Sources Sought_Redacted.pdf

Last updated 2/13/2017

Sources Sought Template:

(1) Action Code : SOURCES SOUGHT

This is a Sources Sought Notice only. This is not a request for proposal, but a survey to locate potential sources. This Sources Sought does not constitute an Invitation for Bids, Request for Proposals, or a Request for Quotations, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue an order or otherwise pay for the information solicited, nor is it a guarantee of a forthcoming solicitation or contract. It is for market research purposes only. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.

The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities, and qualifications of various members of industry, to include the Small Business Community: Small Business, Section 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUB-Zone), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women- Owned Small Business (WOSB), and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB). The Government must ensure there is adequate competition among the potential pool of responsible contractors. Small business, Section 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, & EDWOSB businesses are highly encouraged to participate.

(2) Date : 08/14/2023

(3) Classification Code : 6625

(4) NAICS Code: 334515

(5) NAICS Size Standard: 750 employees

(6) Contracting Office Address: 2800 Powder Mill Road Bldg. 601 Adelphi, Maryland 20783

(7) Subject: Sources Sought for qty one (1) vacuum probe station

(8) Proposed Solicitation Number: W911QX-23-Q-0201

(9) Sources Sought Closing Response Date: Five (5) Business Days after date of posting

(10) Contact Point: Contracting Officer Willie Nuamah, william.nuamah.civ@army.mil

(11)

A. Objective:

To find sources that are qualified to meet the supplies/services as listed in section 11B. Note that the specific requirements in section C are subject to change prior to the release of any solicitation.

B. Salient Characteristics

Commercial Availability Certification:

I have evaluated the commercial marketplace and determined that all the salient characteristics documented below are available in products/services offered in the commercial marketplace.

Signature (typed name):

Technical Point of Contact (TPOC)

The Army Research Directorate (ARD) at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) requires one (1) Vacuum Probe Station system with the following salient characteristics:

• The system shall be able to accept a minimum of two (2) inch (50-millimeter (mm)) diameter substrate, with the ability to accommodate smaller samples down to ten (10) mm by ten (10) mm while maintaining measurement stability and measurement access to the entirety of the sample.

• The system shall accommodate substrates of both silicon and silicon dioxide (quartz) with a typical thickness ranging between 500 micrometers (µm) and one

(1) mm.

• Operating temperatures of the system shall range from room temperature (typically 20-25 degrees Celsius (°C)) up to 300 °C, with the option of adding a heater system to probe station for temperature control between room temperature and 300 °C.

• The system shall be capable of performing direct current current-voltage (DC-IV), direct current capacitance-voltage (DC-CV) and pulsed current-voltage (pulsed IV) electrical measurements on multiple devices on a bare die using probes that are manually aligned and placed on the substrate.

• The system shall be able to interface with common electrical characterization systems, and specifically, must be able to interface with the Keysight B1500A Semiconductor Parameter Analyzer and the Keithley 4200 Semiconductor Characterization System. Note: The offeror DOES NOT need to provide any electrical characterization system in the offer.

• The system shall accommodate six (6) probe arms that can hold parametric probes for capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements, and direct current (DC) probes with tip diameters of 10 µm or less.

• The system shall be able to keep the substrate/device-under-test at a vacuum level of at least 1 x 10-5 torr or 1.333 x 10-5 mbar with an included pump system or a specified externally purchased pump system.

• The system shall possess an integrated or provided vibration isolation solution to minimize both vibration and acoustic noise of its surrounding environment.

• The system shall have probe arms that can be manipulated and moved while the substrate or device-under-test is under vacuum.

The automated probe station system shall furthermore include these (bold) components and their (bulleted) features:

Vacuum Chamber and Chuck for Substrate/Device-under-test and Probes

• Possessing a vacuum chamber that can operate and be placed under a vacuum of at least 1 x 10-5 torr or 1.333 x 10-5 mbar.

• Possessing a vacuum chamber capable of containing a wafer stage capable of holding a two (2)-inch diameter wafer and six (6) electrical probes.

• Possessing a viewing port to be able to directly see the top of a substrate or device-under-test using a microscope.

• Possessing a pump inlet port using the KF/QF High Vacuum (HV) flange standard and a vent line port also using the KF/QF HV flange standard, in addition to the 6 ports for probe arm feedthroughs.

• Possessing a relief valve attached to the vent line port, compatible with KF/QF HV flanges.

• Possessing a wafer stage with the ability to hold and electrically isolate a two (2)-inch diameter wafer or piece parts that is within the vacuum chamber.

• Possessing a wafer stage that can be electrically isolated and biased with a breakdown voltage of at least 500 volts (V).

