National Institutes of Health, Division of Procurement, AB-B, 6120 Executive Blvd, Room 868, Rockville, MD 20892

66 -- NANOSCOPE II SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE STATION SOL 263-95-P(BC)-0114 POC Sheri Lawson, Contract Specialist, 301/402-3065 or Edward Wilgus, Contracting Officer, 301/402-3070. Under Authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), FAR 6.302-1, the Government intends to procure from Digital Instruments, Inc., 520 E. Montecito Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, a NanoScope II Scanning Probe Microscope Station to include the following accessores: 1) BioScope Atomic Force Microscope; 2) NanoProbe Atomic Force Microscope Probes, NP; 3) NanoProbe Atomic Force Microscope Probes, TESP; 4) Experimental Fluid Tapping Sampler Probes EFTS; 5) Appropriate on-site installation and training. The Scanning Probe Microscope Station shall have the following capability: (a) of tapping in fluid, which is essential for imaging soft samples; (b) shall utilize a sample stage which has been specifically designed to provide the stability necessary for high resolution microscopy; (c) axis approach of the AFM tip is normal to the sample surface and parallel to the optical viewing axis; (d) shall utilize three (3) digital to analog converters per channel architecture that makes the scan resolution independent of the scan size and offset. This is true of X, Y and Z. Shall allow the user to use a single scanner for the entire range of scan size from 125 um down to a few nanometers with no quantitization or aliasing artifacts, and no limits on where the scan is taking place in the sample; (e) shall utilize a proprietary DOS extender that allows the instrument to take advantage of 32-bit hardware architecture and utilizes pre-emptive multitasking; (f) shall utilize only tube scanners for maximum rigidity. The tube scanner is composed of two tubes bonded together, allowing the piezo materials used to be optimized for their axis of motion. This provides maximum sensitivity in the XY plane, and maximum linerarity in Z; (g) shall be compatible with the Zeiss Axiovert 100 which will be utilized with the Scanning Probe Microscope Station. It is the Government's belief that these requirements can only be met by Digital Instruments, Inc. This is not a formal solicitation. However, concerns that respond to this notice must furnish concise responses directed specifically to the requirements mentioned above. Sources demonstrating the capability to accomplish the above, shall supply pertinent information in sufficient detail to demonstrate their ability to perform. Information furnished shall include enough material to perform a proper evaluation. Closing date will be 45 calendar days after publication of this notice. NOTE 22. (0069)

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