Attachment 2 QnA Set 1 Revised NB6800002300593.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- NB6800002300593
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This document contains a question and answer set for a solicitation seeking proposals for a suite of three focused ion beam and scanning electron microscope instruments. The solicitation requests one instrument specialized for high quality sample preparation, one specialized for structural and chemical characterization of materials, and one scanning electron microscope specialized for chemical and structural characterization. The question and answer set provides clarification on technical specifications including minimum image size, accelerating voltage ranges, stage requirements, detector segment needs, software integration, and options for integrated or external argon ion milling. Offerors are asked to comment on their solutions to meet the requirements in their responses. The solicitation also includes the National Institute of Standards and Technology as the issuing agency seeking these instruments.
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Q&A Set 1 Revised
NB680000-23-00593
March 29, 2023
System0001:CLIN0001:Tech Specs:
B.d.i. Could you clarify this specification? We think this may be typo 64 x 64 pixels is quite small.
Answer: This is not a typo, but the minimum image size will not be a critical criterion during technical evaluation. In your response, please just comment on your minimum image size (in pixels).
B.i. and B.iii. Please clarify. These specifications conflict with the lower limit of accelerating voltage. Is the lower voltage range supposed to be 200eV or 500eV?
Answer: The minimum specification for accelerating voltage is 500 V. If your instrument can offer an accelerating voltage of 200 V, we would like the instrument aligned at 200 V. If your instrument can offer an accelerating voltage of less than 200 V, we would like the instrument aligned at the minimum available voltage.
D.b.i. Are piezo electric mechanical actuators required if we can meet the stage precision requirements?
Answer: No. In your response, please comment on the stage technology, precision, and repeatability of stage movements.
D.b.iii. Would smaller x/y movements (e.g. 130mm x/y) be acceptable if we can fully cover your desired sample size (e.g. the 150mm wafer mentioned in the specs)?
Answer: The preference is to have a +/- 150 mm stage translation to cover a 150 mm wafer. In your response, please comment on the stage’s X/Y translation range and its ability to cover a 150 mm wafer.
F.d. will you allow us to have a 2nd PC?
Answer: The strong preference is to have the micromanipulator interface integrated into the main microscope user interface. At the least, the micromanipulator interface must be reachable from the main microscope PC. If a second PC is required, the micromanipulator user interface shall meet the specifications above. Please comment on the solution in your response.
H.c.ii. Will dedicated detectors for secondary ion and secondary electrons be sufficient to meet your requirement?
Answer: Yes
H.c.v.1. Will a four-segment detector be sufficient to meet your requirements?
Answer: More segments are preferred. Please comment on the detector’s capabilities in your response.
H.c.vi. Will a HADF (high angle dark field) detector (i.e. no annular segments rings) be sufficient to meet you requirements?
Answer: No. We require a segmented, retractable STEM detector to allow for imaging in the modes listed.
K.c.i. Will you please provide clarification on the requirements of this specification. We offer image montaging/stitching, as well as large area/multi-field EDS mapping through 3rd party analytical vendor software. Will this be sufficient to meet your requirements? If not, please elaborate on the need.
Answer: We require an integrated software package to perform montage imaging using the electron detectors integrated with the microscope. In addition, the instrument and software shall be able to integrate with external detector vendors to collect large area/montaged images including the data collected from the analytical detectors.
System0001:CLIN000105.
Will you accept an argon ion mill that is not integrated into the FIB-SEM chamber?
Answer: NIST would like the option to purchase the integrated ion mill if it is available from the offeror.
The inability to provide this option will not disqualify a system from consideration. We require the option to purchase an integrated argon ion milling capability. We are not interested in purchasing an external argon ion mill at this time. This is an option, and will not be used as part of the evaluation criteria.
Systsem0002:CLIN0002:Tech Specs B.d.i. Could you clarify this specification? We think this may be typo 64 x 64 pixels is quite small.
Answer: This is not a typo, but the minimum image size will not be a critical criterion during technical evaluation. In your response, please just comment on your minimum image size (in pixels).
B.i. and B.iii. Please clarify. These specifications conflict with the lower limit of accelerating voltage. Is the lower voltage range supposed to be 200eV or 500eV?
Answer: The minimum specification for accelerating voltage is 500 V. If your instrument can offer an accelerating voltage of 200 V, we would like the instrument aligned at 200 V. If your instrument can offer an accelerating voltage of less than 200 V, we would like the instrument aligned at the minimum available voltage.
F.d. will you allow us to have a 2nd PC?
Answer: The strong preference is to have the micromanipulator interface integrated into the main microscope user interface. At the least, the micromanipulator interface must be reachable from the main microscope PC. If a second PC is required, the micromanipulator user interface shall meet the specifications above. Please comment on the solution in your response.
H.c.iv.2. Will a four-segment detector be sufficient to meet your requirements?
Answer: More segments are preferred. Please comment on the detector’s capabilities in your response.
H.c.v. Will a HADF (high angle dark field) detector (i.e. no annular segments rings) be sufficient to meet you requirements?
Answer: No. We require a segmented, retractable STEM detector to allow for imaging in the modes listed.
System0002:CLIN000202.
Will you accept an argon ion mill that is not integrated into the FIB-SEM chamber?
Answer: NIST would like the option to purchase the integrated ion mill if it is available from the offeror.
The inability to provide this option will not disqualify a system from consideration. We require the option to purchase an integrated argon ion milling capability. We are not interested in purchasing an external argon ion mill at this time. This is an option, and will not be used as part of the evaluation criteria.
Systsem0003:CLIN0003:Tech Specs B.i. and B.iii. Please clarify. These specifications conflict with the lower limit of accelerating voltage. Is the lower voltage range supposed to be 200eV or 500eV?
Answer: The minimum specification for accelerating voltage is 500 V. If your instrument can offer an accelerating voltage of 200 V, we would like the instrument aligned at 200 V. If your instrument can offer an accelerating voltage of less than 200 V, we would like the instrument aligned at the minimum available voltage.
D.c.iv. Will a four-segment detector be sufficient to meet your requirements?
Answer: More segments are preferred. Please comment on the detector’s capabilities in your response.
D.c.v. Will a HADF (high angle dark field) detector (i.e. no annular segments rings) be sufficient to meet you requirements?
Answer: No. We require a segmented, retractable STEM detector to allow for imaging in the modes listed.
G.a.ii. Will you please provide clarification on the requirements of this specification. We offer image montaging/stitching, as well as large area/multi-field EDS mapping through 3rd party analytical vendor software. Will this be sufficient to meet your requirements?
Answer: We require an integrated software package to perform montage imaging using the electron detectors integrated with the microscope. In addition, the instrument and software shall be able to integrate with external detector vendors to collect large area/montaged images including the data collected from the analytical detectors.
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