RECOVERY: MICROELECTRONIC WAFER STEPPER INSTRUMENTS

RECOVERY - THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS. INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL BE USED FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. THIS CONTEMPLATED PROCUREMENT IS ANTICIPATED TO UTILIZE THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT (ARRA) OF 2009 FUNDING IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT RESPONSIBLE SOURCES CAN SATISFY THE REQUIREMENT. All responsible sources are encouraged to respond to this notice; however, sources that do not respond shall not be precluded from responding to any subsequent solicitation. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks microelectronic wafer stepper instruments (MWSI) for use at NIST Gaithersburg, MD and NIST Boulder, CO campuses to perform photolithography for use primarily in a research environment where we currently fabricate electronic and MEMS devices for many measurement and metrology projects. Refurbished or remanufactured units may be acceptable. Responses from responsible sources should clearly establish the capability of providing microelectronic wafer stepper instruments. After results of this market research are obtained and analyzed and specifications are developed for MWS Instruments that can meet NIST's minimum requirements, NIST may conduct a competitive procurement and subsequently award a Purchase Order. If at least two qualified small businesses are identified during this market research stage, then any competitive procurement would be conducted as a small business set-aside. NIST has a requirement for MWS Instruments that meet or exceed the following minimum requirements: 1. Technical Requirements 1.1 Optics The optical system shall achieve a resolution of 0.5 ?m or less with a depth of focus of 1.0 ?m or more. All resolution performance specifications shall also specify a depth of focus. The system shall utilize either a 4X or 5X reduction lens. The system shall exhibit image distortion of less than 100 nm over the entire usable field size. 1.2 Illumination The exposure illumination system shall utilize an I-line Hg lamp source (365 nm). The usable field size shall be no smaller than 15 mm by 20 mm. The illumination intensity shall be 500 mW/cm2 or greater. The illumination intensity shall be maintained with a uniformity of less than 2.0% across the entire usable field size. The system shall provide for control of the illumination dose. The shot-to-shot variation of the exposure dose shall be less than 2.0%. 1.3 Wafer Handling The system shall be compatible with processing 3 inch, 100 mm, and 150 mm wafers of both opaque (Si, GaAs) and transparent (Quartz, Sapphire) materials. The time required to change the system wafer size and recalibrate shall be 4 hours or less (performed by manufacturer-trained NIST personnel). We prefer that the tool be capable of handling small parts or chips of roughly 10 mm x 10 mm. The vendor should provide documentation of previous experience with small parts handling, if any. The system shall be capable of handling wafers between 200 ?m and 800 ?m thick. 1.4 Reticle Handling The system shall utilize either 5 inch or 6 inch reticles. The system must be compatible with the use of soda-lime glass reticles. The system shall have a reticle library containing at least six reticles. The reticle system must include blading or blanking to allow for selective exposure of when utilizing reticle with several smaller field images. There is no requirement that reticles for the proposed tool to be compatible with existing reticles used in our facility. 1.5 Focus The system shall perform automatic focusing of each exposure (field-by-field focusing). The system shall perform leveling of each field prior to exposure (field-by-field leveling). The system shall be able to focus on substrates with thicknesses between 200 ?m and 800 ?m. 1.6 Alignment The system provides an automatic alignment system utilizing fiducial marks on the front side of the wafer. The alignment overlay error for standard wafers must be less than 100 nm (3?). 1.7 Computer The system shall be provided with a computer to perform interface, control, and logging functions. The systems shall provide a modern computer interface which includes the ability to create and edit job files. Requested Information to be Included in Responses to this Notice: 1. Please indicate whether your company manufactures or is an authorized reseller/business partner for wafer steppers of any kind and, if so, please provide complete commercial specifications for the MWSI that your company manufactures or sells, including the name of the company that manufactures, reconditions, or remanufactures the MWSI, where it is manufactured, and detailed functional and performance specifications that the product meets. If the tool is refurbished, it must meet both our technical requirements as well as the original technical specifications for the tool as originally manufactured. 2. If your organization is an original equipment manufacturer of MWSI, then please provide the name of company(ies) that are authorized by your organization, as the OEM, to sell your organization's MWSI, as well as their addresses, and a point of contact for the company (name, phone number, fax number and email address). 3. Describe optional items that are available for purchase for the MWSI, such as consumables, spares, tools, additional components, ancillary equipment, software licenses, telephone support, etc. The vendor should provide documentation of previous experience with small parts handling, if any. 4. Indicate whether modifications of the MWSI manufactured or old by your organization would be necessary to meet Government specifications listed in this notice and, if so, indicate whether those modifications would be considered minor modifications as described in the FAR Subpart 2.101 definition of commercial item. 5. Provide any other relevant information that is not listed above which the Government should consider in developing its minimum specifications and finalizing its market research. Responses to this notice shall be sent by email to Eduardo F. Baca, Support Contractor, at eduardo.baca@nist.gov, with cc: to Patrick Staines at patrick.staines@nist.gov, so that it is received at that email address no later than closing time and date. Primary Point of Contact: Eduardo Baca Support Contractor Senior Acquisition Specialist eduardo.baca@nist.gov Phone: 301-975-6388 Secondary Point of Contact: Patrick Staines, Contracting Officer patrick.staines@nist.gov Phone: 301-975-6335