BACKGROUND:
Notice is hereby given by the University of Ottawa of the intent to enter into a contract with Quantum Design Inc. to procure a Superconducting Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS), with a 14 Tesla cryogen-free magnet.
PROCESS:
Suppliers that consider their equipment functional, successfully tested, readily available and fully compliant to the ACAN minimum requirements may submit, in writing, a statement of specifications compliance through MERX EBS System, on or before the closing date of this Notice. In the statement of specifications, the supplier must unequivocally demonstrate how their equipment, at minimum, equals, or exceeds the stated requirements.
If no other supplier submits a statement of specifications, on or before the closing date of this Notice, the competitive requirements of the University of Ottawa will be considered having been met. Following notification to any suppliers not successful in unequivocally demonstrating that their statement of specifications equals or exceeds the requirements set out in this Notice, the contract may then be awarded to the pre-identified supplier.
Date of issue: March 4, 2025
Closing Date: March 28, 2025, at 3:00:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
INTENDED USE:
This system will be used in an interdisciplinary research laboratory to measure the magnetic, electrical, thermal and optical properties of quantum materials and devices under controlled magnetic field, temperature and pressure conditions. The system must allow for safe and easy operation for the users. Used equipment in whole or in part is not acceptable in the purchase of this system.
INSTALLATION SITE:
The supplier shall install the system at the University of Ottawa, at the laboratory location designated by the principal researcher. University of Ottawa will provide 110 VAC single phase, 208 VAC single phase (30 Amp with dedicated UPS for backup/emergency power), three-phase (40 Amp for PPMS and 30 Amp for chiller) electrical power, dedicated air-cooled chiller, process gases and gas lines at that location for the proper operation of the instrument. The contractor shall install the system to the plumbing and electrical fixtures available in the designated location.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND PRIMARY COMPONENTS:
The requirements are for an automated data acquisition, extended temperature range (50 mK – 1,000 K) and magnetic field control platform to perform magnetization, electrical, thermal and optical measurements of quantum materials and devices. The dewar housing the sample chamber system must not rely on the transfer of liquid helium from a separate storage dewar for refrigerant supply; it must include a pulse tube refrigerator cryocooler and a gaseous helium compressor cooled by a separate fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger for sample space cooling. The magnetic field must be generated in the sample space uniformly by a superconducting solenoid and reside within a magnetically shielded environment. The system must come supplied with sample holders. The system must be modular and allow for the addition of future measurement options and connection of external devices as needed. The system must be computer controlled via user-friendly, menu-driven and customizable software.
FUNCTIONALITY:
This section describes the Minimum Technical Requirements and performance standards for a Cryogen-Free Superconducting Physical Property Measurement System.
GENERAL CRYOSTAT REQUIREMENTS
• The system must be a top-loading variable temperature sample space housed within a magnetically shielded cryostat dewar with integrated pulse tube refrigerator cryocooler cold-head.
• The system must be supplied with a Helium compressor with at least 20,000 hour compressor adsorber service interval.
• The system must create an Initial operating charge of liquid helium produced directly from helium gas within 24 hours to reach steady state and ready for normal system operation.
• After initial cooldown, liquid helium must be replenished by continuously recondensing evaporated helium directly within the dewar.
• The system shall not utilize needle valves or require manual adjustment for helium flow control.
• The system shall not require a high-vacuum pump for installation, subsequent cool-downs or have flow blockage issues.
GENERAL MAGNET REQUIREMENTS
• The system must be a 14 Tesla superconducting solenoid magnet with bore axis concentrically positioned with sample measurement space at its center.
• The system must have a superconducting magnet power supply having bi-polar operation with at least 24-bit resolution.
GENERAL ELECTRONICS REQUIREMENTS
• The system must be supplied with electronics and pumping cabinet.
• The system must be supplied with CAN control electronics.
• The system must be supplied with a control computer with data acquisition software.
• System control software must be included with the system.
• The system must be capable of automated control and measurement using a sequence builder.
OVERALL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
• The system must have expansion options for the following measurements: VSM Oven Option, AC Susceptibility/DC Magnetization Measurement Option, Torque Magnetometer Option, Ferromagnetic Resonance Option, Thermal Transport Option, Heat Capacity Measurement Option, Dilatometer Option, Transport Property Pressure Cell, Magnetic Property Pressure Cell, Helium-3 Insert, Dilution Refrigerator Insert, 50mK AC Susceptibility, Adiabatic Demagnetization Stage, Horizontal Sample Rotator Option, Type M Probe (12 Twisted Pair with chip carrier), Photoconductivity Probe with Tunable Light Source and Optical Spectroscopy Measurement Multifunction probe.
• The system must have expansion options that are field upgradeable and require no return to factory for installation.
• The system must be compatible with Quantum Design MultiVu software, also used in other Physical Property Measurement Systems currently installed and functional at the University of Ottawa.
SYSTEM TEMPERATURE CONTROL PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
• The system must have an operating range: 1.8 K (or lower) to 400 K (or higher) with smooth control through 4.2 K helium boiling point.
• The system must have a cooling time to reach 1.8 K from 300 K in under 45 minutes.
• The system must have a temperature stability: ±0.5% or better.
• The system must have a temperature accuracy: lesser of ±1% or 0.5 K or better.
• The system must have a sample chamber inner diameter of at least 25 mm.
• The system must have an integrated high vacuum mode for the sample space.
