FOURIER TRANSFORM SPECTROMETER (FTS) FOR 79-1000 GHZ OPERATION

MARKET RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT Source Sought Synopsis only. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Acquisition and Grants Office, Western Acquisition Division-Boulder (NOAA/AGO/WAD-Boulder) seeks information on behalf of the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) from commercial vendors capable of providing Martin Puplett High Resolution Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) system. This system will be used for characterizing spectral transmissions of millimeter and submillimeter detectors. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: The basic design of the FTS system proposed should be based on the Martin-Puplett design widely used in millimeter and submillimeter spectrography. The Martin-Puplett design at minimum consists of three linear polarizing grids in conjunction with two interferometer arms equipped with roof-mirrors. One of the roof-mirrors should be mounted on a controllable linear stage with total travel of 150 mm or longer to achieve unapodized FWHM resolution of measured spectra better than 0.5 GHz. The input port of the FTS should couple to a hot thermal blackbody source (to be supplied by NIST) The chopped blackbody source should couple to the rest of the FTS optics via a parabolic mirror with ~f/2 focal length. The output port of the FTS should be designed to couple to the NIST-produced receiver system with high efficiency, and this requires an output parabolic mirror with f/1.7 or faster. Both mirrors should have minimum diameter of 160 mm to avoid non-negligible levels of diffraction of the coupling beams while keeping the overall size of the FTS system manageable and portable. The linear stage and the source chopper should be supplied with the necessary control systems and provisions for data output to generic acquisition systems for post-processing and analysis of measured spectra. Internal surfaces of the FTS optical chain should be baffled to reduce stray coupling. The FTS enclosure should be reasonably air-tight to allow purging of the internal volume with dry air or nitrogen gas for moisture- and oxygen-free measurements of spectra. The fully-functional FTS system should be capable of measuring transmission spectra in the range of 70-1000 GHz with the above-mentioned resolution. Conditions for acceptance: - A complete design that demonstrates the above technical specifications. - Realistic delivery schedule of ~6 months or sooner from the date of order. - Previous delivery of a similar instrument for the astrophysics community that demonstrates the technical competence of the bidding company. OVERVIEW: - Rapid scan Martin-Puplett polarizing interferometer. Mechanical/Optical: - Martin-Puplett polarizing interferometer design. - Translation stage: Linear magnetic drive. Note: must be operated horizontal. - Large aperture optics: 160 mm aperture. - Rooftop mirrors 90o + 10". - High accuracy linear encoder with hardware Position Synchronized Output allowing precise data collection based on encoder position. Position capture mode is key to accurate frequency determination1. - The linear translation of 200 mm length provides a maximum unapodized spectral resolution of 0.0167 cm-1 over the wavelength range 2.3-33.3 cm-1. (0.5GHZ resolution between 70-1000 GHZ.). - Line positional accuracy typically one tenth of the selected resolution2. - Input collimating optics - 160 mm f/2. Electrical: High-performance USB data acquisition module. Includes: - 16-bit analog-to-digital convertor with 8 differential inputs (16 single-ended). - Software selectable input gains of 1, 2, 4, and 8 to provide greater dynamic range coverage. - One 8-bit digital input port and one 8-bit digital output port for control of external devices. Software: - Basic control and data analysis software will be provided. General: - Mass: - 65 kg - Dimensions: TBD - Material: Stainless/Aluminum Options: - Blackbody calibration source Infrared Systems Development IR-563. - Analysis software: Sophisticated analysis pipeline based on over 25 years experience operating FTSs in the field2. - Extended Norton-Beer functions3,4 widely regarded as the best in the field and far superior to ones commonly used. - Phase Correction: Forman method5 - Spectral interpolation: Zero infilling - Fourier transform algorithm optimized for speed6. - Spectral processing: Add, subtract, multiply, divide, average. - Export spectra in variety of formats (e.g., ASCII, GRAMS etc.) for ingestion by standard spectral analysis software. Request for Information (RFI): Responses are sought from all size and types of firms to determine the degree of competition. For the purpose of this requirement the NAICS size standard for small business is 500 employees or less. The purpose of the RFI is to determine whether there are sources capable of satisfying the Government's requirements. No proposals are being requested or accepted under this synopsis. Interested firms should submit in writing, company name, address, point of contact, e-mail address, telephone number, business type, and size; and a brief narrative regarding experience, knowledge and capability to provide the required services. Responses that do not include this information will not be considered. All contractors doing business with the Government are now required to be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) at www.ccr.gov Questions concerning this notice shall be emailed to Gloria.Gallegos@noaa.gov. Telephone responses are not acceptable. Responses shall be submitted via email or facsimile at 303-497-3163 by close of business June 16, 2009. This notice is for informational and market research purposes only.