Army Research Laboratory, ALC Procurement Division, ATTN: AMSRL-CS-PR-SC, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783-1197

36 -- ANTIMONY CRACKER SOL W71B7J-8188-F062 DUE 091898 POC Alison Slawson, Purchasing Agent, (301) 394-1494, Beth Smith, Contracting Officer, (301) 394-3371. This requirement is to purchase an antimony valve cracker cell for molecular epitaxy machine. The cracker controls the antimony furnace flux in the production of crystals grown for electronics. This is intended to be awarded on a sole source basis to EPI MBE Products Group located in St. Paul, Minnesota. This company has designed the cracker cell's valve of all PBN construction. Refractory metal valves have failed in the field as the antimony, at the elevated cracking temperatures, reacts with the metal valve and eats through the metal. EPI used metal valves in earlier designs but the cells proved to have lifetimes in the order of 6-12 months. The following are the minimum specifications. Cell capacity of 200cc antimony. The molybdenum-fee construction-valve must be constructed of pyrolytic boron nitride (PBN) and, where metal is required on the UHV side of the valve, electronic grade tantalum must be used. Varian power adapters must be supplied. There us a requirement of 2.75" CF mounting flange to MBE machine. There must be a maximum of 11.4" in-vacuum cell length. There mush be a maximum 1.5% Sb layer thickness variation over 3" wafer. There must be RS485 serial communications interface to controller. Capability statements may be faxed to Alison Slawson, (301) 394-1162, which shall be considered by the agency. No telephine requests will be honored. See Numbered Note(s): 22. Posted 09/04/98 (I-SN246423). (0247)

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