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STATEMENT OF WORK

Microwave Impedance Microscopy Module for Quantitative Assessment of Defects (CHIPS) Physical Measurement Laboratory / Applied Physics Division (686)

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

As part of the CHIPS Act, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are engaged in metrology research and development to promote innovation and industrial competitiveness in U.S. semiconductor device manufacturing. NIST has identified seven Grand Challenges in metrology research and development that require critical attention. As part of efforts to advance metrology tools and measurement science for Modeling and Simulating Semiconductors, Designs, and Components (Grand Challenge 4), NIST requires instruments for measurement of defects in compound semiconductors, as well as related heterostructures and microelectronic devices. Specifically, NIST requires a Microwave Impedance Microscopy (MIM) Module to be integrated with and extend the capabilities of an existing Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).

Functional, quantitative data about defects in wide-bandgap compound semiconductors, including deep-level trap states, is urgently needed to improve the accuracy of simulations of semiconductor microelectronic devices. MIM instruments enable electrical characterization of both surfaces and buried structures, making them well-suited for measurement of defects in multi-layer, semiconducting heterostructures (e.g. AlGaN/GaN). A MIM instrument: (1) integrates with a conventional atomic force microscope (AFM) and inherits an AFM’s measurement capabilities, such as spatially resolved topographic imaging, (2) incorporates a one-port microwave network, including a microwave source and signal path, which terminates at the AFM tip-sample junction (3) detects the microwave signal reflected from the tip-sample junction, i.e. the complex reflection coefficient. In this work, the MIM instrument shall supply a microwave signal (frequency > 2 GHz) that is guided to the tip of an AFM cantilever and detect the complex reflex coefficient from the tip-sample junction as a function of the AFM tip position, thus generating maps of the real and imaginary parts of the reflection coefficient with nanoscale (between 1 nm to 100 nm) lateral spatial resolution.

Consistent with NIST’s mission to develop measurement science, a particular research focus of the instrument will be to evaluate the sources of systematic and statistical error that limit the efficacy of MIM techniques, to devise strategies to mitigate these uncertainties, and to develop methods that provide quantitative interpretation of the data.

II. SCOPE

The goal of this contract is to supply, install and train new users on a Microwave Impedance Microscopy system for the Physical Measurement Laboratory. The Contractor shall deliver a quantity of One (1) Microwave Impedance Microscopy (MIM) Module, inclusive of FOB Destination delivery, installation, warranty and training, and option line items.

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 that 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: Microwave Impedance Microscopy Module Description: MIM module that is fully compatible with NIST’s existing AFM platform and that includes all necessary hardware and software for full operation Quantity: One (1)

The MIM instrument shall:

• Be fully compatible with an existing, conventional atomic force microscope (AFM)

• Incorporate a microwave network, including the source and signal path, which terminates at the AFM’s tip-sample junction

• Detect the microwave signal reflected from the tip-sample junction, i.e. the complex reflection coefficient

A. Microwave Measurement Capabilities

a. The MIM module shall include a microwave source with a minimum operating frequency of at least 2 GHz and a maximum output power at the source of at least -3 dBm (0.5 mW).

b. The operating bandwidth of the microwave source shall be at least 300 MHz. The MIM system shall include appropriate hardware and software to evaluate the system’s frequency-dependent response, select an appropriate operating frequency, and optimize the response (e.g. minimize the reflection coefficient) at the selected operating frequency.

c. The MIM module shall include a cantilever holder that attaches a cantilever mechanically and connects the microwave signal path to the cantilever electrically such that the microwave signal reaches the cantilever tip.

d. The MIM module shall include any and all required high-frequency cabling to connect the microwave source to the cantilever. All cabling shall be fitted with industry-standard connectors.

e. The microwave source, cabling, and cantilever shall together form a one-port microwave network, which is terminated by the junction between the cantilever tip and any sample under test.

f. The MIM shall be able to acquire the following measurands: the real and imaginary components of the complex microwave reflection coefficient, as well as the derivatives of those components with respect to bias voltage (sometimes referred to as dC/dV and dR/dV). The system shall be able to acquire these measurands in imaging mode (simultaneously with AFM topography) and in point spectroscopic mode (i.e. with the tip position fixed, while ramping a control variable of interest, e.g. tip bias).

g. The MIM shall be able to measure complex reflection coefficients over a range of at least 30 dB. The MIM shall be able to measure capacitance with sensitivity ~0.1 aF or better.

