ARC3 Controller with nanoTDDB accessory

Active

Contract Opportunity

*****THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE***.

BACKGROUND

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Physics Measurement Laboratory/ 686 Division, is focused on precision measurements to support industry innovation. In particular the Applied Physics Division addresses the precise metrology for microwave and quantum photonics and nanophotonics, nanotechnology, nanoscale device and materials characterization, magnetic imaging for health applications and spintronics and its applications.

The requested equipment is for the CHIPS program funded within the quantitative nanoscale characterization group with the focus on breakdown characterization of wide bandgap semiconductor materials and advanced electronic circuits at nanoscale. This requires nanoscale measurement of local defects, interfaces, carrier density, distribution in 2D materials and breakdown voltages in wide bandgap devices within the CHIPS project and materials and devices obtained from the stakeholders.

To be able to develop such a metrology it is necessary for the equipment to have a nanoscale spatial resolution and deliver locally relatively high voltages in the range of tens to hundred volts with additional material characterization after the exposure to high DC voltages. To address the material and/or device changes the equipment must be able to detect the changes in the material properties at the same scale as the caused damage or better. One of the metrology options that can fulfill these requirements is atomic force microscopy with additional accessories. We already own the basic setup of such equipment, but to be able using the equipment with all the necessary functions it requires a special control unit. Our request is for purchase of such advanced control unit.

The requirements are:

1. It must be compatible with our existing MFP-3D atomic force microscope.


2. It must have a required system firmware update services for all the necessary accessories to be able to perform the required metrology.


3. It must be compatible with existing PrimeNano ScanWave Pro RF system for local impedance measurements.


4. It must allow local high voltage sample bias +-220 V with correspondent high voltage sensing cantilever holder.

NIST is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution that will achieve the objectives described above, in addition to the following essential requirements:

The Contractor shall provide:

Line Item 0001: ARC3 AFM Controller Upgrade Package for existing Asylum Research AFM.

Quantity: 1

Description: Controller Upgrade package for replacement of obsolete Black box controller.

Line Item 0002: nanoTDDB accessory to existing Piezoresponse Force Microscopy for breakdown characterization.

Quantity: 1

1. Technical Specifications Line Item 0001:

1. ARC3 Controller and Time domain dielectric breakdown (TDDB) Accessory


2. AFM Computer Workstation


3. AR License Dongle


4. AR19 (or higher) SPM software


5. Required system firmware update services


6. Compatibility with PrimeNano ScanWave Pro

The system shall meet or exceed the technical specifications identified above. 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 not authorized for sale in the U.S. by the Contractor is not acceptable.

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NIST conducted market research from October 2024 – December 2024 by, speaking with colleagues, performing internet searches, and speaking with vendors to determine what sources could meet NIST’s minimum requirements. The results of that market research revealed that only OXFORD INSTRUMENTS ASYLUM RESEARCH, INC., (UEI: Q365CKN56793) can meet all the Governments minimum requirements.

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE

In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. Please include only the following information, readable in either Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, or .pdf format, in the response: Submit the response by email to the Primary Point of Contact and, if specified, to the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice. Please note that to be considered for award under any official solicitation, the entity must be registered and “active” in SAM at the time of solicitation response.

• Provide the complete name of your company, address, name of contact for follow-up questions, their email, their phone number and, if your company has an active registration in https://sam.gov, your company’s Unique Entity ID (UEI).

• Details about what your company is capable of providing that meets or exceeds NIST’s minimum requirements.

• Whether your company is an authorized reseller of the product or service being cited and evidence of such authorization.

• Identify any aspects of the description of the requirements in the BACKGROUND section above that could be viewed as unduly restrictive or create unnecessary barriers that adversely affect your firm’s ability to fully participate in a procurement for such services and explain why. Please offer suggestions for how the requirements could be organized or structured to encourage the participation of small businesses.

• For the NAICS code

• Indicate whether your company is (a) a small business or (b) other than small business. See the Table of Small Business Size Standards and the associated .pdf download file for small business size standards and additional information.


• If you believe the NAICS code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement.

• If your firm has existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts for products or services against which the Department may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.

• Describe your firm’s experience (as a prime, subcontractor, or consultant) providing the products or services described in Background section.

• Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for the Government to know as part of its market research for this requirement.

• Please let us know if you would like to engage to get a better understanding of the requirement or need additional information about the Government’s requirement for the products or services described in the Background section.

QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE

Questions regarding this notice may be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact and the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received by November 18, 2024. If the Contracting Officer determines that providing a written amendment to this notice to document question(s) received would benefit other potential respondents, the questions would be anonymized, and a written response to such question(s) would be provided via an amendment to this notice.

IMPORTANT NOTES

The information received in response to this notice will be reviewed and considered so that the NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future.

This notice should not be construed as a commitment by the NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response.

This notice is not a request for a quotation. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations.

No award will be made as a result of this notice.

NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.

NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and appropriate.

Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s capability.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.

Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request.

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