Official name: Aarhus Universitet
National registration number: 311 19 103
Postal address: Trøjborgvej 82-84
Town: Aarhus C
NUTS code: DK DANMARK
Postal code: 8000
Country: Denmark
Contact person: Martin Bolet
E-mail: udbud@au.dk
Telephone: +45 60202600
Internet address(es):
Main address: www.au.dk

Body governed by public law

Education

Atomic Force Microscope

Reference number: 2020-0181409

38000000 Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

Supplies

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Aarhus University wishes to purchase an atomic force microscope (AFM) for the measurement of 2D materials in an inert environment (glovebox). We aim to purchase an AFM that will allows us to visualize the atomic structure as well as the electronic and magnetic properties of layered 2D materials including topological and hybrid quantum systems.

This contract is divided into lots: no

Value excluding VAT: 336 773.00 EUR

33000000 Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

NUTS code: DK042 Østjylland

Main site or place of performance:

Aarhus.

2D materials and their hybrid structures have demonstrated potential for a wide variety of applications. However, many of these materials are air-sensitive and are prepared by mechanical exfoliation inside a glovebox under a well-controlled environment. With the purchased AFM we will study electronic and magnetic properties of these materials at the nanoscale with the aim to control/modify their properties using external stimuli, such as electric fields. Additionally, we will study the intrinsic as well as controllably induced defects in gapped 2D systems. These defects may represent missing or substituted atom in an otherwise perfect lattice and thus we require spatial resolution at the atomic scale. Such defects have potential to be used as single photon sources (quantum emitters) for quantum photonics/communications and other quantum applications.

Above mentioned requirements demand an AFM with very specific features and capabilities. In particular easy operation and atomic scale resolution inside a glovebox; and the ability to upgrade AFM with advanced modules without any major modification to the system are the most important requirements.

The full list of requirements:

1) The AFM should be specifically designed for atomic resolution imaging in air as well as in liquid in ‘closed-loop-mode’ in all three axes;

2) The AFM must routinely achieve atomic resolution in a glovebox environment. The required AFM should therefore have its own integrated integrated high voltage capabilities;

3) The AFM must have a small footprint (no larger than 40 cm wide x 50 cm deep) to allow sufficient space for other equipment in the glovebox;

4) The AFM must scan the sample in the X,Y and Z directions during imaging. The probe must remain stationary during imaging relative to the frame of the AFM;

5) The AFM must have integrated high voltage capabilities for applying voltages up to +/- 150V to the sample;

6) The AFM must allow highly modular, user-exchangeable light sources for the cantilever deflection detection system and available options for these sources must include:

(a) RF-modulated laser diode sources;

(b) Superluminescent diode sources;

(c) Small spot sources (no larger than 3 microns).

7) Laser spot positioning and photodetector adjustments must be motorized and controlled through software;

8) The AFM must meet an on-surface noise specification of <15 picometers in a glovebox;

9) The AFM must operate at both conventional scan speeds (e.g. 1-2 Hz line scan rates) and the same AFM and scanner must also qualify as a ‘fast scanning’ AFM (at least 40Hz);

10) In ‘fast scanning’ imaging the AFM must support for a wide range of modes, including at minimum: tapping mode, contact mode, bimodal AFM (sometimes known as Dual AC), electric force microscopy, kelvin probe force microscopy, lateral force microscopy, loss tangent imaging mode, magnetic force microscopy, and piezoresponse force microscopy;

11) When configured for both conventional speed and ‘fast scanning’ imaging, the AFM must support XY scan sizes up to at least 30 microns and Z ranges of at least 5 microns;

12) The AFM must include a photothermal cantilever drive function to excite the cantilever resonance in AC mode (tapping mode);

13) It must be possible to upgrade the AFM to a ‘video-rate AFM’ — defined as an AFM capable of imaging in AC mode (tapping mode) with line scan rates up to at least 1200 Hz;

14) In all configurations (conventional, ‘fast scanning’, and ‘video rate’), the AFM scanner must include position sensors on the XY scanner that allow the scanner to operate in ‘closed-loop’ for greater scan accuracy;

15) The AFM must include top-view optics where the imaging objective has a numerical aperture (NA) of not less than 0.45;

16) The AFM must allow the full calibration of both the cantilever spring constant and optical lever sensitivity without the need to touch the cantilever tip to a surface.

Options: yes

Description of options:

There is an option to purchase a scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) for Cypher S AFM.

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no

Negotiated procedure without prior publication

Explanation:

Many AFM suppliers on the market offer AFMs that fulfil some portion of the requirements specified above. However, Oxford Instruments Asylum Research is the only commercial supplier that can deliver an AFM that can achieve atomic resolution images in the glovebox whilst also fulfilling all the other necessary requirements that are important for our research.

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: yes

09/11/2020

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: no

Official name: Oxford Instruments Asylum Research Inc
Town: Santa Barbara
NUTS code: US UNITED STATES
Country: United States

The contractor/concessionaire will be an SME: yes

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: 336 773.00 EUR

Official name: Klagenævnet for udbud Complaints Board for Public Procurement
Postal address: Toldboden 2
Town: Viborg
Postal code: 8800
Country: Denmark
E-mail: klfu@naevneneshus.dk
Telephone: +45 72405708
Internet address: https://erhvervsstyrelsen.dk/klagenaevnet-for-udbud

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:

Please contact Aarhus University, if you have a comment about this notice - udbud@au.dk

Following the notification, a standstill period of 10 calendar days will be held in accordance to paragraph 3 of Act No. 593 of 2 June 2016 on the Danish Act on the Complaints Board for public Procurement. This implies that the Contracting Authority cannot sign the Contract with the winning Tenderer before the standstill period has expired.

In case of complaints about tenders or decisions, e.g. award of contracts covered by Section II or III in the Danish Public Procurement Act must be submitted to the Complaints Board for Public Procurement (Klagenævnet for udbud) within 45 calendar days from the day after the contractor published a notice in the Official Journal on the conclusion of a contract. At the latest concurrently with submission of an appeal to the Complaints Board for Public Procurement, the complainant must inform the Contracting Authority of the alleged infringement, and whether the appeal is to be referred to the board.

Official name: Konkurrence- og Forbrugerstyrelsen
Postal address: Carl Jacobsens Vej 35
Town: Valby
Postal code: 2500
Country: Denmark
E-mail: kfst@kfst.dk
Telephone: +45 4171500

10/11/2020