Photonic probe station

Maryland

11/12/2024 10:53 AM EST

11/26/2024 11:00 AM EST

COMMERCE, DEPARTMENT OF - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY - DEPT OF COMMERCE NIST

Title: Sources Sought Notice for Photonic probe station

BACKGROUND

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 full visibility into the semiconductors markets supply chain and R&D ecosystem gaps NIST will conduct the measurement science, or metrology, critical to the development of new materials, packaging, and production methods in chip manufacturing.  

The CHIPS Metrology Program at NIST advances metrology for accelerating R&D and for developing breakthroughs that support the development of the next-generation microelectronics and ensure the competitiveness and leadership of the United States. The Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division develops micro-/nano-fabrication technologies, devices and novel measurement methods enabled by integrated microsystems.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) CHIPS metrology program has a requirement for a photonic probestation to develop advanced measurement methods and test structures for integrated photonics manufacturing. The need is for automated and flexible electro-optic probing of multiple photonic test structures at diel level. Custom photonic measurements will include swept wavelength spectroscopy and measuring time and frequency domain response to modulated optical and electrical stimuli.

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: 

Automated probe station for die level characterization of integrated photonic devices.

1. Physical
   1. Die mounting
      1. Die size up to at least 20 mm x 20 mm reconfigurable for other die sizes, held by vacuum ports
      2. Tip tilt and z rotation over at least +/- 5 degrees
         1. Z rotation motorized
      3. At least one linear translation of at least  +/- 6 mm
      4. Temperature control
         1. At least 25 C to 50 C
         2. Integrated accurate temperature measurement
   2. Fiber optical probing
      1. Reconfigurable for edge and surface coupling
      2. Reconfigurable individual fiber, lensed fiber or fiber array support
      3. At least one fiber (array) positioner
      4. Option for adding a second fiber (array) positioner (opposite or at 90 degrees to the first)
      5. 6 degree of freedom positioner(s)
         1. Motorized XYZ
            1. At least 50 mm, 25 mm and 12 mm of travel for X, Y, Z (X is the die edge axis)
         2. At least +/- 5 degree rotation range
            1. At least Y rotation motorized
         3. Capable of fully automatic fiber array to chip optical active alignment
   3. RF and DC electrical probing
      1. At least one electrical probe positioner for industry standard RF/DC wedges
      2. Option for adding a second electrical probe positioner
      3. X, Y and Z translation range of at least 12 mm
         1. At least Z motorized
      4. Y and Z rotation at least +/-1 degree
      5. Contact sensor interface, ability to automate contact
2. Visual optical observation
   1. Real-time video and photography of top-down and angle views
   2. Variable magnification with field of view between 12 mm and 1 mm
   3. XY translation and focus adjustment to access the full die at the highest magnification
   4. Appropriate illumination, including coaxial for the top-down camera
3. Electrical measurement and control
   1. Computerized control of all motorized degrees of freedom with appropriate resolutions
   2. Sample temperature control, including maintaining and sweeping temperature
   3. Automated touchdown of the DC and RF probes
   4. Electrical source measure units with at least 8 channels, extensible to at least 32 channels
   5. Electrical multiplex fabric to connect high performance external SMUs to various probes
4. Optical measurement automation
   1. Fiber switch fabric to multiplex external single mode inputs to different die input/output fibers
      1. Low loss single mode operation between 1260 nm and 1625 nm (or similar)
   2. Ability to multiplex a visible laser into input fiber(s) for visual prealignment
   3. Polarization controller to synthesize arbitrary input polarization state at an input SM fiber
      1. Low loss single mode operation between 1260 nm and 1625 nm (or similar)
   4. At least one optical power detector (useable for active alignment)
      1. Wavelength range 1260 nm and 1625 nm (or similar)
   5. Electrical inputs for connecting external photodetectors (usable for active alignment, signal detection and reference power detection)
5. Computerized test automation
   1. Software environment enabling creation of flexible automated custom measurement sequences, including
      1. vendor-defined routines for automated sequential active alignment and coupling to and electrooptical testing of multiple photonic devices with pre-specified input locations
      2. automated user-defined optical and electrooptic measurement protocols
      3. support for interfacing external swept and tunable lasers, source measure units, power meters and RF test equipment such as VNAs
   2. API enabling control of the probe station software by custom user software
   3. A suitable PC with Windows OS
6. At least a 12 month warranty

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE

In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. Please include only the following information, readable in either Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, or .pdf format, in the response:  Submit the response by email to the Primary Point of Contact and, if specified, to the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice.  Please note that to be considered for award under any official solicitation, the entity must be registered and “active” in SAM at the time of solicitation response.

