Revised Requirements and Specs Document.docx

REVISED REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT

TITLE: HEATING-BIASING HOLDER FOR THERMO FISHER (S)TEM

REQUESTING LAB: PHYSICAL MEASUREMENT LABORATORY

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

As part of ongoing measurement science research into the characterization of semiconductor materials, NIST’s Applied Physics Division requires a sample holder to enable in-situ scanning transmission electron microscopy and microanalysis (including imaging and spectroscopy) of specimens with variable applied biases from 0 V to 40 V simultaneously at variable temperatures from ambient to 900 ᴼC.

Purpose/Objective: NIST requires a heating-biasing scanning transmission electron microscopy (S)TEM sample holder that will enable examination of semiconductor devices in operando to identify and study failure mechanism(s) at the atomic scale. The holder will enable metrology of interfaces and defects within devices under operating conditions. The holder must be compatible with an existing commercial (S)TEM (Thermo Fisher Spectra). The holder will be deployed in a multi-user environment that prioritizes ease-of-use and interfaces that facilitate measurement and data analysis by multiple users.

II. SCOPE

The contractor shall deliver a quantity of one (1) Heating-Biasing Sample Holder, including all hardware and software required for operation, as well as warranty, installation, and training.

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 authorized for sale in the U.S. by the Contractor is 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: Heating Biasing Holder for Thermo Fisher S/TEM

Quantity: One (1) Sample Holder, including all hardware and software required for operation

A. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

1. The holder shall have a variable temperature range of operation from ambient to ≥900 °C (higher is better).

2. The holder shall have a temperature accuracy of ≥95 % (higher is better).

3. Image stability with a holder temperature of 900 °C shall be ≤1 nm/min (lower is better).

4. The holder shall have controllable heating and cooling rates up to 100 °C/ms.

5. The temperature on the holder shall be determined either by in-situ temperature measurement or from calibration of the individual heating device on each microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) chip.

6. The holder shall have a continuously controllable bias voltage range of 0 V to ≥40 V (higher is better).

7. The holder shall have ripple and noise ≤10 mV.

8. The holder shall have a current range of 2 pA to 100 mA.

9. The holder shall be capable of simultaneously controlling temperature up to 900 °C and concurrently applying voltage up to 40 V.

10. The holder shall include electrodes to perform 4-point probe electrical measurements simultaneously with sample heating.

11. Data shall be provided on the maximum temperature ramp rate that allows for ≤5% temperature overshoot shall be supplied for temperature set points every 100°C between room temperature and 900°C. This data may be in the form of a datasheet or program output.

12. The system shall include software to control both heating and biasing ramp rates and set points (either simultaneously or independently) per user inputs.

13. The system shall include software for temporally recording imaging data and TEM parameters alongside heating and electrical data.

14. Software may be standalone or written with Thermo Fisher platforms.

15. The holder shall have an α-tilt range of at least ± 30 ° (higher is better).

16. The holder shall have a β-tilt range of at least ± 15 ° (higher is better).

17. Tilting in both alpha and beta directions must be smooth and not alter/damage chips nor compromise electrical or thermal contact.

18. The holder (including the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) chips) shall not block more than 30 % line of sight to the energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) when the holder is at 0 ° tilt.

19. The holder (including the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) chips) must be compatible with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS).

20. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) chips specimen holders must be compatible with focused ion beam (FIB) sample and contact preparation.

21. MEMs chips specimen holders must have minimal electrical leakage (lower is better).

22. MEMS chips specimen holders must be available with sample support films that are stable at the maximum specified temperature: holey carbon, silicon nitride, and through-hole (no film).

23. The contractor shall demonstrate scientific viability of the holder through a record of publications based on using the tool.

24. The contractor shall have a dedicated service team. The contractor shall respond to requests for service by phone or email within 48 hours of initial contact.

