speed indentation technique.

Rotation and Tilt Capabilities The system must have an optional upgrade for an interchangeable sample stage to allow rotation and tilt for in-situ alignment with other detectors present in the SEM chamber including:

EBSD, EDS, FIB, WDS, and others. The sample can also be rotated keeping axis of rotation parallel to indentation axis. With combination of two-orientation mounting of rotation and tilt stage, all possible sample positioning can be achieved. Tilt and rotation range must be ≥ 180° and must feature optical encoders with resolution of ≤ 0.33° for both axes.

High Temperature Capabilities The system must have include high temperature nanomechanical testing capabilities with closed-loop sample and tip heating up to 800°C for investigation of material deformation at elevated temperatures. There must also be a future upgrade option for high temperature testing up to 1000°C.

Tribology Module The system must have the capability to perform in situ scratch tests, simultaneously measuring both the lateral and normal forces in order to calculate a coefficient of friction. Progressive ramp-load scratch tests must also be possible. Lateral force up to 30 mN would be required, with a maximum scratch distance of at least 20 um.

Dynamic Testing The system must have the upgrade option to perform dynamic nanomechanical measurements with a frequency range up to 300 Hz.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

Other Requirements

1. Must have easily interchangeable indenter tips that can exchanged by the end user in the field. Tip holders must utilize a “screw on - screw off” technique so a wide variety of tips can be used with a single transducer. Tips must be user-cleanable.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

2. System must be entirely removable from the microscope when not in use, with minimum effort.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

3. The main components of the system, including actuator, sample, and staging, must mount directly to SEM stage.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

4. System must come standard with 2 days of on-site installation and basic system training by qualified factory personnel.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

5. Theoretical calculations of resolution will not be accepted in place of measured force and displacement noise floors tested at the customer’s site.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

6. User interface must display raw force and displacement data as it is acquired and give the user the option to freely pause and resume testing at will in order to scrutinize material phenomena.

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

7. A separate data-analysis software should be included for high volume data analysis of indentation, tensile testing, pillar compression, particle compression, and scratch (TriboIQ).

COMPLIANT? YES / NO

REASON:

8. The system must be easily adaptable to multiple SEMs