SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- Notice of Intent to Sole Source: Atomic Force Microscopy/Scanning Probe Microscopy (AFM/SPM) System
- Notice Date
- 5/26/2011
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Room B129, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899-1640
- ZIP Code
- 20899-1640
- Solicitation Number
- NB683060-11-02987
- Archive Date
- 6/24/2011
- Point of Contact
- Paula Wilkison, Phone: 301-975-8448, Patrick Staines, Phone: (301)975-6335
- E-Mail Address
-
paula.wilkison@nist.gov, patrick.staines@nist.gov
(paula.wilkison@nist.gov, patrick.staines@nist.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), intends to negotiate a firm fixed price purchase order, on a sole source basis, with Agilent Technologies for the purchase of an atomic force microscopy / scanning probe microscopy (AFM/SPM) system under other than full and open competition by the authority of FAR subpart 6.302-1: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The required AFM/SPM system will allow characterization of materials and processes critical to energy conversion and solar fuels and will guide development and innovation of novel catalysts for emerging energy technologies. The required EPR spectrometer system offers demonstrated turnkey operation of Scanning Microwave Microscopy (SMM) at variable frequency from 100 MHz to at least 6 GHz. Here, SMM is defined as simultaneous AFM and measurement of transmitted and reflected microwave signal with a vector network analyzer (VNA). So-called SMMs based on ac scanning tunneling microscopy are not acceptable for NIST's intended use. Demonstration shall include published ability to produce low noise images at room pressure of nanometer-size dopant gradients in silicon and sub-surface imaging of the buried metal lines in a typical BEOL process. The required instrument shall be proven as capable of applying and processing microwave frequency radiation throughout its signal pass and have available nose cones/tip holders designed to prevent undesired radiation of microwave radiation while directing it to the terminal tip. The required instrument is suitable for examining existing and emerging BEOL processes, such as through wafer vias, buried metal line integrity, intermetal dielectric quality, level-to-level vias, including carbon nanotube bundles is required. The instrument shall also be capable of a broad range of microwave frequency measurements. The SMM mode of the required Agilent instrument allows detailed measurements of reflected microwave signal applied to an atomic force microscope tip as a function of frequency, intensity and phase. Through its software, the signal can be interpreted as impedance and capacitance of the tip-sample structure. These measurements offer a unique method of characterization of dopant gradients in semiconductors and also have unique applications in characterizing the transport properties of nano-electronic structures and nano-interconnects - all NIST critical measurement needs and research topics. The variable frequency aspect of the measurement is unique and offers measurement capability beyond the more traditional scanning capacitance microscopy technique. Unlike low-frequency measurements, microwave reflectance measurements requires careful engineering of the nosecone (tip holder) and the interface between the nosecone and external electronics, as well as integration of the external microwave source and vector network analyzer (VNA). The Agilent instrument is the only instrument where appropriate nosecones have been engineered, the SMM capability has been experimentally demonstrated, and the appropriate software and electrical connections to an external VNA have been integrated into a scanning probe microscope system with atmospheric control. The atomic force microscopy / scanning probe microscopy (AFM/SPM) system offered by Agilent is the only commercially available integrated system that meets all of NIST's specific research needs. Delivery shall be FOB Destination, Gaithersburg, MD, and be completed in accordance with the Contractor's commercial schedule. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516, and the size standard is 500 employees. No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. The Government will consider responses received by 12:00 p.m. (Eastern) on June 9, 2011. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to paula.wilkison@nist.gov. No telephone requests will be honored. A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NIST/AcAsD/NB683060-11-02987/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: TBD, United States
- Record
- SN02458434-W 20110528/110526235226-b77377cd2511e2101da80c73983c5803 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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