Official UK procurement notice
sSNOM Upgrade for University of Manchester
Authority: National Physical Laboratory
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionUpgrade enabling time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy for cryogenic THz-TDS near-field measurements. The pump laser must be synchronized with the existing THz-TDS spectroscopy and cryogenic near-field systems. The upgrade includes a laser amplifier unit with free-space coupled optical output at 780nm, 100MHz rep rate, pulse energy >1.3nJ, >140mW output power, and customized fiber patch cord for temporal overlap of pump-probe pulses. Additionally, a transmission module enables static pump-probe measurements in transmission, where the sample is pumped via a diffraction-limited beam from the bottom and probed by amplitude- & phase-resolved near-field measurements (pseudo-heterodyne detection) from the top.
CPV: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Upgrade for cryo-neaSCOPE+xs s-SNOM system can only be provided by the base system’s…
Upgrade for cryo-neaSCOPE+xs s-SNOM system can only be provided by the base system’s manufacturer – attocube systems AG.
Needs and requirements include:
- Ultra-fast spectroscopy software module for THz-TDS
- Enables pump-probe spectroscopy for THz-TDS in neaSCAN
- Provides software control of all delays and components for ready-to-use results
- Allows acquisition of time-resolved spectra with down to 40 fs temporal resolution
- Synchronized Transmission-Mode Detection Module
- Enables bottom-side sample illumination in transmission-mode with broadband parabolic mirror (NA=0.44)
- Enables simultaneous detection of optical near-field amplitude & phase
- Motorized parabolic mirror for beam-alignment
- Stationary focal point with respect to AFM-tip
- Variable illumination spot size (ca. 2μm - 100μm)
- Suitable for plane-wave illumination
- Exchangeable beam-splitter mount
- Supports stationary focal point with respect to sample position (bottom-side illumination synchronized with sample scanner)
- Support AFM scan-speed: up to 20 μm/s @ highest spatial resolution
- Software Development Kit for neaSCAN
- THz Pump-Probe operation
- additional delay line & synchronized software control for pump probe
- amplifier unit with free-space coupled optical output at 780nm with amplifier unit mounted on optical table next to neaSNOM microscope
- 100MHz rep rate, pulse energy >1.3nJ, >140mW output power
- Customized fiber patch cord for temporal overlap of pump-probe pulses
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 15 Jul 2024, 11:51 BST
- Last source update
- 15 Jul 2024, 11:51 BST
- FTS notice number
2024/S 000-021633- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-047d59Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
- Published justification
Attocube systems AG is the only company worldwide, who manufactures a scattering-type near-field optical microscope (our pre-upgrade system) that enables simultaneous background-free imaging and spectroscopy on nanometre length scales in the visible-IR-THz range. Their exclusive design works with the following patents:
- Patented parabolic mirror design for focusing and collection of light
- Patented dual-port design to allow two beams of light to be focused on the atomic force microscope (AFM) tip for nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy
- Patented signal processing for optical background suppression
- Patented pseudo-heterodyne detection (PsHet) technology for background suppression
- Patented interferometric design (nano-FTIR) for background-free optical detection technology and simultaneous detection of optical amplitude and phase and hyperspectral imaging
- Patented high speed holography for multispectral imaging
- Patented phase shifting detection to extract relative phase
These patents and the exclusive design have enabled the neaSCOPE system to conduct amplitude and phase-resolved vector field, reflection, and absorption mapping with nanoscale spatial resolution. It is currently the only solution provider on the market that enables dual-port s-SNOM operation combined with a high NA parabolic mirror, which is essential for low SNR THz TDS and pump-probe measurements.
In particular, attocube systems AG is the only company who can upgrade the existing cryogenic s-SNOM system (cryo-neaSCOPE) based at University of Manchester to perform nanoscale THz-TDS and pump-probe imaging and spectroscopy at low temperature.
Therefore, the same manufacture of the pre-upgraded s-SNOM system is required to ensure:
- All upgrade subsystems must be compatible with the existing microscope controls (both in hardware and software), while still being amplitude- & phase-resolved and background-free.
- Pump laser must be electronically synchronized with the existing cryogenic THz-TDS spectroscopy system
- Excitation wavelength must be compatible with optical windows in the cold shroud of the existing cryo-neaSCOPE system
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| attocube system AGSMESubcontracting: declared | €262,370 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 021633-2024-1 · attocube system AGSME
- Signed
- 15 Jul 2024
- Value
- €262,370
- Status
- active
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- NPL Management LtdMediation bodyReview body
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- attocube system AGAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.