NIST-SS24-CHIPS-0027.pdf

Sources Sought Notice # NIST-SS24-CHIPS-0027

6640 / 334516 – PSC/NAICS (AMD)

Primary POC: Nina Lin (nina.lin@nist.gov) Secondary POC: Tracy Retterer (tracy.retterer@nist.gov)

Title: High-Precision Stage for Nanoscale X-ray Tomography

BACKGROUND

NIST is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution that meets or exceeds the following draft minimum specifications. This solution required is a sample positioning system to be used in a nanoscale x-ray tomography instrument. This sample positioner will be operated in a high-vacuum (HV) environment along with an electron column and x-ray detectors, and thus requires HV compatibility and has a constraint on the total size to avoid collisions with other objects in the chamber.

To clarify the specification, a description of how this sample positioner 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 10 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 current sample positioner utilizes a stack of stage components, each providing either coarse, fine, or rotational motion. A previous iteration of this stage utilized a stack consisting of a coarse motion stage, fine motion stage, interferometer mirror block, and rotation stage, listed starting from the bottom of the stack. A single-stage solution is acceptable, as is a multi-component solution, provided the specifications outlined below are met.

1. Programmatic

1.1. The devices described here will be housed in a separately designed tomography system. It will be in a high vacuum (HV) chamber along with hardware for an electron column and x-ray detector. This sets limits on the size and shape of the total assembled stage to avoid collisions.

1.1.1. The total stage shall be contained within a cylinder of radius 175 mm and height 300 mm

2. Physical and Power Requirements

2.1. HV compatible

2.2. If a homing procedure of the stage in any axis (X, Y, Z, or rotation) is needed to obtain the zero value for any position, the procedure should not require movement through the entire range of motion in any axis.

2.2.1. A homing procedure is not a necessary requirement. It is preferable to know the absolute position of each axis without the need for a homing procedure.

2.3. Must be compatible with currently existing hardware, including:

2.3.1. HV chamber, which contains other components. CAD of the HV chamber and other hardware components housed in the chamber will be provided to ensure the stage can be designed to avoid collisions with other components.

2.3.2. Interferometers

2.3.2.1. An interferometer mirror block should be included and be compatible with currently existing interferometers in the system. The mirror block should be positioned such that interferometer feedback provides an external measurement of the X, Y, and Z stage motion.

Interferometers do not need to be included as part of this purchase.

2.4. All electrical connections necessary to power and/or control stage components purchased as part of this procurement must be included.

3. Positioning Requirements

3.1. Rotational requirements as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

3.2. Fine motion requirements as follows:

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

3.2.2. Positioning with no more than 30 nm absolute error

3.3. Coarse motion requirements as follows:

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

3.3.2. Repeatable positioning for coarse motion (step size > 150 m) with no more than 2 m absolute error.

3.3.3. Settling time of 2 minutes or less on coarse motion, after which positional drift measurements must meet the specifications given in 3.4.1

3.4. Total positioning requirements as follows:

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

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

4. Operation and Software

4.1. All stage components shall be controllable via a programming API and/or custom scripting.

4.1.1. The capability for python-based stage control is strongly preferred.

5. Documentation and Delivery

5.1. Acceptance testing will be performed and documented at the vendor’s facilities to verify that the final positioning systems meets the specifications outlined in this procurement.

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

5.2.1. 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 specifications will not be tested for acceptance at NIST Boulder.

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

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

5.5. Delivery shall be completed no more than 10 months after receipt of order.

5.5.1. Delivery will be to:

DOC/NIST/PML

Daniel Swetz 325 Broadway St

MS: 687.12

Boulder CO 80305

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE

In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORRMATION.

Please include only the following information, readable in either Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, or .pdf format, in the response: Submit the response by email to the Primary Point of Contact and, if specified, to the Secondary Point of Contact specialist listed at the bottom of this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice.

Provide the complete name of your company, address, name of contact for follow-up questions, their email, their phone number and, if your company has an active registration in https://sam.gov, your company’s Unique Entity ID (UEI).

Identify laboratory equipment that your company sells that is of the nature addressed in the BACKGROUND section of this notice. Include brand name, make, model, and/or other distinguishing information.

State if your company is the manufacturer of the identified equipment or is a retailer or wholesaler that normally sells the identified equipment. If the latter, indicate whether the manufacturer authorized in writing for your company to sell the identified equipment on behalf of the manufacturer.

Describe performance capabilities and relevant or beneficial physical and functional features for any equipment you identified to satisfy the NIST-identified minimum specifications described in this notice.

Identify any aspects of the NIST market research notice, including instructions, and draft minimum specifications in the BACKGROUND section above that could be viewed as unduly restrictive or contain unnecessary barriers that adversely affect your ability to fully participate and indicate why. In such a scenario, please offer suggestions for how the market research notice and draft minimum specifications could be made more inclusive and competitive.

Discuss whether the equipment that your company sells and which you describe in your response to this notice may be customized to specifications and indicate any limits to customization.

For the NAICS code listed in this notice:

o Indicate whether your company is (a) a small business or (b) other than small business. See the Table of Small Business Size Standards and the associated .pdf download file for small business size standards and additional information.

o If you believe the NAICS code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement.

Describe services that are available with the purchase of the aforementioned equipment from your company such as installation, training, and equipment maintenance.

Describe standard terms and conditions of sale offered by your company for the aforementioned equipment such as: delivery time after your company accepts the order;

FOB shipping terms: manufacturer warranty (including details regarding nature and duration); if available, description(s) of available extended warranty; equipment setup and test; operator and service instruction manual(s); cleanup after installation; and if applicable, other offered services. Provide a copy of manufacturer standard terms and conditions that typically relate to the sale of the specified equipment, if available.

State whether your company offers facility renovation services related to installation of the aforementioned equipment at its delivery destination, if required per the NIST-identified minimum specifications, and provide description of services. Indicate if your company performs the facility renovation services or typically subcontracts the work to another company. Indicate if your company would be interested inspecting the intended installation site during the market research phase.

State published price, discount or rebate arrangements for aforementioned equipment and/or provide link to access company’s published prices for equipment and services.

State whether the aforementioned equipment is manufactured in the United States and, if not, state the name of the country where the equipment is manufactured.

Identify any plans/possibilities for changes in manufacturing location of the aforementioned equipment and provide relevant details.

If the aforementioned equipment and related services are available for purchase on any existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts against which NIST may be able place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.

Identify any customers in the public or private sectors in which you provided the aforementioned or similar equipment. Include customer(s) information: company name, phone number, point of contact, email address.

Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for NIST to know as part of its market research for this requirement.

State if you require NIST to provide additional information to improve your understanding of the government’s requirement and/or would like to meet with NIST representatives to discuss the requirement and the capabilities of the identified equipment.

QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE

Questions regarding this notice may be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact and the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received by 6:00pm p.m. Eastern Time on March 11, 2024. Questions will be anonymized and answered via sources sought notice amendment following the question submission deadline.

IMPORTANT NOTES

The information received in response to this notice will be reviewed and considered so that NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future.

This notice should not be construed as a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.

Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations.

No award will be made as a result of this notice.

NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.

NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and appropriate.

Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request!