The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg 731.07 Group within the Engineering Laboratory is seeking an inverse gas chromatography instrument to study work of adhesion through dispersive and specific surface energy measurements of advanced packaging components to study long-term reliability of materials used in advanced packaging of semiconductor chips. This work is in support of the CHIPS Metrology program.
The CHIPS Metrology program develops and advances cutting edge metrology capabilities for members of the US semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. This NIST conducted research program works with device manufacturers, tool vendors, materials suppliers, and other organizations to address critical metrology gaps to spur innovation within seven grand challenge areas. For more information on CHIPS Metrology, please visit https://www.nist.gov/chips/research-development-programs/metrology-program
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:
1. Sample Types and Sizes
1.1. Samples will include films of varying surface roughness and particulates of varying diameter.
1.2. The instrument must be equipped with sample holders to accommodate both sample types.
1.2.1. The film cell should accommodate samples of up to 75 cm2
1.2.2. The particulate holder should accommodate a wide range of particle diameters.
1.2.3. Please indicate whether multiple measurements can be conducted in series (e.g., multiple column ports).
1.3. Typical samples will be particulate diameters ranging from 101 µm up to 100 mm or films ranging in thickness from 102 nm (supported on a substrate) to 102 mm.
1.4. Materials to be measured will include polymeric components in advanced packaging, including underfill and encapsulation epoxies, fiber reinforced polymer substrates, along with thermal interface materials, filler components, treated substrates, and hybrid bonded surfaces.
2. Gas analyte probes
2.1. The instrument must be calibrated for a standard series of organic gas analyte probes along with several polar probes.
2.2. Please indicate all calibrated standard and non-standard solvents offered for the system.
3. Detector
3.1. Flame ionization detector for organic solvent analysis.
3.2. Thermal conductivity detector or comparable detector for competitive binding analysis of inorganic gas molecules such as oxygen and carbon dioxide.
3.3. Note: Data should be able to be collected using both detectors during a single experiment.
4. Surface probe coverage
4.1. The instrument should be capable of conducting measurements with controlled levels of surface coverage of the analyte probe. The instrument should also be able to provide user-specified variable coverage to measure the effect of surface heterogeneity on surface energy and other related material properties.
4.2. Injection type options should allow for both targeted surface coverage as well as target moles injected.
5. Environmental control for film and particulate measurements
5.1. Temperature (20°C up to at least 180°C)
5.2. Relative humidity control (0 % up to at least 80 % RH)
5.3. Accuracy and stability should be provided.
6. Control and analysis software and data station
6.1. Pulse analysis
6.2. Isotherm analysis
6.3. Dead-time correction
6.4. Surface energy analysis to include both dispersive and specific surface energy components
6.5. Surface heterogeneity mapping to include both heterogeneity profiling and distribution
6.6. Acid-base free energy of desorption analysis
6.7. Calculation of enthalpy of specific free energy
6.8. Work of adhesion calculation
6.9. Cross-linking analysis
6.10. Method data storage and display (including solvents used)
6.11. Please provide OS and any software requirements of the data station and whether it is included with the system.
7. NIST anticipates vendors offering necessary starter consumables, installation, training, and service agreements with the instrument.
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.
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 calendar 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).
Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request!