Notice of Proposed Procurement (NPP)

Innovative Solutions Canada Testing Stream - Demand Call for Proposals B2 EN578-22ISC4

Requirement:

Innovative Solutions Canada Program - Testing Stream (ISC TS) is a R&D program aimed at procuring, testing and evaluating R&D, pre-commercialized goods and services in the late stage development (Testing Readiness Level (TRL) 7 to 9).

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is publishing this Demand Call for Proposals (CFP) on behalf of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) in support of the National Research Council (NRC), seeking innovative, pre-commercial solutions to leverage Quantum Technology to address operational requirements.

More specifically, NRC is seeking solutions in the Quantum Technology field to address the following Problem Statements:

• Quantum level Biophoton Optical Imager (Quantum Sensing);
• Scaled Down Dilution Refrigerator (Quantum Device Refrigeration); and
• Ultrasensitive spectroscopy system for quantum photonics (Quantum Sensing)

Details related to each Problem Statement are outlined further below.

The purpose of this CFP is to create a pool of pre-qualified suppliers that National Research Council (NRC) may select from to address operational requirements.

SOLICITATION PERIOD: From February 3, 2022 February 24, 2022

Please refer to the solicitation documents for information related to Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions, Evaluation Procedures and Basis of Selection.

Canadian content: This requirement is solely limited to Canadian goods and/or services.

Testing Departments: National Research Council (NRC)

Funding Mechanism: Contract

MAXIMUM FUNDING: The maximum funding available for all Contracts resulting from this Call for Proposals is: $1.5M

Multiple contracts could result from this requirement.

Maximum Contract Value: $550,000 CAD, applicable taxes, shipping, and travel and living expenses are extra, as applicable. 

This estimated funding is not a contract guarantee. Disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to award a contract, or to contract for the total estimated funding.

Should fiscal funding no longer be available, Bidders will be notified directly and a notice will be published on the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS). The Contract Award Process will continue and proposals under contract negotiations will take priority when funding is available.

Frequently asked questions, as well as on-going Bidder questions will be answered and published in an amendment to the Testing Stream Notice Document.

ENQUIRIES

All enquiries must be submitted in writing to: TPSGC.PASICVoletessai-APISCTestingStream.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca no later than five calendar days before the Notice closing date. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered.

DETAILS OF EACH PROBLEM STATEMENT:

Demand: Quantum level Biophoton Optical Imager (Quantum Sensing)

Description/Problem Statement

Biophotons are ultra-weak light (ranging from 1-1000 photons/ cm²/sec) that are emitted spontaneously by biological systems, such as tissues and animals. They are considered non-thermal in origin. Although there wavelength emission spectrum and the mechanism for this emission have not been clearly identified, most of the work has been done in the visible range (due to lack of ultrasensitive detectors in the shortwave infrared window), however, there is evidence that biophotons originate from radiative decay of electronically excited molecular species in both the visible and the shortwave infrared spectrum. Although the role and function of biophotons are still under investigation, they are believed to participate in cellular communication and indicate the state of biological tissues.

The main challenge of studying biophotons is their ultra-weak intensity, which requires ultrasensitive detectors with very low noise levels. To resolve biophoton detection in biological samples, we need single-photon imaging system, spanning the visible to shortwave infrared spectrum, coupled with spectral filters to achieve spatial and spectral resolution. These components must be built in a single, flexible platform that combines sufficient sensitivity, resolution and optical tools required to perform bio-photon measurements in a diverse set of biological samples.

The National Research Council of Canada needs to push the photon detection at the quantum level for biological research applications. Innovators are invited to develop a state-of-the-art, preclinical optical imager that spans a broad optical range from 400nm to 1700nm, with high (quantum level) photon detection sensitivity (1-1000 photons/cm²/sec), and an appropriate setup for tissue to live animal imaging.

The relevance of proposed innovations will be assessed according to how they address and resolve the Problem Statement above, when specified as such in this Notice, and where specified in the Evaluation Grid.

Essential Outcomes

The following are required essential outcomes, which proposed solutions to the Problem Statement must meet according to SC4 of the Evaluation Grid at Appendix 1 of the Call for Proposals solicitation document.

The proposed innovation must:

a) Be a practical application of quantum sensing in providing a solution to the Problem Statement.

b) Represent a significant sensitivity improvement to be able to visualize ultra-low single photon emission from living systems, including bio-photons within integration time of 60s or less. Read noise and dark noise must be kept to an absolute minimum.

c) Be flexible for both ex-vivo tissue and small rodent animal (mouse and rat) studies.

