National Institute of Standards & Technology, Acquisition & Assistance Div., Bldg. 301, Rm B117, Gaithersburg, MD 20899

66 -- SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE CONTROL SYSTEM SOL 53SBNB760102 DUE 042497 POC Contracting Officer, Joan M. Smith -- (301) 975-6458, Contract Specialist, Tamara Grinspon -- (301) 975-4390 WEB: NSIT Contracts Homepage, http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/contract.htm. E-MAIL: NIST Contracts Office, Contract@nist.gov. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a requirement for a quantity of one (1) each RHK Technology SPM1000 and DTI-100 scanning probe microscope control system and digital interface for pulse counting, or equal. All parts, including computer boards, software, electronics and hardware shall be completely interchangeable with existing RHK SPM1000 instrumentation. In addition, the following specifications shall be met. SPECIFICATIONS FOR SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE CONTROL SYSTEM: Unit shall consist of scanning electronics, hardware and software for driving a variety of scanning probe microscopes, including but not limited to scanning near-field optical, scanning tunnelling, and atomic force scanning microscopes. An analog feedback loop for Z-position is required, as are at least 10 individual high voltage amplifier outputs for control of the scanning head. These voltages shall be configurable by the user to drive a number of commercially available or home made scanning heads, as detailed below. A complete set of electronics schematics and block diagrams, with component-level detail, shall be included. The system shall be Intel Pentium based. HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: Electronics for driving a scanning probe microscope shall include the following: Piezo driver outputs -- Separate drivers (hardware and software) for 5 scanning voltages (+X, -X, +Y, -Y and Z) and 5 offset voltages (+X, -X, +Y, -Y, and Z), shall be provided for offsetting and scanning the probe and sample. These voltages shall run between +130V and -130V. They shall have a peak-to-peak noise of less than 2mV over a broad band between DC and 100 kHz, and less than 0.5 mV peak-to-peak power line harmonics. In order to accommodate dual or single tube designs, with 4 or 5 quadrant piezos, split tubes, tripods, or multiple tube designs, it shall be possible to use X, Y, and Z separately; to sum Z into X and Y; to sum X offset into X scan; to sum Y offset into Y scan; and to sum Z offset into Z scan. Furthermore, it shall be possible to sum a fraction of the X and Y scan signals into the Z signal in order to compensate for sample slope. These various functions shall be easily changeable through the use of switches, potentiometers, or jumpers. Other outputs -- The following signals are provided to the computer and are also accessible via a BNC connector: X scan (-10V to +10 V signal, representing the -130 V to +130 piezo range); Y scan (-10V to +10V signal, representing the -130V to +130 piezo range); Z position (2 outputs) (-10V to +10V signal, representing the -130 V to +130 piezo range). Bias voltage (-10V to +10V). Tunnel current or feedback loop input (2 outputs) (-10V to +10V signal representing the signal to the feedback loop). In addition, outputs to the computer shall include all signals required to perform the functions outlined under the software specifications. Finally, two DAC outputs for computer control of external equipment shall be provided, along with software drivers for them. Front panel controls -- All systemparameters shall be accessible from the front panel of the electronics. These include X and Y scan range, position offset, slope compensation, feedback loop parameters, bias voltage, tunnel current, scan speed and resolution. Available scan speeds shall be from less than or equal to 1ms/line to 9 seconds/line, with at least 9 settings available in each decade. Scan ranges shall be symmetric around zero, amplitudes from 0 to 130 V; values to be set by user with a resolution and readout of 0.1V. Position offset shall be values to be set by user with a resolution and readout of 0.1V between -130V and +130V. Feedback loop time constants shall be from approximately 0.1 ms to 0.1s. Gain on feedback adjustable loop shall be from zero to at least 2. Feedback amplifier shall be linear or logarithmic, switchable. Lines per frame to be set by user in at least the range from 128 to 1024. Square frames OK. Set point voltage (tunnel current) shall be set by user over a range from 0 to 1 or 0 to 10V (0.1 nA to 10 nA or 0.1to 100). STM bias voltage shall be set by user over a range from -10V to 10 V. Feedback loop -- An analog feedback loop with proportional and integral control shall be provided to control the Z position signal. The input to this loop shall be accessible on a BNC connector and a voltage between 0 and 10V or 0 and -10V, switchable. Gain adjustable shall be between 0 and 2 and time constant adjustable from approximately 0.1 ms to 0.1s. This loop must be capable of controlling Z position for a number of different applications, and in particular, lateral force AFM signals, non-contact AFM, and STM applications shall be supported. Data inputs -- At least 6 independent data channels with the ability to simultaneously acquire data on at least three channels is required. One of these channels shall be dedicated to reading the Z position. Another shall be dedicated to reading the input of the feedback loop described above. 3 other analog inputs shall be available, and all analog inputs shall be interfaced to A to D converters with at least 12-bit resolution. A gain of 1 to 8 shall be adjustable through the software provided, and an additional gain of 1 to at least 128 (which shall be located on the front panel) shall be available for the Z-position input channel. The final channel shall be a TTL pulse counting input with at least 15 bit resolution, upgradeable to 32 bit. All shall be accessible with BNC connectors. All external analog inputs shall be buffered through differential inputs. External control and inputs -- The following BNC inputs (approx. 