ACAN #18-084 - CW - Advanced X-ray Diffraction (XRD) System

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO - NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SINGLE SOURCE CONTRACT: 18-084
Advanced X-ray Diffraction (XRD) System for Material Research Applications
 
The University of Waterloo (UW) intends to award a single source contract to Bruker AXS Inc. of Madison, WI, USA, for the purchase of a D8 DISCOVER – Advanced X-ray Diffraction (XRD) System. The equipment will be used to characterize the crystal structures of semiconductor thin films used for thin film transistors and solar cells.
 
This is an Advanced Notice indicating to the supplier community that UW intends to award a contract for these goods to a pre-identified supplier.  If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date of this notice, a statement of specifications that, at a minimum, equals or exceeds the stated requirements set out in this Notice, the competitive requirements of the University are considered to have been met.  Following notification to any suppliers not successful in demonstrating that their statement of specifications meets the requirements set out in this Notice, the contract may then be awarded to the pre-identified supplier.

If other potential suppliers submit statements of specifications during the fifteen calendar day posting period, and meet the requirements set out in this Notice, UW will proceed to a Request for Proposal process, in order to award the contract.
 
Minimum Specifications for the required XRD system:
1.Applications
The diffractometer with measurement and application software packages shall be suitable for:

• Micro-diffraction – small sample or large sample XY mapping
• Phase identification and quantitative phase analysis
• Ab-initio crystal structure determination and refinement
• Micro-structure analysis (crystallite size, microstrain)
• Capillary XRD
• X-ray Reflectometry (XRR)
• Grazing incidence diffraction (GID)
• In-Plane Grazing Incidence Diffraction (IP-GID)
• XRD measurements at non-ambient conditions (low- and high temperatures)
• Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)
• (Grazing Incidence) Small Angle X-ray Scattering (GI-SAXS )

• The micro focus X-ray generator must be completely air cooled, and must fit entirely within the diffractometer cabinet.
• The control of the generator must be fully integrated into the measurement software.
• The generator must require no cooling water and no compressed air or any other gases.

• The source must be entirely air-cooled.
• The source must consist of a Cu, sealed, micro-focus x-ray tube with focal spot of ≤ 50 microns and operating power ≥ 50W. 
• The source must contain an integrated MONTEL X-ray optical module consisting of a pair of at least 60mm Göbel mirrors arranged side by side with a 90° angle to each other that directly couple to the spot beam produced by the source. 
• The output spot beam must be < 1mm diameter with flux of at least 2.1 x 108 photons/sec and beam divergence below 0.1° in both directions.
• Collimators must be available to control the final beam size in increments down to 20 microns diameter.  
• The micro focus X-ray source and integrated optics must be maintenance-free and carry a 3 year warranty.

• The goniometer must have a maintenance free drive mechanism / gearings
• The goniometer shall be convertible on-site between theta-theta and theta-2theta geometry to enable measurements of liquids and loose powders.

• The goniometer shall offer a variable measurement circle diameter, with predefined positions at 500 mm, 560 mm and 600 mm as well as any intermediate setting (depending on accessories)
• The goniometer shall have an angular range of 360° (without accessories)
• The goniometer shall have a minimum angular measurement range of –110° < 2Theta ≤ 168° (depends on accessories)
• Angle positioning: Stepper motors with optical encoders for optimum scanning speed and positioning precision.
  • Minimum angular speed: 20°/s
  • The minimum step size shall be 0.0001°
  • The reproducibility shall be +- 0.0001°

• Optics included must be included to support all applications and measurements given in section 1.  These optics must include:
  • Primary beam collimators capable of creating beam size of 1000, 500, 300, and 200 microns.  These collimators must be exchangeable in less than 1 minute without alignment.
  • Secondary equatorial soller to support parallel beam measurement modes such as GID and IP-GID.
  • Variable size beamstops to allow low-angle transmission measurements such as SAXS and capillary XRD

• Radiation Safety enclosure must be protected by at least 2 independent fail-safe safety circuits. 
• The maximum radiation level must be less than 1 micro-Sievert/h under measurement conditions.
• The system must be fully CE compliant, including but not limited to
  • Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC)
  • Electrical Equipment (2006/95/EC)
  • Electromagnetic compatibility (2004/108/EC)
• The system must display an up-to-date CE marking, accompanied by a correct EC Declaration of Conformity as well as all required documentation.
• The system must be fully CSA approved in Canada.