• Provide the complete name of your company, address, name of contact for follow-up questions, their email, their phone number and, if your company has an active registration in https://sam.gov, your company’s Unique Entity ID (UEI).

• Identify the equipment that your company sells that can meet the objectives addressed in the BACKGROUND section of this notice.  For each product recommended to meet the Government’s requirement, provide the following:
  • Manufacturer name
  • Model number
  • Technical specifications
  • If your company is not the manufacturer, provide information on your company’s status as an authorized reseller of the product(s)

• Describe performance capabilities of the product(s) your company recommends to meet the Government’s requirements.  Additionally, if there are other features or functions that you believe would assist NIST in meeting its objectives described above, please discuss in your response.

• Discuss whether the equipment that your company sells and which you describe in your response to this notice may be customized to specifications and indicate any limits to customization.

• Identify any aspects of the NIST market research notice, including instructions, and draft minimum specifications in the BACKGROUND section you cannot meet and state why.  Please offer suggestions for how the market research notice and draft minimum specifications could be made more competitive.

• State whether the proposed equipment is manufactured in the United States and, if not, state the name of the country where the equipment is manufactured.

• Identify any plans/possibilities for changes in manufacturing location of the aforementioned equipment and provide relevant details, including timeline.

• For the NAICS code listed in this notice:

• Indicate whether your company is (a) a small business or (b) other than small business.  See the Table of Small Business Size Standards and the associated .pdf download file for small business size standards and additional information.

• If you believe the NAICS code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement. 

• Describe services that are available with the purchase of the aforementioned equipment from your company such as installation, training, and equipment maintenance.

• Describe standard terms and conditions of sale offered by your company for the recommended equipment such as: delivery time after your company accepts the order; FOB shipping terms; manufacturer warranty (including details regarding nature and duration); if available, description(s) of available extended warranty; equipment setup and test; operator and service instruction manual(s); cleanup after installation; and if applicable, other offered services.  Provide a copy of manufacturer standard terms and conditions that typically relate to the sale of the specified equipment, if available.

• State whether your company offers facility renovation services related to installation of the recommended equipment at its delivery destination, if required per the NIST-identified minimum specifications, and provide description of said services.  Indicate if your company performs the facility renovation services or typically subcontracts the work to another company.  Indicate if your company would be interested in inspecting the intended installation site during the market research phase.

• State published price, discount, or rebate arrangements for recommended equipment and/or provide link to access company’s published prices for equipment and services. 

• If the recommended equipment and related services are available for purchase on any existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts against which NIST may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.

• Identify any customers in the public or private sectors to which you provided the recommended or similar equipment.  Include customer(s) information: company name, phone number, point of contact, email address.

• Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for NIST to know as part of its market research for this requirement.

• State if you require NIST to provide additional information to improve your understanding of the government’s requirement and/or would like to meet with NIST representatives to discuss the requirement and the capabilities of the identified equipment.

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 5 days prior to the response date. If the Contracting Officer determines that providing a written amendment to this notice to document question(s) received would benefit other potential respondents, the questions would be anonymized, and a written response to such question(s) would be provided via an amendment to this notice.

IMPORTANT NOTES

This notice is for market research purposes and should not be construed as a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.  There is no solicitation available at this time.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response.

NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate.

Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s capability.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.

After a review of the responses received, a synopsis and solicitation may be published on GSA’s eBuy or SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered an adequate response to any such solicitation(s).

The responses shall not exceed twelve (12) pages including all attachments, charts, etc.

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