B. Compatibility and Integration with Existing AFM

a. The module shall be fully compatible with NIST’s existing, commercial atomic force microscope (AFM) hardware, including the scan head, beam bounce optics, and the optical microscope/CCD. The module shall be fully compatible with the commercial AFM control software. NIST’s commercial AFM system is a Bruker Dimension Icon Pro. Additional information (hardware configuration, software version, etc) about the commercial system can be provided upon request.

b. The cantilever holder shall attach directly to the commercial AFM system and shall position the cantilever such that the MIM module can utilized the commercial system’s beam bounce optics.

c. The module shall preserve the AFM’s topographic imaging capabilities. MIM measurand images and topographic images shall be simultaneously acquirable.

d. The module shall be capable of repeated attachment/removal from the commercial AFM system such that the AFM can be repeatedly reconfigured between MIM measurements and our existing conventional AFM measurements.

C. Control Software and Hardware

a. The system shall include any control software and hardware, in addition to the existing commercial AFM software, that is required to operate the MIM module.

b. The system shall include any control software and/or hardware that is required to measure the frequency-dependent reflection coefficient and select an appropriate MIM operating frequency (see Line Item 0001, Requirement III.A.b above).

c. The control software shall be capable of operating in a stand-alone mode, i.e. without a continuous connection to the internet or any other external network. (Though it is acceptable if internet access is required for software updates.)

D. Accessories

a. The system shall include at least twenty (20) microwave impedance microscopy cantilevers, including ten (10) cantilevers optimized for contact mode and ten (10) cantilevers optimized for non-contact mode.

b. The system shall include appropriate documentation of the software and hardware, such as installation requirements, setup instructions, and user manuals. The documentation may be in an electronic format (e.g. PDF files).

E. Acceptance

a. Factory acceptance: Before shipping the system, the contractor shall provide the Government a standard factory acceptance report demonstrating that the MIM Module performs according to the contractor’s standard factory acceptance test.

b. Site acceptance: At the NIST site the Contractor shall acquire data with the MIM Module on contractor supplied test specimens. The measured data shall be required to demonstrate conformity with the performance specifications defined in the Minimum Requirements section of this document. (See section X below for further information.)

c. The contractor shall provide personnel that meet government requirements to be on site for site acceptance.

F. Safety

a. The system shall meet industry standards for safety, including those related to electrical components, mechanical components, and optical components.

Line Item 0002: Additional Cantilever Holder for External Optical Access (Option) Description: One additional cantilever holder that has a geometry to accommodate external access to the probe-sample junction Quantity: One (1) Option Execution: NIST can execute this option within one (1) year of award.

A. Technical Specifications

a. The additional cantilever shall be fully compatible with the MIM module (Line Item 0001) and NIST’s commercial AFM system (See section III.B of Line Item 0001). The additional cantilever holder shall be capable of being swapped with the base system cantilever holder (Line Item 0001 III.A.c) without any loss of measurement or imaging capabilities.

b. The geometry of the additional cantilever holder shall be modified with respect to the base system cantilever holder such that external optical access is accommodated. For example, an external optical beam could illuminate the top side of the sample, including the tip-sample junction, without being impeded by the scan head or cantilever holder body.

c. The automated dopant profiling system shall be delivered, installed, and accepted separately from and at a later date than the MIM module.

Line Item 0003: Automated Dopant Profiling (Option) Description: Automated dopant profiling system that includes all necessary hardware and software for automated dopant profiling with the MIM module Quantity: One (1) Option Execution: NIST can execute this option within one (1) year of award.

A. Technical Specifications

a. The system shall be fully compatible with the MIM module (Line Item 0001) and NIST’s commercial AFM system (See section III.B of Line Item 0001).

b. The automated dopant profiling system shall be capable of quantitative mapping of dopant concentrations in silicon over at range from 1013 to 1019 atoms/cubic centimeter. The system shall be able to identify dopant polarity (i.e. N or P type).

c. The automated dopant profiling system shall include all necessary hardware and software to complete the measurements.

d. The automated dopant profiling system shall include any reference or test samples that are required to calibrate the measurement.

e. The automated dopant profiling system shall include appropriate environmental control to ensure repeatable dopant profile measurements.

f. The automated dopant profiling system shall be delivered, installed, and accepted concurrently with the MIM module. Training shall be completed concurrently with the training for the MIM module.