• The system must be able to make the following measurement without user intervention and without system adjustment: at sample location, cool from 400 K to 2.0 K & stabilize to better than 0.001 K within 45 minutes and hold stability at 2.0 K ± 0.001 K for 5 minutes, ramp to 400 K & stabilize to ± 0.2 K within 40 minutes and hold stability at 400 K ± 0.2 K for 5 minutes & cool from 400 K to 2.0 K & stabilize to better than 0.001 K within 45 minutes and hold stability at 2.0 K ± 0.001 K for 5 minutes, ramp to 400 K & stabilize to ± 0.2 K within 40 minutes, hold stability at 400K ± 0.2 K for 5 minutes, repeat test regime 2 more cycles.
• The system must be able to make the following measurement without user intervention and without system adjustment: Cool from 400K – 1.8 K & stabilize to better than ± 0.001K within 45 minutes, hold stability at 1.8 K ± 0.001 K for 120 minutes.
SYSTEM MAGNETIC FIELD CONTROL PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
• The system must have a magnetic field range: -14 T (or lower) to +14 T (or higher).
• The system must have a field uniformity: at least 0.1% over 5.5 cm on axis.
• The system must have a field charging rate range from 0.1 G/sec (or lower) to 200 G/sec (or higher).
• The system must have a field charging resolution of at least 0.22 G.
ELECTRICAL MESUREMENT PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
• The system must be supplied with an electrical transport measurement option with a 4-probe configuration.
• The electrical measurement option must have an AC excitation mode with a frequency range of 0.1 to 200 Hz.
• The electrical measurement option must have the following measurement ranges, accuracies and sensitivity:
-
- Range: 10 μΩ to 10 MΩ and 2 MΩ to 5 GΩ (high-impedance 2-probe)
- Accuracy:
- ± 0.1% typical, ± 0.2% maximum; R < 200 kΩ
- ± 0.2% typical; R ≈ 1 MΩ
- ± 2.0% typical; R < 1 GΩ (high-impedance
- ± 5.0% typical; R = 5 GΩ (high-impedance 2-probe)
- Sensitivity: 10 nΩ RMS typical
• The electrical measurement option must have a current amplitude range from 10 nA to 100 mA.
• The electrical measurement option must have a voltage amplitude range: 10 mV to 10 V (high-impedance 2-probe)
MAGNETIC MESUREMENT PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
• The system must be supplied with a large bore vibrating sample magnetometer measurement option.
• The vibrating sample magnetometer measurement option must operate from 1.8 K to 400 K.
• The vibrating sample magnetometer measurement option must have the ability to change the drive parameters, oscillation amplitude (from 0.1 to 5 mm peak), oscillation frequency (10 to 60 Hz) and signal averaging time (from 0.5 to 750 seconds).
• The vibrating sample magnetometer measurement option must have an accuracy of ±0.5%, using 2.8 mm dia. × 4 mm tall cylinder of an included Pd reference standard.
• The vibrating sample magnetometer measurement option must have a noise floor of < 6.0×10-7 emu @ 300 K.
• The vibrating sample magnetometer measurement option must have a maximum measurable moment of 40/Peak Amplitude [mm].
• The vibrating sample magnetometer measurement options must have an oven option that operates from 300 K to 1,000 K.
GENERAL SYSTEM AND LOGISTICS REQUIREMENTS
• The system must be supplied with NRTL/CSA certification.
• The system must be supplied with all cables, hoses and pumps for operation.
• The system must be supplied with system manuals.
• The system must be supplied with a user kit containing tools, spares and break-out bridge.
• The system must include unpacking, installation, start-up, training, and acceptance testing.
• The system must be supplied with at least a one-year system warranty (including parts and labor).
• The system must be delivered to University of Ottawa less than 12 Months after receipt of order.
COMPANY SUPPORT AND REFERENCES
• Supplier must have at least 10 similar systems installed and be able to provide reference contact information for at least 5 of those clients.
• Supplier shall have available spare parts and repair personnel to come on-site within a reasonable amount of time.
• The system must include comprehensive, clear, accurate, and easily accessible documentation including all user manuals and installation guides
• The supplier must offer telephone, email and remote system support during the normal work hours of University of Ottawa.
JUSTIFICATION OF PRE-SELECTED SUPPLIER:
Supplier: Quantum Design Inc., 10307 Pacific Center Court, San Diego, CA, 92121, United States
JUSTIFICATION:
Many instruments manufacturer can provide systems specialized to measure a single property at a time (optical, electrical, magnetic, etc.). While these systems are enough to measure the properties around which they are designed, they are unable to measure multiple properties. Furthermore, they are not able to simultaneously measure the effects of multiple different parameters on a given sample (e.g. the effect of temperature and/or pressure on the conductive or magnetic properties). To the best of our knowledge, Quantum Design Inc. is the only company capable of providing a system which combines multiple different measurement options, ranging from resistivity, magnetism, pressure, optics, and more. Additionally, Quantum Design Inc. also offer options to see how specific physical properties influence others, through simultaneous application and measurement (e.g. light- or pressure-dependent magnetic measurements, pressure-dependent conductivity measurements).
Lastly, the requested system is also compatible with other Physical Property Measurement Systems currently installed and functional at University of Ottawa. Purchasing this system will allow us share experimental resources and closely collaborate with other University of Ottawa researchers and instructors who have this instrumentation. The University of Ottawa evaluated equipment from other suppliers and have determined that only the Quantum Design Inc. PPMS DynaCool system will give the end users total compatibility with equipment at the University of Ottawa as required by our continuing research and teaching activities.
University Contact:
Charles Gosselin
Conseiller principal, Approvisionnement, recherche | Senior Advisor, Procurement, Research
Groupe de gestion des projets stratégiques (GGPS) | Service des approvisionnements
Strategic Project Management Group (SPMG) | Procurement Services
Université d'Ottawa | University of Ottawa
550 Cumberland (L315), Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N8
Tél. | Tel.: 613-562-5800 Ext.: 1943
Courriel | eMail : cgossel2@uottawa.ca
