National Institute of Standards & Technology, Acquisition & Assistance Div.,100 Bureau Drive Stop 3572, Bldg. 301, Rm B117, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-3572

66 -- NANOSCOPE IIIA SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE STATION SOL 53SBNB060120 DUE 070700 POC Brenda K. Lee (301) 975-6394 WEB: NIST 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), intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Digital Instruments, 112 Robin Hill Road, Santa Barbara, CA, 93117 under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) for a NanoScrop IIIa Scanning Probe Microscope Station. Digital Instrument is the only source that can provide a NanoScope Scanning Proble Microscopy capable of performing/satisfying the following requirements: (a) Be totally compatible with an existing Digital Instruments atomic force microscope Dimension 3100 Scanning Probe in the BFRL division of NIST, so that experiments can be operated on both machines with complete interchangeability; All data images obtained must be completely interoperable on either machine; (b) have a controller that provides three independent digital to analog converters (DAC) per (X, Y, & Z); (c) be able to probe a feature of interest (or offset the scanner from the center of the scan area) and then do a high-resolution scan of the feature without moving the sample, or changing scanners; (d) have real-time scan linearization which delivers a calibrated, non-linear wave form to the piezoelectric scanner achieving a linear output for scan sizes from 5nm to 90 microns, perform scan rotations; (e) allow the tip to anticipate features in the current scan by utilizing information from the preceding scan, thus reducing damage to the sample and tip while providing highly accurate imaging; (f) provide dual-tube piezo scanner design with segmented elements; (g) provide intermittent contact "tapping-mode" AFM operation; (h) provide contact & tapping-mode in a fluid cell so that upgrades may be done at a later date; (i) provide phase contrast imaging technique in which the phase lag of the cantilever oscillation, relative to the signal sent to the cantilever's piezo driver, is simultaneously monitored and recorded; (j) be able to determine the sample's topography on a continuous first pass over a scan line, store it and use the stored data from the first pass scan to monitor and store a second parameter, thereby eliminating any convolution of topographic features with the second scanned parameter; (k) provide oscillating cantilever operation at resonant frequencies over the entire range from DC -- 900KHz; (l) be able to perform non-square scans of the specimen surface that are user selectable from aspect ratios of 1:1 to 1:32; (m) the system must have the ability to capture nanoindentation data in real time and then export that data from the off-line mode into a file format such as ASCII that can be easily imported into a spreadsheet or data analysis program; (n) allow for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), lateral force microscopy (LFM), magnetic force microscopy (MFM), electric field microscopy (EFM), Contact and Tapping AFM, Force Modulation, Phase Imaging, Force Volume and fluid cell operation without requiring additional scanners or detector heads; (o) provide real-time scan linearization and low noise. Only Digital Instrument SPM provides the above unique features that are essential to maintaining our collaboration internally within NIST and externally with academia and industry, in addition to our requirements of high quality measurements of polymeric and filled polymer coatings. Digital Instruments is the only source that can meet essential compatibility requirements with existing atomic force microscopes within collaborating NIST Laboratories and collaborators at other institutions. NIST currently has two existing atomic force microscopes, with attachments supplied by Digital Instruments that can only be used with Digital microscopes. Required delivery within 60 days from contract award. FOB Destination Gaithersburg MD. The Government requires 1 set of operational and maintenance manuals. The Government requires a 12-month warranty on all part and labor. Warranty shall begin when the instrument has passed acceptance testing. On-site services/maintenance shall be provided for a period of 12 month after acceptance. On-sites services shall include a maximum of 2 businessday's turnaround from call to on-site service during warranty period. The Government requires a two-day installation and on-site training for 2 NIST employees. The on-site training shall be performed by the field service engineer. The Contractor shall demonstrate that the system meets or exceed all performance specifications identified in the solicitation. No solicitation package will be issued. The Contractor must be able to meet all the requirements stated herein. The anticipated award date of the contract is on or around July 7, 2000 Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement by July 7, 2000. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotation. However, all quotation received by July 7, 2000 will be considered by the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please contact Brenda Lee at the telephone number identified above. See Note Number 1. Posted 06/23/00 (W-SN468081). (0175)

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