IV. DELIVERABLES

Standards of Acceptance: The NIST SME or COR shall review delivery, installation, acceptance, and training, and respond with an acceptance or request for revision email to the Contractor Point of Contact (POC) within 30 days of receipt of deliverable.

V. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

a. All work, including installation, site acceptance, and training, shall be performed at NIST (325 Brodway, Boulder, CO 80305) in Building 81.

b. The government will provide access to Building 81 to the contractor for the entire period of performance of this contract.

c. The day-to-day supervision and direct control over the work performed by the on-site contractor personnel shall be the sole responsibility of the contractor.

VI. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE/LEAD TIME

The period of performance will take approximately 150 days ARO.

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. The contractor shall deliver all Line Items to:

NIST

325 Broadway Boulder, CO 80305

VIII. INSTALLATION

The system shall be installed by the Contractor and meet contract specifications no later than 30 days after delivery. Installation, at a minimum, shall include uncrating/unpackaging of all equipment, rigging, set-up and hook-up of the system, demonstration of all specifications, and removal of trash. Onsite installation and demonstration shall be done at NIST, (325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado, Building 81). All installation requirements are identified below:

IX. TRAINING

The contractor shall conduct on-site training for up to five (5) NIST users at NIST Boulder. The training shall be completed on-site at NIST, between Monday and Friday during operating hours (8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Mountain Time). The training may be completed immediately after installation and demonstration of specifications and shall be completed no later than thirty (30) days after installation.

a. The training shall provide a thorough demonstration of all system/solution functions, basic system maintenance, data analysis, data administration, as well as basic troubleshooting.

b. The training shall include an overview of all safety features of the instrument and safe operating procedures.

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:

1. The Contractor shall demonstrate the measurement of the MIM frequency response and show how the operating frequency may be tuned /optimized.

2. The Contractor shall acquire data with the MIM Module on contractor supplied test samples, fully demonstrating the acquisition of all measurands listed in Line Item 0001, III.A.f.

3. The Contractor shall demonstrate compatibility with NIST’s existing commercial AFM, including the measurement of AFM topography concurrently with the MIM measurands.

4. If the Automated Dopant Profiling Option (Line Item 0003) is exercised, then the Contractor will demonstrate dopant profiling over the range of 1013 to 1019 dopants/cubic centimeter on a contractor-supplied sample.

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 COR 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 one week 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 one year after receipt of the equipment and shall be in accordance with terms in FAR 52.212-4. Contractor should include a full description of the warranty terms with their bid. Warranty shall commence upon acceptance of the system by the Government and at a minimum shall include the following:

a. Replacement of any defective hardware components such as cabling, microwave components, vendor-supplied cantilevers, or mechanical components

b. Any upgrades to control and operation software that are released during the period of warranty

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:

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.

XIII. TRAVEL

a. The contractor shall be responsible for all travel expenses.

XIV. CONTRACTOR SUPPLIED MATERIALS

a. The contractor shall supply all parts, hardware, equipment, and labor required to perform the tasks listed.

XV. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Safety: The Contractor employee must be responsible for knowing and complying with all installation safety prevention regulations. Such regulations include, but are not limited to, general safety, fire prevention, and waste disposal.

Security: NIST is a restricted campus. An identification badge is required for access for entry into buildings and is shown to the armed Security Police when entering the campus.

Regular Business Hours. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Mountain Time, excluding Federal holidays and NIST closures.

Identification Badges: Contractor employees must comply with NIST identification and access requirements. Each Contractor employee must wear a visible identification badge provided by the NIST Security Office. The contractor shall provide personnel that pass required government background checks to be issued badges for work on site. Contractor must supply names and relevant information about employees that will work on site at least 3 weeks prior to site visit.

Vehicle Registration: All Contractor employees must register their vehicles with the NIST Security Office to gain access to the campus. A valid driver’s license, Government-furnished civilian ID, proof of insurance and current registration must be presented to the NIST Security Office, at which time a NIST vehicle pass will be issued. The pass must be displayed on the vehicle in accordance with NIST Security Office instructions.

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