Optical Microscope

Active

Contract Opportunity

NIST-SS26-CHIPS-42

PLEASE NOTE THIS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY

Title:  Optical Microscope

BACKGROUND

NIST CHIPS Metrology R&D program has nondestructive defect detection metrology (NDDM) for semiconductor advanced packaging project. The NDDM project aims at developing reference defect artifacts and characterizing defective semiconductor samples to help improve X-ray computed tomography (XCT) defect detection metrology and accuracy of detection. This is critical for improving efficiency and productivity of semiconductor failure analysis process. The defect artifacts’ engineered defects and defective semiconductor samples’ defects need to be characterized to provide ground truth information which will be compared to XCT-based defect detection results. In order to characterize the ground truth defect information, the defect artifacts and defective semiconductor materials need to be destructively measured using methods such as precision mechanical polishing. Cross-sectioning or delayering processes will be implemented on the samples, which require accurate sample alignments through micrometer adjustments and precision polishing through digital dial indicators. The cross sections or the delayered planes are measured using an optical microscope optimized for the polisher sample holders and polishing process. The optical microscope should be able to auto-focus the cross-section or the layer, and equipped with motorized translational stages. The microscope should allow installation of multiple objective lenses. The microscope should be integrated with a digital camera and a computer.

The minimum requirements are as follows:

Line Item 0001:

Description: Optical microscope

Quantity: 1

1. Technical Specifications

Hardware

1. 
   
   
   
   1. The optical microscope shall be an upright microscope capable of reflected light measurements.
   
   
   2. The optical microscope shall be equipped with light-emitting diode (LED) light source(s).
   
   
   3. The optical microscope shall be capable of bright field (BF), dark field (DF), and differential interference contrast (DIC).
   
   
   4. The optical microscope shall have a mechanism to change the imaging modes (BF/DF/DIC).
      
      
      
      1. Stronger consideration will be given to the microscope with encoded capability for the selected imaging modes.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   5. The optical microscope shall be equipped with two (2) eyepieces with at least 10x magnification.
   
   
   6. The optical microscope shall be equipped with one (1) encoded objective turret for motorized switching and automated position detection. The lens turret shall be able to install at least five objective lenses.
      
      
      
      1. Stronger consideration will be given to the microscope with a motorized objective turret.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   7. The optical microscope shall be equipped with infinity corrected objective lenses capable of BF, DF, and DIC imaging.
      
      
      
      1. The optical microscope shall be equipped with one (1) objective lens with 5x magnification
         
         
         
         1. Stronger consideration will be given for the lens with a higher numerical aperture (NA) exceeding 0.13 up to 0.15.
         
         
         
         
      
      
      2. The optical microscope shall be equipped with one (1) objective lens with 10x magnification.
         
         
         
         1. Stronger consideration will be given for the lens with a higher NA exceeding 0.25 up to 0.3.
         
         
         
         
      
      
      3. The optical microscope shall be equipped with one (1) objective lens with 20x magnification.
         
         
         
         1. Stronger consideration will be given for the lens with a higher NA exceeding 0.45 up to 0.5.
         
         
         
         
      
      
      4. The optical microscope shall be equipped with one (1) objective lens with 50x magnification.
         
         
         
         1. Stronger consideration will be given for the lens with a higher NA exceeding 0.7 up to 0.8.
         
         
         
         
      
      
      5. The optical microscope shall be equipped with one (1) objective lens with 100x magnification.
         
         
         
         1. Stronger consideration will be given for the lens with a higher NA exceeding 0.8 up to 0.9.
         
         
         
         
      
      
      
      
   
   
   8. The optical microscope shall be equipped with one (1) motorized stage translatable in x, y, and z directions. The stage shall have x-y translation distance of 75 mm x 50 mm at a minimum. The stage shall have a focus stroke distance of 24 mm at a minimum.
      
      
      
      1. Stronger consideration will be given to the larger x and y translational movement capability exceeding 75 mm x 50 mm up to 100 mm x 100 mm.
      
      
      2. Stronger consideration will be given to a system that allows measuring everywhere in a 100 mm diameter wafer, either using an attachable wafer holder or other stage mechanisms.
      
      
      3. Stronger consideration will be given for a larger focus stroke distance exceeding 24 mm up to 40 mm
      
      
      
      
   
   
   9. The microscope shall be able to measure samples with a maximum sample height of at least 38 mm.
   
   
   10. The optical microscope shall have a mechanism to change imaging modes and lenses without accessing the computer software.
   
   
   11. The optical microscope shall be equipped with one (1) digital camera and compatible camera adapter(s).
       
       
       
       1. The digital camera shall be capable of recording color images with at least 5 Megapixel resolution.
       
       
       
       
   
   
   
   

1. 
   
   
   
   1. 
      
      
      
      1. The digital camera sensor shall have a pixel pitch of 3.45 µm x 3.45 µm or less.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   2. The optical microscope shall be equipped with at least one (1) workstation compatible with the microscope and software, one (1) monitor, one (1) keyboard, and one (1) mouse.
   
   
   
   

Software

• The vendor shall provide copies of the software with the following capabilities:
  
  
  
  1. Basic operation of the camera.
  
  
  2. Control motorized stages and lens turret (if applicable).
  
  
  3. Auto focusing and compensating for uneven surfaces through a mechanism such as extended depth of field or all-in-focus mode.
  
  
  4. Stitch images.
  
  
  5. Enable the encoded capabilities of the microscope.
  
  
  
  

Accessories

1. 
   
   
   
   1. The optical microscope shall be equipped with a dust cover.
   
   
   
   

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 at the bottom of this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice.

• 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 and its past experience with design and manufacture of magneto-resistive sensors. Any relevant past performance.

• 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

o 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.

o If you believe the NAICS and/or Product Service Code code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS/PSC 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 listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 15, 2025. 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 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 is not a request for a quotation. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations.

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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.

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

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