UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO - NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SINGLE SOURCE CONTRACT: 19-039
HITACHI SU5000 Schottky Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM)
The University of Waterloo (UW) intends to award a single source contract to HITACHI
High-Technologies Canada Inc., of Rexdale, Ontario, Canada, for the purchase of a Field Emission
Scanning Electron Microscope for use in the Giga-to-Nanoelectronics Lab. The budget for this entire
package is approximately $750,000.00 CAD, not including HST.
This is an Advanced Notice indicating to the supplier community that UW intends to award a contract
for this equipment to a pre-identified supplier. If no other supplier submits, on or before the
closing date of this notice, a statement of specifications that satisfies 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 twenty one 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.
Process - Suppliers who can provide equivalent equipment with proven functionality required for the
research, within budget, may submit a statement of specifications, in writing, to the contact
person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date of this Notice. The statement of
specifications must unequivocally demonstrate how the supplier meets these advertised requirements
within budget.
SPECIFICATIONS –
The scanning electron microscope is uniquely equipped with a nanomanipulation system that is
directly integrated into a field emission SEM with energy-dispersive spectroscopy capability. The
nanomanipulation system must provide the following specifications, along with the functionality of
an FE- SEM package:
System dimensions: 127X127X30 mm3
Number of manipulators: 4
Coarse positioning motion range: 10 mm in XY, 4.5 mm in Z
Fine positioning motion range: >20 um in XYZ
Maximum motion speed: >2 mm/second
Integrated fine positioning encoder: Yes
Closed-loop positioning resolution: 1 nm
Positioning repeatability: better than 5 nm
Position sensor signal drift: <1 nm/minute
Independent coarse and fine actuation: Yes
Save/load positioning coordinates: Yes
Automated encoder calibration: Yes
Compatibility with existing Hitachi SU5000
SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION
The Hitachi SU5000 Schottky FE-SEM equipment package from HITACHI High-Technologies Canada Inc., includes a nano-manipulator (TNI LF-4000) in the SEM that has the following unique capabilities
required for our research:
1. A large vibration-free motion range (>20❍m) with independent fine positioning actuators. This
vibration-free positioning capability is essential for experiments involving manipulating micro-
nanometer sized objects that are fragile.
2. A closed-loop positioning performance with high position sensing resolution, repeatability, and
low drift rate. The system achieves this performance attribute using a closed-loop sensor system as
opposed to optical-based position sensors. The system should also minimize signal drift through the
avoidance of heat dissipation found in optical-based position sensors.
3. This system has a modular path for upgradability. Optional upgrades should be available that
enable automated operations such as on-screen click-and-move, automated motion speed adjustment,
automated nanoelectronics probing, and continued support by the manufacturer that enables full
expansion to force sensors with higher sensitivity (range of 300 ❍N) and resolution (5nN).
The University is not aware of any other supplier/manufacturer that can provide this functionality.
Date of issue: Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Closing Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 2:30 p.m. EST
Contact:
Christine Wagner, CPPB, CSCP – Research Coordinator and Senior Buyer Procurement and Contract
Services
University of Waterloo
Ph: 519-888-4567 ext. 32074
Email – cpwagner@uwaterloo.ca, or, procure@uwaterloo.ca