• The system must include a ¼-circle Eulerian cradle stage with motorized, software controlled X, Y, Z, Phi, and Chi drives for sample positioning and oscillation.  Minimum specifications include:
  • X and Y range at least +/- 40mm with minimum step size of 10 microns
  • Z range at least 2mm with minimum step size of 1 micron
  • Phi range is unlimited with minimum step size of 0.01 degrees
  • Chi range is at least -11 to +98 degrees with minimum step size of 0.01 degrees
  • Accommodates secondary stages mounted directly to the 1/4-cradle platform while retaining full functionality of all 5 cradle drives.
• Must include a vacuum chuck secondary stage that can accommodate wafers up to 6 inches in diameter. 
• Must include a capillary secondary stage that includes a goniometer head, capillary spinner motor, and air-scatter screen.  
• The system must include a contact-free sample positioning and alignment unit consisting of a high-resolution video camera with digital zoom and a laser (or secondary camera offset) to allow accurate positioning of the sample in X,Y, and Z. Minimum specifications include:
  • Sample positioning accuracy ≤ 40 microns.
  • Fully integrated and controlled by diffractometer measurement software.
  • Can be fully removed and replaced from the system without alignment so it does not prevent high angle and asymmetric scanning measurements.

• The system must include a non-ambient stage with an x-ray transparent dome to achieve a large field of view in diffraction space. 
  • Temperature range should be at least RT to 1100°C.
  • Must be fully integrated into the supplier’s measurement software. The following parameters must be controlled by the software: Heating, cooling, humidity, sample rotation, sample height adjustment, as applicable. Any manual operation of controllers is not acceptable.
  • Capable of accommodating powder, bulk, and thin film samples depending on configuration
  • Dome to consist of beryllium for highest x-ray transparency and minimum diffraction peaks.
  • Capable of operating in the high-vacuum regime to minimize oxidation.

• Must include a 0D/1D/2D (i.e. multi-mode) detector based on Hybrid Photon Counting Pixel technology. This detector must support all applications given in section 1.  Minimum specifications include:
  • Active area ≥ 2500 mm2 (medium to large class) to achieve sufficient coverage in 2theta and gamma for meaningful 2D diffraction.
  • Pixel size ≤ 75 x 75 microns with a 1 pixel point spread function to achieve sufficient resolution for all measurement modes and applications.
  • Maximum count rate ≥ 3.5 x 108 ph/s/mm2 to avoid detector saturation with strongly scattering samples or high intensity primary beam from micro-focus sources or similar.
  • Maintenance-free without the need for gas, compressed air or water cooling.
  • Sample-to-detector distance is continuously variable from at least 100mm to 350mm to allow optimization of 2theta and gamma coverage to the sample.
  • The sample-to-detector distance must be recognized and calibrated automatically in real-time.
  • The detector can be rotated between in 0° and 90° orientation to allow maximum coverage of 2theta or gamma.  This rotation is tool-free and without alignment.
  • All measurement modes are fully integrated and supported by the planning, measurement, and analysis software.
  • Optics for the detector allows access to the full active area for 0D, 1D, and 2D measurement modes (i.e. no masking or shadowing of the detector).

• High-temperature stage featuring a hemispherical X-ray transparent beryllium dome
  • Two mini valves for gas connection
  • Temperature controller
  • Water connection kit
  • Vacuum pump stand with measurement device
  • Controller mounting rail and line cord

• The diffractometer will be a fully functional system, complete and installed, with training for users on-site or at the factory.
• The system completely houses electronics, generator, and goniometer in one unit.
• The system is operable via network / internet.
• The system supports network / internet based remote maintenance.
• The diffractometer shall not require any compressed air.
• The system is capable of transmission, reflection, grazing incidence, capillary, texture and stress measurements, with proper optional attachments.
• Alignment-free switch of all beam path components, all optical components, all ambient and non-ambient sample holders, and all detectors.

• The system has fully automatic, real-time component recognition and configuration as well as conflict detection for all beam bath components incl. X-ray tube, all optical components, all ambient and non-ambient sample holders, and all detectors:
  • Failure-safe operation via automatic, real-time validation of components.
  • Automatic, real-time detection of missing or unsuitable components.

• At installation, the instrument must pass a documented acceptance test based on an established instrument verification procedure, demonstrating proper instrument alignment:
  • Instrument alignment must be equal or better than ± 0.01° 2Theta over the whole angular range, based on the dedicated, internationally recognized instrument response standard reference material NIST SRM 1976a (or its successor).
  • Instrument alignment must deliver relative intensities accurate within ± 10% over the whole angular range, based on the dedicated, internationally recognized instrument response standard reference material NIST SRM 1976a (or its successor).
  • NIST SRM 1976a (or its successor) must be included