Sources Sought Notice for Microwave Digital Lock-in Amplifier

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Contract Opportunity

The purpose of this sources sought notice is to conduct market research and identify potential sources of commercial products/services that satisfy the Government’s anticipated needs.

BACKGROUND

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Photonics and Optomechanics Group within the Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division of the Physical Measurement Laboratory requires a microwave digital lock-in amplifier for the measurement of photonic test structures that are being developed for characterization of integrated photonic fabrication processes and materials, among several other applications. To measure the structure-, fabrication process- and material-dependent information contained in the high frequency responses of these test structures to optical and electrical stimuli, the system must be able to operate at frequencies of at least 1.8 GHz, and be capable of measuring the amplitude and phase of signals at multiple such frequencies and their harmonics simultaneously.

This is needed for the project objective of characterizing integrated photonic fabrication processes and materials using custom photonic test structures. This objective addresses a key metrology need in integrated photonics industry, an integral part of modern semiconductor ecosystem. The new metrology capability will allow foundries to better understand and to rapidly improve their manufacturing processes and provide photonic chip designers accurate information, decreasing the development time and cost for new integrated photonics-based products for communications, computing and sensing.

The lock-in amplifier will enable the critical measurements of the frequency-dependent response of the photonic test structures to measure the photonic fabrication process and material characteristics accurately. Making this equipment investment will enable the test structure measurements needed for test structure and measurement method development and experimental validation to enable this key new metrology capability for integrated photonics semiconductor ecosystem.

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:

Key Capabilities

1. A digital lock-in amplifier that works at frequencies up to 1.8 GHz.

Technical Specifications

1. Number of independent lock-in channels: 2


2. Frequency range: DC to 1.8 GHz or greater


3. Lock-in input maximum analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) rate: ≥ 4 GSa/s


4. Lock-in input ADC resolution: ≥ 14-bit or appropriate resolution to make any digital noise much smaller than the input referred analog noise


5. Lock-in input voltage range: ≤ 10 mV to ≥ 1 V


6. Lock-in input voltage noise: ≤ 6 nV/rt-Hz


7. Dynamic reserve: ≥ 100 dB


8. Output signal frequency range: DC to 1.8 GHz or greater


9. Output signal maximum digital-to-analog conversion (DAC) rate: ≥ 6 GSa/s


10. Output signal DAC resolution: ≥ 14-bit


11. Output signal voltage range: ≤ 10 mV to ≥ 0.5 V


12. Input and output signal connectors: Lock-in input connector: SMA or 2.92 mm, 50 ohm


13. Number of dual-phase demodulators: ≥ 8


14. Demodulator filter slope: selectable covering the range of at least ≤ 5 mHz to ≥ 10 MHz


15. Demodulator filter slope: selectable from 6 to 48 db/octave


16. Frequency reference resolution: 50 microHz


17. Auxiliary signals: 4 output channels, 2 input channels


18. Auxiliary output channel specification: ≥ 14 bit, ≥ 50 MSa/s


19. Auxiliary input channel specification: ≥ 14 bit, ≥ 4 GSa/s


20. Internal clock short term stability: ≤ 0.05 ppm deviation


21. Internal clock aging: ≤ 0.3 ppm/year


22. Computer interface: USB 3.0 and Gigabit Ethernet


23. Line power: 120 V AC, 60 Hz

Available Options:

1. Inclusion of simultaneous multifrequency operation
   
   At least 6 additional frequencies for synchronous lock-in measurements, and amplitude and frequency modulation analysis with same specifications as the base.
   
   


2. Inclusion of proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers and phase-locked loop (PLL) operation.
   
   Number of independent PID channels: ≥ 4
   
   Maximum PID bandwidth: ≥ 1 MHz
   
   Input parameters: X, Y, R and Theta outputs of lock-in amplifier and auxiliary inputs
   
   


3. Inclusion of signal modulation and analysis operation.
   
   Two independent AM/FM (amplitude/frequency) modulation units with 3 frequency components each
   
   Simultaneous sideband modulation and demodulation
   
   Harmonic sideband analysis
   
   

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).

• Identify the equipment that your company sells that can meet the objectives addressed in the BACKGROUND section of this notice. For each product recommended to meet the Government’s requirement, provide the following:
  
  
  
  • Manufacturer name
  
  
  • Model number
  
  
  • Technical specifications
  
  
  • If your company is not the manufacturer, provide information on your company’s status as an authorized reseller of the product(s)
  
  
  
  

• Describe performance capabilities of the product(s) your company recommends to meet the Government’s requirements. Additionally, if there are other features or functions that you believe would assist NIST in meeting its objectives described above, please discuss in your response.
  
  
  
  • Discuss whether the equipment that your company sells and which you describe in your response to this notice may be customized to specifications and indicate any limits to customization.
  
  
  
  

• Identify any aspects of the NIST market research notice, including instructions, and draft minimum specifications in the BACKGROUND section you cannot meet and state why. Please offer suggestions for how the market research notice and draft minimum specifications could be made more competitive.

• State whether the proposed equipment is manufactured in the United States and, if not, state the name of the country where the equipment is manufactured.

• Identify any plans/possibilities for changes in manufacturing location of the aforementioned equipment and provide relevant details, including timeline.

• For the NAICS code listed in this notice:

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  • 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.
  
  
  
  

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  • 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.
  
  
  
  

• Describe services that are available with the purchase of the aforementioned equipment from your company such as installation, training, and equipment maintenance.

• Describe standard terms and conditions of sale offered by your company for the recommended equipment such as: delivery time after your company accepts the order; FOB shipping terms; manufacturer warranty (including details regarding nature and duration); if available, description(s) of available extended warranty; equipment setup and test; operator and service instruction manual(s); cleanup after installation; and if applicable, other offered services. Provide a copy of manufacturer standard terms and conditions that typically relate to the sale of the specified equipment, if available.

• State whether your company offers facility renovation services related to installation of the recommended equipment at its delivery destination, if required per the NIST-identified minimum specifications, and provide description of said services. Indicate if your company performs the facility renovation services or typically subcontracts the work to another company. Indicate if your company would be interested in inspecting the intended installation site during the market research phase.

• State published price, discount, or rebate arrangements for recommended equipment and/or provide link to access company’s published prices for equipment and services.

• If the recommended equipment and related services are available for purchase on any existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts against which NIST may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.

• Identify any customers in the public or private sectors to which you provided the recommended or similar equipment. Include customer(s) information: company name, phone number, point of contact, email address.

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

• State if you require NIST to provide additional information to improve your understanding of the government’s requirement and/or would like to meet with NIST representatives to discuss the requirement and the capabilities of the identified equipment.

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 calendar days prior to the response date. 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

This notice is for market research purposes and should not be construed as a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. There is no solicitation available at this time.

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

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

After a review of the responses received, a synopsis and solicitation may be published on GSA’s eBuy or SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered an adequate response to any such solicitation(s).

Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this reqest!

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