0-10Volts,analog) shall be provided, each DC coupled, separately and differentially buffered, and internally summed into the appropriate output: Two bias voltage control inputs (summed into bias voltage, unity gain); two Z modulation inputs (summed into Z scan, unity gain); one Z position input (summed into Z offset, gain of 13); and one X modulation input (summed into X scan, unity gain). In addition, X scan and Y scan inputs shall be provided. These inputs shall be analog inputs that connect directly to the inputs of the high-voltage amplifiers that control the X and Y scans. It shall be possible to disable internal scanning in order to use these inputs. An "inertial approach" input shall be available to sum a sawtooth into the Z offset piezo voltage in order to accommodate inertial approach style scan heads. Software -- Shall provide an interactive environment for all aspects of SPM control and data analysis including data acquisition, image processing, display and output. The software shall operate on an Intel Pentium running DOS 3.3 or later and be compatible with Windows 95. The program shall be menu-driven and mouse controlled. Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) control -- The following shall be controllable through software: Direction of the raster scan -- User must be able to stop a scan at any point; the dwell time at any point during a scan shall be adjustable from 0s to at least 10 minutes with 1 microsecond resolution and accuracy. Bias voltage shall be adjustable by computer control during a scan. Two D to A outputs shall be fully programmable through the software. In particular, the program shall be capable of generating sawtooth waveforms useful in the control of an inertial approach. Sample and hold circuitry shall be software-controlled. SPM configuration -- All system parameters shall be configurable through the software, meaning that the gain of inputs and the calibration factors shall be accessible in software. In addition, software for SPM calibration shall be provided. An oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer shall be built into the software. Data acquisition -- Real time images shall be acquired from both, or just one, scan directions. Real time display of selected image(s) shall be possible. It shall be possible to acquire data from 3 input channels simultaneously, and to display any one of the resulting 6 images during the scan. Data shall be stored at the same time as it is acquired. It shall be possible to stop the scan at every point and acquire data at that point for a given period of time, up to at least 10 minutes. STM Spectroscopy options shall include number of points/curve, number of sweeps/point, delay time before and after IV acquisition, and sample and hold on/off select. Data analysis and image processing -- The software shall provide at least the ability to correct for thermal drifts, the ability to plot a cross section of the data, the ability to do statistics on a plot, to difference two plots, draw histograms, do 2-dimensional FFTs, callculate correlations, X,Y, averages and X,Y, slopes. Image processing routines shall include parabolic fits and subtractions, X,Y offset or slope subtractions, background plane subtractions on complete or partial images, smoothing, sharpen, expand, filter (apply FFT or a user-programmed filter). This package shall be capable of displaying images in 1280 by 1024 bit resolution and 256 color resolution. Bitmap, solid surface, or mesh display shall be possible. Interactive color contrast, 3D tilt, rotate, and shade functions are required. Output shall be possible in at least color postscript and ascii text format, and it shall be possible to acquire the full resolution image output of a screen capture, window capture, or user-defined area in Bitmap. THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FAR SUBPART 12.6, AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION ; QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED, AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED. This solicitation, #53SBNB760102, is a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 45. The associated Standards Industrial Classification Code (SIC) for this procurement is 3826, and the small business size is 500 Employees. The FOB Point shall be Destination, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Delivery is required within 10-12 weeks from the Date of Award. Delivery location is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Building 301, Receiving Room, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-0001. Acceptance location will be NIST. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial; All vendors are to include with their quotes, a completed copy of provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items. The following FAR clause applies to this acquisition: 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items. The following additional FAR clauses, which are cited in clause 52.212-5(a) are applicable to this acquisition and (b) as follows: 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity; 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans; 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers; 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 52.225-3, Buy American Act-Supplies; 52.225-21, Buy American Act, NorthAmerican Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act-Balance of Payments Program. All quotes should be sent to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Acquisition and Assistance Division, Building 301, Room B117, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-0001. Copies of above-referenced clauses are available upon request, either by telephone or fax. All responsible small business firms may submit a quote by 3:00 PM, Washington, DC time, on April 24, 1997. See Note 1. (0099)

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