Soda-Lime Reticle Blanks

Added: Mar 05, 2018 12:59 pm The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Acquisition Management Division (AMD)
Sources Sought for Commercial Item Purchase(s)

Background: The Boulder Micro-Fabrication Facility (BMF), along with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) patterns and utilizes master reticle blanks (AKA: Masks) to fabricate microelectronics circuits. These reticles are patterned "in-house" using an optical pattern generator, and then are used in the optical wafer stepper to transfer the pattern onto the wafer being processed.

Purpose: To acquire 6" reticle blanks made to exacting semiconductor standards (SEMI Spec SEMI P1-0708). These reticles consist of a 6" square transparent substrate (soda-lime glass) coated with a Chromium (Cr) based opaque material and photoresist. BMF requires quantity 800 plates.

Technical Specifications: The contractor shall meet following technical specifications:

Material: Soda lime glass.
Size: Min 151.6 mm / Max 152.4 mm (nominal 6").
Thickness: 3.05 +/- 0.1 mm (nominal 0.12").
Squareness: < 8 parts/thousand.
The following must be met in a circle of quality of 100 mm diameter.
Flatness: 15 m or better.
Cr nominal thickness: 95 nm -115 nm.
Cr thickness variation: < 10 nm.
Optical density: > 3 @ 365 nm.
Pinholes: 0 > 5 m.
Photoresist: AZ1350 or equivalent - 500 nm thick.
Surface particles: 0 > 10 m.

Technical Considerations: Must conform to SEMI Spec SEMI P1-0708: "Specifications for hard surface photomask substrates."

Deliverable Schedule: Delivery shall be required in multiple shipments, that is, Initial shipment of 400 reticles, and subsequent reticles (in lots of 80) delivered within 14 days of request by NIST Technical Point of Contact (TPOC). Estimated Period of Performance (POP) as follows:

Delivery Location: The contractor shall deliver to Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology Building 22, Shipping and Receiving, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305-3328.

This announcement is not a Request for Quotation (RFQ) and does not commit the Government to award a contract now or in the future. No solicitation is available. The purpose of this sources-sought is to identify organizations with the requisite qualifications to meet the requirements of the item(s) stated herein. After results of this market research are obtained, analyzed and compared with NIST's minimum requirement(s). NIST may conduct a competitive procurement and subsequently award a contract.

If at least two qualified small businesses are identified during this market research stage, then this acquisition may be solicited as a small business set aside. NIST is seeking responses from all responsible sources, including large and small businesses. This requirement is assigned a NAICS code of 334516. The specific purpose of this Sources Sought Announcement is to determine if there are small businesses, within the parameters identified above, that can provide the product(s) identified.

Interested organizations that believe they can meet the requirement(s) should submit electronic copies of their capability statement. Please limit responses to five (5) pages or less. Responses should include the following information:

a) Name and DUNS or CAGE Code of organization that will provide the requirement.
Spec sheets and/or examples of similar requirements previously provided.
b) Lead time in providing the requirement after receipt of order.
c) Relevant information that is not listed above which the Government may consider in developing its minimum requirements and finalizing market research.

Any proprietary information should be clearly marked. Only electronic statements will be accepted. All responses to this Sources Sought shall be submitted via email by the required Response Date to Marc Zurasky at Marc.Zurasky@nist.gov. The Government is not obligated to and will not pay for any information or comments received from potential sources resulting from this Sources Sought. This is not a Request for Information. The Government will not provide a response to questions regarding this project as a part of this Sources Sought.