25. The contractor shall provide copies of electronically searchable manuals, troubleshooting guides, and application notes, as well as real time tracking and updates on all service requests, and online ordering of MEMS devices.

26. The system shall include all hardware necessary to operate the biasing holder, including any necessary power supplies, electronics, and cabling.

B. COMPATIBILITY SPECIFICATIONS

1. Compatibility with Thermo Fisher Spectra and Talos S/TEM instruments and software.

2. Compliance with the TEM manufacturer’s certification for X-ray safety, mechanical tolerance and vacuum safety.

LINE ITEM 0002:

Description: Installation for holder and software Quantity: 1 JB

LINE ITEM 0003:

Description: Training Quantity: In person training for up to four (4) NIST Staff

IV: OPTIONAL ITEMS TO BE QUOTED SEPARATELY:

Other Unique Requirements are highly desirable:

LINE ITEM 0004:

Description: Optional Line Item-Separately Priced: The option to export data in a non-proprietary format is preferred.

Quantity: 1 each

LINE ITEM 0005:

Description: Optional Line Item-Separately Priced: An interface or language for user scripting for experiment control is preferred.

Quantity: 1 each

LINE ITEM 1001:

Description: Optional Line Item-Separately Priced: Software that controls the holder heating/electrical capabilities and records heating/electrical data, (S)TEM images, and metadata together. This software must also control sample drift.

Quantity: 1

LINE ITEM 1002:

Description: Optional Line Item-Separately Priced: Software that allows review and analysis of images and heating/electrical data on a computer separate from the TEM. This software can be standalone or an offline version of the control software.

Quantity: 1

LINE ITEM 1003:

Description: Optional Line Item-Separately Priced: Installation of the software on a second microscope.

Quantity: 1

IV. DELIVERABLES

2 months after award

2 months after award

V. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

NIST 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado. Building 81.

VI. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE/LEAD TIME

Delivery 2 months after award for Line Item 0001. Line Items 0002 and 0003 are 1 month after delivery. Optional Line Items 1001, 1002, and 1003, if exercised, shall be delivered within a year of the contract. In addition, Optional Line Items 0004 and 0005, if awarded, will be delivered 2 months after the award.

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.

VIII. INSTALLATION

Installation by manufacturer. Contractor staff shall meet all relevant requirements to be allowed on site at the place of performance stated above. Installation shall take place within 1 month of delivery.

IX. TRAINING

Within one month of delivery by manufacturer. The contractor shall provide in-person training for up to four NIST staff. Contractor staff shall meet all relevant requirements to be allowed on site at the place of performance stated above.

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.

Performance Tests:

· Test 1 The contractor shall demonstrate the temperature stability over the entire temperature range.

· Test 2 The contractor shall demonstrate the image stability at 900 °C.

· Test 3 The contractor shall demonstrate controllable heating and cooling rates.

· Test 4 The contractor shall demonstrate simultaneous application of temperature and field over their specified ranges.

· Test 5 The contractor shall demonstrate current detection over the specified range with the holder at multiple temperatures (including the maximum and minimum).

· Test 6 The contractor shall demonstrate 4-point probe electrical measurements simultaneously with sample heating.

· Test 7 The contractor shall demonstrate temporal recording of electrical and temperature control and measurement.

· Test 8 The contractor shall demonstrate friction-free alpha and beta tilting over the tilt ranges specified and over the specified temperature and voltage ranges.

· Test 9 The contractor shall demonstrate that the EDS signal is reduced by no more than 30 % when the holder is used at 0 ° tilt.

· Test 10 The contractor shall demonstrate collection of EELS data with the holder.

· Test 11+ The contractor shall perform any tests typically performed on installation before acceptance.

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 TPOC 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 14 working days it will take to inspect, accept or reject 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 all parts and software.

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:

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

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

1. After successful demonstration by the instrumentation that it performs IAW the technical requirements set forth in this document AND

1. After receiving an invoice submitted properly, IAW the purchase order terms and conditions.

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.