NIST Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division is seeking responsible parties to supply foundry fabrication services for microdevices. We are specifically looking for respondents capable of economically developing, implementing and providing low-volume microfabrication of silicon nitride based custom photonic devices operating in the visible and infrared according to NIST design and specifications.
The minimum capabilities are as follows:

1. Ability to use high resolution optical lithography and dry etch to pattern 100 nm to 400 nm thick silicon nitride layer on a thick thermal oxide layer on 200 mm (or larger) diameter silicon wafers.
   1. Minimum lateral feature size is 150 nm for dense silicon lines and spaces, 110 nm for isolated lines and 90 nm space.
   2. Commercial 193nm lithography tool or equivalent patterning technology at 200 mm wafer size or larger is required because the work is to develop and demonstrate feasibility of future commercial manufacturing of the devices.
   3. Wafer patterning by e-beam lithography is explicitly excluded.
   4. Patterning should produce smooth sidewalls with roughness at least below 10 nm for high performance photonic resonators
2. Ability to deposit silicon nitride with low optical losses from the blue wavelengths in the visible to near infrared with thickness of up to 400 nm or more.
3. Ability to transfer the pattern into the nitride layer (100 nm to 400 nm thick) with smooth and vertical side walls, e.g. via an appropriate dry etch process, wafer-scale.
4. Ability to deposit high quality silicon dioxide layer at least 2 um thick.
5. Ability to pattern (aligned to the silicon nitride pattern) and etch a combination of oxide and nitride layers at least 5 um thick and into the Si substrate with a vertical optical-quality sidewall suitable for fiber coupling to nitride waveguides.

The performer is expected to conduct one or more experiments to verify the nitride optical loss and patterning and provide devices to NIST for testing. The performer then is expected to conduct experiments as necessary to implement the full fabrication sequence and provide several wafers of fabricated devices to NIST for further processing and testing.

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, 333242, as those domestic sources having 1,500 employees or less. Please include your company's size classification and socio-economic status in any response to this notice.

Companies that can provide the required foundry services are requested to email a detailed response describing their abilities to [email protected] no later than the response date for this sources sought notice. The response should include achievable specifications and any other information relevant to your product or capabilities.

Point of Contact
Forest Crumpler, Contracting Officer, Phone (301) 975-6753, Fax (301) 975-8753, Email [email protected]