SOURCES SOUGHT
66 -- Hyperspectral AFM-IR upgrade to NanoIR1 and NanoIR2 Instruments
- Notice Date
- 5/30/2017
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- 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 B130, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899-1410, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20899-1410
- Solicitation Number
- AMD-SS17-38
- Archive Date
- 6/22/2017
- Point of Contact
- Forest Crumpler, Phone: 3019756753
- E-Mail Address
-
forest.crumpler@nist.gov
(forest.crumpler@nist.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Background The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a requirement to upgrade the NanoIR-1 and NanoIR2 instruments (by Anasys instruments) installed in the CNST (awards SB134111SU0285 and SB134114SU0480) with new software and a mid-IR rapid wavelength tunable laser source to enable AFM-IR nanoscale hyperspectral imaging capability. The main purpose of the upgrade is to improve CNST measurement throughput capabilities for recording IR absorption spectra of materials with nanoscale resolution. The upgraded instrumentation will support research in the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) user facility as a shared resource accessible to researchers from industry, academia, NIST, and other government agencies through collaboration. The development of new measurement tools and methods for nanoscale characterization that can subsequently be made available to users is a critical part of the CNST mission; and ease of use, high measurement throughput and repeatability are important. Measurements of topography, material and chemical composition with nanoscale spatial resolution are needed in many areas, including the development of new materials and technologies for energy conversion, nanomedicine and sensing. The NanoIR-1 and NanoIR-2 instruments (Anasys Instrument) installed in the CNST, each consist of an atomic force microscope (AFM) coupled with pulsed wavelength-tunable lasers enabling the acquisition of absorption spectra and chemical maps in air with a nanoscale spatial resolution. Such photothermal measurement method is termed AFM-IR by the combination of AFM with infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Typically, measuring one nanoscale AFM-IR spectrum requires several seconds to a few minutes depending on the selected configuration (primarily limited by the laser tuning speed) and AFM-IR spectra are usually measured only in a few selected locations. The upgrade for the NanoIR-1 and NanoIR-2 is needed to improve the acquisition time of each AFM-IR spectra to less than 1 s, which is required for enabling AFM-IR hyperspectral imaging (acquisition of a spectrum in each pixel) within a reasonable timeframe. Because hyperspectral AFM-IR imaging requires a pulsed laser sources with high repetition rate (>100 kHz) and fast wavelength tunability and reset (less than 1 s) the CNST also require purchasing, installation and integration of an additional suitable laser source with the NanoIR-1 and NanoIR-2 instruments. The new laser must be controlled with the NanoIR-1 and NanoIR-2 software (Analysys Studio by Anasys Instrument) to ensure measurement compatibility. Minimum Specifications: 1 Hyperspectral AFM-IR upgrade: A.The Contractor shall provide software upgrade to add hyperspectral AFM-IR capabilities to CNST NanoIR-1 and NanoIR-2 instruments. Such capability shall enable rapid (less than 1s per point) measurement of IR absorption spectra with a spatial resolution of 20 nm or better based on the IR photothermal technique. Said imaging modality requires: high repetition rate (> 100 kHz) fast tuning wavelength-tunable laser(s) and computer control adjustment of the laser repetition rate faster than 1 ms, over a broad range of repetition rates (from 100 kHz to 500 kHz or wider range). B.The mechanism used for IR absorption used in the hyperspectral AFM-IR measurement shall be fully disclosed and not in conflict with any registered patents. C.The hyperspectral AFM-IR based photothermal technique shall be insensitive to non-local background forces, meaning that the driving force of the cantilever excitation is only sensitive to the local sample expansion and not to the background contribution due to direct light absorption in the cantilever. 2. Laser source Specifications: A.The laser source shall consist of a single laser or of an array of lasers housed in a single enclosure emitting collinear light from a single port for all wavelengths. B.The laser system shall emit light pulses with wavelength tunable between 950 cm-1 (10.53 µm) and 1900 cm-1 (5.26 µm), or a broader range that include the region between 900 cm-1 and 1900 cm-1 without gaps. C.The laser system shall emit light pulses with repetition rate tunable at least between 1 kHz to 2000 kHz at increments as small as 0.1 kHz. D.The laser system shall emit light pulses with a pulse length tunable between 40 ns to 500 ns or wider range. E.The Laser system shall enable continues tuning of the emitted wavelength at rate of 5000 cm-1/s of faster in the spectral range from 900 cm-1 and 1900 cm-1. Additionally, the laser system shall enable wavelength reset to 900 cm-1 in 0.1 s to minimize the instrument downtime between consecutive spectra. F.The laser system must be able to sustain duty cycles as high at 10% for 24 h consecutive operation or longer. G.The laser system must emit a high quality beam defined by an ellipticity < 1.5 : 1 and with a TEM00 mode that can be described with a fit to a Gaussian profile > 90%. H.The laser system beam output must be coaxial for all wavelengths such as the beam boresight of all wavelengths is within a radius of 0.25 mm (measured at 1 m distance from the laser port output) and the beam pointing is within 500 µrad (full angle with respect to the beam centroids) I.The laser system must be factory upgradable to ensure that the laser performance could meet the manufacturer state of the art specifications as technology advances. J.The laser system shall include a water cooling system to ensure stability of operation in the CNST lab environment. The use of fans for cooling the laser must be avoided as it will disturb the AFM-IR measurements. K.The laser shall include a collinear visible laser output for alignment and troubleshooting purposes. Notes regarding the upgrades: •The upgraded items described above MUST NOT negatively impact any of the nanoIR-1 or NanoIR-2 functionalities and performances described above or in the manual. •The upgraded items described above MUST NOT void the warranty of the nanoIR-1 or NanoIR-2 instruments or of any of their parts. •Upgraded items must be new, NOT used or refurbished. 3. Installation & Training: Installation: The Contractor shall be responsible for installation which shall include uncrating/un-packaging of all equipment, set-up and hook-up of all equipment, start-up, and demonstration of all required specifications. Technical personnel experienced with the system shall install the system and perform all activities necessary to ensure the system is fully functional and meets all required specifications. Installation shall include the integration of the laser with the NanoIR1 and NanoIR2 instruments software (Analysis studio by Anasys Instrument) to enable software control, collinear alignment and calibration of each single wavelength emitted by the laser. The following specific tasks shall be performed by the Contractor during installation: include: 1. The collinear alignment and calibration of the wavelengths emitted by the laser with respect to the nanoIR-1 and nanoIR-2 AFM tip. 2. Demonstration that the laser coupled with the nanoIR-1 and NanoIR-2 instrument allows recording infrared (IR) absorption spectra, IR absorption maps and AFM-IR hyperspectral images with 20 nm lateral resolution or better using commercially available cantilevers. The quality of the spectra shall be comparable with the absorbance spectra typically acquired by the two instruments, to enable materials identification via direct comparison with commercially available FTIR libraries. Training: The Contractor shall provide training, on-site at NIST Gaithersburg campus, for a minimum of 3 (three) NIST personnel, for the operation and maintenance, immediately following installation. The Contractor shall schedule the installation and training in advance with the Technical Point of Contact, upon delivery of the equipment to NIST.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NIST/AcAsD/AMD-SS17-38/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899, United States
- Zip Code: 20899
- Zip Code: 20899
- Record
- SN04525499-W 20170601/170530234502-63f6825002e38b5762c8c285a113b6d8 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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