Scanning Threshold Particle Counter

Active

Contract Opportunity

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE for market research purposes. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS OR A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS.

BACKGROUND

Semiconductor manufacturing yield enhancement requires ongoing risk analysis of cleaning chemical purity wherein critical contaminants are already at levels difficult or impossible to detect, let alone identify and quantify. Next generation chips will require even purer materials and advanced metrological capabilities for the detection, identification, and quantification of impurities in semiconductor cleaning chemicals necessitating a practical roadmap for assessing material purity commensurate with the needs of the next generation in semiconductor manufacturing.

One exemplary system of study is ultra-pure water (UPW) as semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) can utilize upwards of 3.4 × 107 L d-1 (9 × 106 gal d-1 or ≈ 14 Olympic-size swimming pools) of UPW, and it is used in all wet-processing steps where, to a large extent, the cleanliness, and hence yield, of a wafer is determined by the purity of the water. Further, the International Roadmap for Devices and Systems (IRDS) has identified that a “Lack of proven particle metrology limits the ability to confirm whether UF (ultrafiltration of UPW) is effective in controlling killer size particles down to the critical particle size”.

Aerosol-based testing of UF will require nebulizing and drying a UPW stream to form an aerosol and simultaneously measuring the upstream and downstream particle size distributions and number densities. This aerosolization process directly mimics what occurs on-wafer. These aerosol-based methods are quickly gaining acceptance and NIST research would speed these efforts.

Specifically, we require a scanning threshold particle counter (STPC) that is a turnkey system that adheres to the SEMI C79 (Guide to Evaluate the Efficacy of Sub-15 nm Filters Used in Ultrapure Water (UPW) Distribution Systems) and SEMI C93 (Guide for Determining the Quality of Ion Exchange Resin Used in Polish Applications of Ultrapure Water System) standards. The STPC should be capable of detecting nonvolatile residue particles and native particles in ultrapure water and have particle generation and detection integrated into a single unit. Detection of particles by the STPC should be material independent and capable of being segregated into three size channels for particles ≥ 3 nm, ≥ 9 nm and ≥ 15 nm in size. Additionally, the STPC should be capable of operating in dilute isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and hydrochloric acid.

All components will be used in a standard indoor chemistry laboratory with temperatures between 18 °C and 24 °C and relative humidities between 20 % and 80 % (non-condensing) and standard 120 V 20 A/30A power.

The STPC will be used as one component in a larger system designed to measure the efficiency of a laboratory-scale UF system that has been configured for the quantitative determination of UF efficiency to particles with sizes spanning ≈ 1 nm to ≈ 50 nm and a range of chemistries and morphologies (e.g., spherical, rod, etc.).

NIST is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a commercial item solution that meets or exceeds the following draft minimum specifications, inclusive of FOB Destination shipping and warranty:

Line Item 0001: STPC

Description: Turnkey system that adheres to SEMI C79 (Guide to Evaluate the Efficacy of Sub-15 nm Filters Used in Ultrapure Water (UPW) Distribution Systems) and SEMI C93 (Guide for Determining the Quality of Ion Exchange Resin Used in Polish Applications of Ultrapure Water System) standards.

Quantity: 1

1. Technical Specifications
   
   
   
   
   1. Capable of detecting nonvolatile residue particles and native particles in ultrapure water.
   
   
   2. Integrated particle generation and detection in a single unit.
   
   
   3. Material independent detection of particles in three size channels ≥ 3 nm, ≥ 9 nm and ≥ 15 nm.
   
   
   4. Capable of operating in dilute isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and hydrochloric acid.
   
   
   
   

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE

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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 5 days prior to the expiration of this notice. Questions will be anonymized and answered via sources sought notice amendment following the question submission deadline.

IMPORTANT NOTES

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

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

Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations.

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

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