• Possessing a wafer stage that can be either replaced or upgraded with heater system that is capable of uniformly heating a sample up to 300 °C.

Stage Control Hardware

• Capable of 25 mm x 25 mm X-Y travel distance to cover the full extents of a 50 mm diameter substrate when probe arm movement is included.

• Possessing X-Y stage travel resolution of at least one (1) µm

• Possessing X-Y stage travel accuracy of at least five (5) µm

• Capable of being controlled by manual dials or electronic/digital controllers.

Adjustable Probe Fixtures for I-V, C-V, pulsed I-V electrical measurements.

• Possessing a minimum of six (6) probe arms capable of DC measurements and capable of accurately probing 25 µm x 25 µm contact pads in a vacuum chamber across a 50 mm diameter substrate.

• Possessing a minimum of four (4) probe arms with parametric probes capable of DC and C-V measurements. These can be included in the six (6) minimum probe arms above if the probes can serve as both DC probes and parametric probes.

• Possessing probes capable of connecting with the necessary wiring (typically done with dual connectors and cabling) to perform parametric, connected-ground C-V measurements.

• Possessing the necessary wiring to perform C-V measurements with connected shields/grounds.

• Possessing electrical connections between probe tips and any cables or connectors on probe arms or external to the probe tips that are replaceable and/or serviceable by Army Research Laboratory personnel.

• Capable of connecting probes to triaxial three (3)-lug connectors and cables.

• Capable of performing DC measurements, C-V measurements, and radio frequency (RF) measurements up to ten (10) gigahertz (GHz).

• Capable of connecting to LCR meters with auto-balancing, and bridge-type C-V meters for C-V measurements.

Mitigation for Environmental Vibration and Electromagnetic Interference

• Possessing some form of vibration isolation to minimize environmental vibration transmitted to the devices under test and to the probes.

• Capable of optical shielding from excessive exposure to ambient light will be taken into consideration but is not required.

Digital Optical System for sample, probe, and wafer placement/inspection

• Possessing a digital camera system and associated microscope optics for viewing features on a 50 mm wafer or smaller substrate.

• Possessing a digital display that is compatible with the provided digital camera system attached to the microscope optics/system.

• Capable of keeping a sample resting on the wafer stage within the vacuum chamber in focus, with the sample thickness ranging from 100µm to one (1) mm.

• Capable of optical viewing and focusing on samples, probes, and devices using a digital display.

• Capable of viewing and identifying structures on the order of 10’s of square micrometers (µm2)

• Capable of imaging or viewing across the entirety of a two (2) inch diameter substrate

• Possessing associated cables and connections for displaying microscope camera images on a typical display that uses current standard connectors, such as display port and/or HDMI type connectors.

Vacuum Pump System and Associated Hardware

• Possessing a pump system that can reliably be able to get the vacuum chamber pressure of this system at or below 1 x 10-5 torr or 1.333 x 10-5 mbar.

• Possessing an interface for vacuum pump control and pressure monitoring.

• Possessing a minimum of one (1) pressure sensor for detecting pressure levels of the vacuum chamber while the pump system is running.

• Possessing the necessary clamps, tubing, gaskets, and other vacuum hardware to connect the pump system to the vacuum probe station chamber.

• Possessing any necessary electrical and data cables to operate the pump system and monitor pressure of the vacuum chamber of the vacuum probe station.

• Capable of quickly isolating the pump from the vacuum chamber with respect to pressure, such as the use of a valve.

Servicing and Warranty

• Possessing system servicing options by vendor.

• Possessing a minimum of a one (1) year system warranty and service contract.

• Capable of maintaining service packages for maintenance and troubleshooting will be taken into consideration.

Other Items

• Required cables and accessories needed to run system.

• Required cables between the probe tips and probe arm connectors to external electrical measurement systems.

• Shipping, packing, and insurance for system to be delivered to the Adelphi Laboratory Center (2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783) within sixteen

(16) weeks of award.

• Installation and acceptance testing of the system, providing confirmation of functional operation using vendor-provided test or calibration standards.

• On-site training for basic operations given to two (2) ARL personnel over four (4) hours of on-site training using the purchased system.

C. Responses:

All interested parties should notify this office in writing, mail, fax, or e-mail within the posted date. Responses shall include:

(I) To what extent each of the specifications can be met.

(II) Include your type of business (i.e. commercial, academia), whether your organization is classified as a large or small business based on the 750 employees standard that accompanies NAICS code 334515. If a small business, you must also list any small disadvantaged status you hold [HUBZone, 8(a), Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), etc.].

(III) Past experience/ performance through the description of completed projects.