SOURCES SOUGHT: Single Frequency, Tunable Ti:Sapphire Laser System

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks information on commercial vendors that are capable of providing a single frequency, tunable Ti:Sapphire laser system (including pump laser) to perform research on high brightness ion sources for focused ion beam applications based on laser cooling in the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST), NIST's nanotechnology user facility. NIST requires a single-frequency, tunable Ti:Sapphire laser system capable of high power output (>1 W) at a wavelength of 671 nm. This 671 nm Ti:sapphire laser will be used as part of a cold atom lithium ion source, which will be incorporated into a focused ion beam system for ion microscopy and nanoscale ion implantation. Nanoscale implantation of lithium ions will enable new measurements for battery materials, furthering CNST's mission to develop new measurement technologies for nanotechnology. The unusually short wavelength of 671 nm is required in order to perform laser cooling and trapping of neutral lithium atoms, which is the essential first step of creating a cold atom ion source. The laser needs to be tuned precisely to 671 nm in order to match the 2S-2P laser cooling transition in atomic lithium. Wavelength, tunability, and narrow bandwidth of this laser are also critical because it is necessary to be able to adjust the frequency to match the lithium atomic resonance with parts per billion accuracy. High power is required because the output will be divided into a number of beams for different cooling stages, each requiring enough power to perform effective laser cooling. In addition to providing 671 nm laser light for conventional lithium cooling, this system will also be required to be continuously tunable across a wavelength range of up to 40 nm, so that spectroscopy and laser cooling can be done on other transitions in lithium, and other transitions in other atomic and ionic species can be done on other transitions in lithium, and other transitions in other atomic and ionic species. After the results of this market research are obtained and analyzed and specifications developed for the single frequency, tunable Ti:Sapphire Laser System, 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 that resulted will be conducted as a small business set-aside. NIST is seeking responses from all responsible sources, including large, foreign, and small businesses. Small businesses are defined under the associated NAICS code for this effort, 334413, as those domestic sources having 500 employees or less. Please include your company's size classification and socio-economic status in any response to this notice. Companies that manufacture Ti:Sapphire Laser Systems are requested to email a detailed report describing their abilities to paula.wilkison@nist.gov no later than the response date for this sources sought notice. The report should include achievable specifications and any other information relevant to your product or capabilities. Also, the following information is requested to be provided as part of the response to this sources sought notice: 1. Name of the company that manufactures the system components for which specifications are provided. 2. Name of company(s) that are authorized to sell the system components, their addresses, and a point of contact for the company (name, phone number, fax number and email address). 3. Indication of number of days, after receipt of order that is typical for delivery of such systems. 4. Indication of whether each instrument for which specifications are sent to paula.wilkison@nist.gov are currently on one or more GSA Federal Supply Schedule contracts and, if so, the GSA FSS contract number(s). 5. Any other relevant information that is not listed above which the Government should consider in developing its minimum specifications and finalizing its market research. Point of Contact Paula Wilkison, Contract Specialist, Phone (301) 975-8448, email paula.wilkison@nist.gov