SB1341-15-RQ-0926_SOW.pdf

Request for Quotation Number SB1341-15-RQ-0926 Statement of Work

BACKGROUND

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)/Material Measurement Science Division (MMSD) provides the measurement science, measurement standards, and measurement technology required to enable world-leading characterization of materials in support of the nation’s needs for the determination of the composition, structure, and properties of materials.

The Division collaborates as a partner with staff at Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Photon Source (APS), the brightest high-energy X-ray synchrotron facility in the Western hemisphere, in the development of a world-class ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) facility located at APS sector 9-ID, and its application in materials measurement science in support of the Division’s and the NIST Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) missions.

The USAXS facility already includes both USAXS and 2-dimensional (2D) pinhole small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) capabilities for microstructure characterization in a scale range from nanometers to micrometers. However, it does not include any integral wide-angle scattering capability for simultaneous X-ray diffraction measurements of crystalline structures. This capability is now needed in support of the current initiative in “Additive Manufacturing”.

This requirement is for a robust and reliable, compact and light-weight two-dimensional (2D) X-ray detector, which provides a very low background and dark current without the need for a bulky cooling system to be incorporated into the detector housing. The system requires a large linear dynamic range of response to X-ray intensity without a significant pixel spread function, and is suitable for operation at a rapid frame rate over a specified (broad) range of hard X-ray energies in wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements.

NIST anticipates using the detector in X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) measurements of microstructure dynamics, which will require both a rapid readout time and a good signal-to-noise ratio even for very weak X-ray signal. The WAXS detector system will form part of the permanently set-up USAXS facility, built previously by NIST in collaboration with the APS, Argonne National Laboratory. The new WAXS detector must be accommodated within the existing USAXS facility, with the WAXS and the existing USAXS and 2D SAXS components interchangeable by computer-controlled precision translation stages.

SPECIFICATIONS

The Contractor shall provide a complete, turnkey 2D area wide-angle X-ray detector system (WAXS detector) meeting or exceeding the following minimum specifications:

1. The WAXS detector system shall consist of a 2D X-ray detector, readout electronics, control computer, control software and associated cabling.

2. The detector’s sensitive area shall be greater than or equal to 150 mm horizontal x 25 mm vertical. The Government will give stronger consideration to systems that have the capability for the detector sensitive area to be expanded, subject to the space constraints indicated in (11) and (12) below. A larger sensitive detector area, itself, is not part of the present requirement.

3. The combined area of insensitive pixels or otherwise insensitive regions within the detector area shall not exceed 1.5 % of the total area.

4. The WAXS detector must perform with its detector plane vertical, must operate without interruption when mounted on a moveable detector stage, and all connections must accommodate the detector being moved over a distance of 500 mm.

5. The WAXS detector shall have a 2D spatial resolution at least equivalent to the 2D spatial resolution achieved with a pixel size of less than or equal to 200 μm x 200 μm and a point spread function not extending over neighboring pixels.

6. To be compatible with the brilliance and brightness of 3rd generation synchrotron X-ray beams, the detector shall be capable of registering a count rate per pixel of up to 1 x 106 s-1.

7. The background count rate per pixel, including that associated with readout noise or dark current, shall be less than or equal to 32 s-1, and shall not vary with time in use or with operating temperature. The Government will give stronger consideration to systems that use single photon counting capability for XPCS measurements and detection of weak X-ray diffraction peaks.

8. The detector shall have a minimum linear dynamic range from the background count rate up to the maximum count rate per pixel of at least 15 bits (32,768 : 1). The Government will give stronger consideration to systems that have a linear dynamic range from the background count rate up to the maximum count rate per pixel of 20 bits (1,048,576 : 1) for XPCS measurements where weak scattering signal must be distinguishable from background over very short counting times: ≈ 10 ms.

9. The framing rate of the WAXS detector system shall be greater than or equal to 10 Hz. The Government will give stronger consideration to systems that have a readout time for small (up to 1 mm x 1 mm) regions of less than 10 ms for XPCS measurements.

10. The detector shall be rated for operation over the full synchrotron X-ray energy range of interest: 5 keV to 30 keV with an energy resolution of less than 2 keV, and it shall have a detector efficiency of at least 30 % at 20 keV.

11. The detector dimensions, excluding connectors and connections, shall be less than 360 mm wide x 150 mm high x 300 mm deep, and the mass of the unit shall not exceed 10 kg.

12. The detector unit may be cooled by forced air or liquid (water/glycol mixture) but any cooling circuit shall be sealed with the detector unit connected to a separate cooling unit via flexible tubing. Connections to the back of the detector unit, itself, together with wires and tubes, shall not extend by more than 50 mm in the depth direction.

13. Electronics and computer hardware and software for detector set-up and data buffering/readout/processing/storage, including data formats, must be compatible with the EPICS and SPEC beam line control software systems at the Advanced Photon Source, with a standard external trigger/gate 5 V TTL capability for the system also provided.

14. Operations and Maintenance Manual giving full description of operating and maintenance procedures shall be provided to the NIST Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) upon delivery of the system. A PDF format of the manual shall be provided prior to shipment of the system. A hard copy of the manual shall be included with the equipment upon delivery.

15. Technical drawings, showing the detector modules and connections, and the electronic circuit layout, shall be delivered to the NIST TPOC prior to shipment of the system. Drawings shall be provided in AutoCad format.

16. Results of factory performance tests showing the system performing according to the above specifications shall be delivered to the TPOC prior to shipment of the system. The contractor shall provide factory testing results that show the system meets the minimum required specifications as stated herein and manufacturer’s performance standards. The test results shall be delivered in PDF format via email five days prior to crating and shipping the system to the destination address.

The NIST TPOC will review the factory test results and provide approval of the results not later than five days after receipt of results from the contractor. Any deficiencies in performance shall be remedied by the contractor at no additional cost to the Government within 30 days of the deficiencies being identified. The Contractor shall make all repairs, perform additional factory testing and provide the results to the NIST TPOC. The contractor shall not ship the system until the Government has provided written approval of the factory performance testing results.

WARRANTY

The WAXS detector system shall be covered by a one (1) year warranty, including parts, labor, and travel which shall begin upon acceptance of the equipment by the Government.

If during this time the detector system or any components do not meet the requirements set forth in this statement of work, the contractor shall repair the system at no cost to the Government. The contractor shall provide phone or email support during normal business hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern for any set-up or operation problems encountered during the warranty period.

DELIVERABLES

Description Quantity Due Date Operation and Maintenance Manual, Drawings and Factory Performance Test Results in electronic PDF delivered to the

NIST TPOC.

One 5 days prior to shipping upon acceptance of the factory performance test results by the NIST TPOC.

Delivery of detector system One 120 days after award of this requirement.

Hardcopy of Operation and Maintenance Manual, Drawings and Factory Performance Test Results delivered to the NIST TPOC.

One 120 days after award of this requirement.

ACCEPTANCE AND TESTING

On-Site Acceptance Testing:

Acceptance testing at the Argonne National Laboratory shall occur within 30 days after delivery of the equipment. The NIST TPOC, in conjunction with the Advanced Photon Source team, will incorporate the equipment into the beam line and test the equipment to ensure that it performs to the required specifications.

In the event that on-site services or repairs are necessary under warranty, the contractor is responsible for traveling to the Argonne National Laboratory to fix any deficiencies discovered during acceptance testing or later during the warranty period at no additional cost to the Government.

Final acceptance by the Government will not occur until the equipment performs to the required specifications.