CHIPS R&D Electrical/thermal TEM holder – Combined Sources Sought/Notice of Intent to Sole Source

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Contract Opportunity

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

The semiconductor supply chain is global, specialized, and interconnected. Chipmakers do business with thousands of individual suppliers that provide the highly complex materials and tools used to produce semiconductors. To address the lack of complete visibility into the semiconductor market's supply chain and R&D ecosystem gaps, NIST will advance the measurement science or metrology, critical to developing new materials, packaging, and production methods in chip manufacturing. Project GC1.01 will work with US manufacturers to improve manufacturing processes and evaluate the market readiness of advanced materials in next-generation electronics, such as two-dimensional (2D) and wide band gap (WBG) semiconductors. In a proposed measurement, an aberration-corrected electron beam will be used to measure atomic-level inhomogeneity that causes material degradation and device failure at the sub-nanometer scale. Simultaneously, an electron beam-induced current that travels across the failing material or device carries spectroscopic information that can be used to identify the root cause of performance loss. Analyzing atomic-level inhomogeneity and performance loss mechanisms simultaneously sheds light on the structure and chemistry at the early stage of material degradation and device failure.

Division 642, Materials Science and Engineering Division (MSED) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an organization whose mission includes developing techniques for structure and property measurements in CHIPS-relevant materials at the nanoscale under working conditions. Currently, the environmental transmission electron microscope (ETEM), of which capabilities include high-spatial-resolution imaging, electron diffraction, and analytical spectroscopy techniques, such as electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), cathodoluminescence (CL), and Raman spectroscopy, is supporting this mission. A new analytical scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) funded by the CHIPS Metrology Program will revolutionize EELS and EDS with picometer resolution. The high-gain EBIC measurement holder system sought here will bridge the advantages of the two TEMs by measuring the picoampere EBIC signal that carries spectroscopic information critical to the success of the multimodal measurement scheme described above. Therefore, our project team will possess the unique tool to investigate the early stage of material failure and electrical degradation in next-generation devices.

This procurement aims to acquire a specialized TEM holder system and compatible microelectromechanical system (MEMS)- based chips, both optimized for high-gain EBIC measurement, in-situ electrical biasing, and heating. This system will be deployed in the ETEM and the CHIPS-funded analytical STEM. It directly supports our project’s mission to evaluate the readiness of next-generation semiconductors and chips by detecting early-stage indicators of materials degradation and device failure under working (operando) conditions. Our measurement focuses on identifying weak electrical signals associated with defect nucleation and growth in advanced semiconductor devices, especially under electrical bias. Achieving low-noise current measurement with high-gain amplification is essential for detecting these signals, characteristic of 2D and wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor materials due to their complex electronic structures and high contact resistance with electrode materials. By directly linking nanoscale structural defects to electrical signals under operational conditions, this platform will significantly reduce the time required for industry to integrate 2D and WBG semiconductors into advanced nodes.

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:

Description: Single-tilt TEM sample holder compatible with TFS S-Twin and S-Twin Prime Pole Piece

Quantity: 1

1. Technical Specifications
   
   
   
   
   1. The TEM holder shall have multiple electrical leads/feedthroughs optimized for low-noise STEM-EBIC measurement, in-situ biasing, and heating.
   
   
   2. The TEM holder shall be compatible with various MEMS-based chips optimized for low-noise STEM-EBIC measurement, in-situ biasing, and heating.
   
   
   3. The TEM holder shall be equipped with low-noise STEM-EBIC measurement capability in a minimum of two current ranges to cover the broad spectrum of EBIC from various mechanisms, e.g., secondary electrons and electron-hole pairs separation.
   
   
   4. The TEM holder shall include at least 12 STEM EBIC/biasing MEMS chips.
   
   
   
   

Line Item 0002:

Description: Primary two-channel current amplification modules for low current

Quantity: 1

1. Technical Specifications
   
   
   
   
   1. The primary amplification module shall have two high-gain transimpedance amplifiers for dual EBIC measurement optimized for a current range of ± 100 pA.
   
   
   2. EBIC circuit access via SubMiniature version A (SMA) connectors.
   
   
   3. Signal routing switches for at least four electrical leads from the holder.
   
   
   4. The module shall have at least four SMA input/output connectors for non-EBIC signals, such as biasing and heating.
   
   
   5. SMA direct connections for five electrical leads.
   
   
   
   

Line Item 0003:

Description: Secondary two-channel current amplification modules for high current

Quantity: 1

1. Technical Specifications
   
   
   
   
   1. The secondary amplification module shall have two high-gain transimpedance amplifiers for dual EBIC measurement, optimized for a current range of ± 10 nA.
   
   
   2. EBIC circuit access via SubMiniature version A (SMA) connectors.
   
   
   3. Signal routing switches for at least four electrical leads from the holder.
   
   
   4. The module shall have at least four SMA input/output connectors for non-EBIC signals, such as biasing and heating.
   
   
   5. SMA direct connections for five electrical leads.
   
   
   
   

Line Item 0004:

Description: Power supply and signal processing unit

Quantity: 1

1. Technical Specifications
   
   
   
   
   1. Power supplies for EBIC amplifiers shall contribute low or zero background, noise, and interference to the acquired signal.
   
   
   2. The unit shall provide a single connector and cable for EBIC power (out) and EBIC signals (in).
   
   
   3. The unit shall provide two channels of signal-conditioning electronics.
   
   
   4. The unit shall provide two outputs to TEMs’ analog-to-digital converters (ADCs).
   
   
   
   

NIST conducted market research from May 2025 through December 2025 by speaking with colleagues, performing internet searches, GSA search, Thomas register search, reviewing professional journals, reviewing catalogs, reviewing trade publications, and speaking with vendors to determine what sources could meet NIST’s minimum requirements. The results of that market research revealed that only Nanoelectronic Imaging, INC. (UEI: NJ4NVMXQAXN3) appears to be capable of meeting NIST’s requirements.

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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 with 5 days of this posting. 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.

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

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