The proposed innovation must not:

d) Be intended for clinical imaging applications in humans

The proposed innovation must be able to demonstrate the following minimum criteria for an optical imaging system:

e) Ability to have sufficient quantum sensitivity to detect photon emission in the range of 1-1000 photons/cm²/sec and/or as low as the thermal radiation level detected from tissues.

f) Ability to detect photons in the desired optical detection range of 400-1700nm.

g) Ability to conduct fluorescence excitation studies via a multiple laser capable of exciting the sample from 400-1040nm.

h) Ability to image more than one animal (e.g. 2-3 animals) without opening the system.

i) Incorporate systems with video rate detection capabilities.

j) Ability to automatically adjust and collect emission at different wavelengths (e.g. filter wheel with a minimum 8 slots or a spectral band detector).

k) Ability to automatically adjust sample stage in the X, Y and Z direction for sample focus.

l) Imaging system must be contained and operated in a completely dark chamber for live sample imaging.

m) Incorporate gaseous anesthesia and gas scavenging for live animal imaging (i.e. mice and/or rats).

n) Ability for temperature control of animal.

o) Incorporation of catheter tubing inlets for drug injections.

p) Incorporate automated software control of sample light exposure and/or detection, in a dynamic manner, to obtain maximum signal while avoiding system saturation at different timepoints.

q) Incorporate software for heat map image display and analysis, including intensity normalization between various exposures and detection settings at different time points, and the ability to derive photon intensity information from captured images using various region of interest selection tools.

Additional Outcomes

The following additional outcomes of proposed solutions to the Problem Statement will be scored according to PR7 of the Evaluation Grid at Appendix 1 of the Call for Proposals solicitation document.

In order to be considered having met the additional outcomes and to what degree, the proposed innovation should demonstrate:

a) Having complete software control of hardware (i.e. stage, lens, wavelengths, filters)

b) Being flexible for interchanging between ex-vivo tissues to live animals.

c) Having user friendly software for easy operation by biologists.

Demand: Scaled Down Dilution Refrigerator (Quantum Device Refrigeration)

Description/Problem Statement

The last two decades have generated an incredible growth in new quantum technologies research, which has the potential to radically transform how our society evolves. Indeed, it is generally accepted that we are on the cusp of the Quantum 2.0 revolution (Quantum 1.0 previously involving the transistor and laser). Canada has been one of the world’s leaders in fundamental research in quantum technology. The challenge now is to transfer this knowledge to new industries. It is also becoming increasingly recognized that to optimize quantum technologies hybridization of quantum platforms will be necessary. For example, while photons are the obvious platform for transmitting information over long distances because they only weakly interact with the environment the very same property makes it difficult to use photons for logic operations. Hybridization allows each quantum platform (spins, superconducting qubits, atoms, defects, Majorana Fermions etc…) to perform the task it is optimally suited for. Most quantum technologies, for coherence requirements, utilize a system that cools the quantum devices to temperatures as cold as 10 mK, namely dilution refrigerators (e.g. each D-wave quantum computer comes with a dilution refrigerator). The dilution refrigerator industry is currently growing at an accelerated rate of ~10% per year due to the increased demand for novel quantum technologies, but only a handful of companies outside of Canada produce them and waiting times for system purchases are long. While dilution refrigerators are based on a relatively old technology and physics concept, they underwent a revolution a decade ago when cryogen free technology was introduced (i.e. there is no longer need for liquid helium or nitrogen to reach these temperatures). In spite of these developments, the systems are still very large and complex, basically requiring a whole dedicated laboratory to house them and Ph.D. trained staff to operate. This limits their accessibility for quantum researchers and the development of future industries that could take advantage of them. It is also important to note that cooling quantum devices involves a lot more than just producing cold temperatures e.g. the electron-phonon interaction the principal cooling route for electrons in semiconductor quantum devices goes as T⁵ (T is the temperature) so as one goes colder, it becomes increasingly more challenging to cool them, even if they are mounted on a plate that is itself cold (i.e. cooling power is not the main concern). Such cryogenic considerations are left to the end user to solve, again requiring very specialized expertise and limiting their adoption. While undoubtedly there are applications for which these large and complex dilution refrigerators are necessary, for many if not most applications this is not the case.

The challenge involves surmounting the engineering obstacles to build a demonstrator, easy to use, “table top” version of a dilution refrigerator which would be four to five times smaller (including all components) than currently available. This dilution refrigerator should also be built with a special focus on being suitable for hybridizing quantum platforms. An example of a hybrid quantum system that such a cryostat could be used for, amongst many others, is a quantum repeater for quantum communications, where flying optical qubits interact with solid state qubits. The flying qubits are used for transferring the quantum information, whilst the solid state qubits perform the necessary quantum teleportation protocol operations. The hybridization would take place on the dilution refrigerator. The table top system must be easy to operate without specialized knowledge, allow easy access to the low temperature region with enough room for the user to add complex quantum components (e.g. a miniaturized ultra-low temperature optical table) and provide a rapid turn-around time (24 hours) for exchanging quantum device. We believe such a system would extend the availability and use of dilution refrigerators thus helping to generate new quantum technologies.

The relevance of proposed innovations will be assessed according to how they address and resolve the Problem Statement above, when specified as such in this Notice, and where specified in the Evaluation Grid.

Essential Outcomes

The following are required essential outcomes, which proposed solutions to the Problem Statement must meet according to SC4 of the Evaluation Grid at Appendix 1 of the Call for Proposals solicitation documents.

The proposed innovation must:

a) Be a practical application of quantum sensing in providing a solution to the Problem Statement.

b) Represent an improvement on current dilution refrigerator technologies in terms of ease of use.

c) Have a cost and footprint which make its wide-spread use in different experimental settings (academia, government, and industry) realistic.

d) Be safe and legal to incorporate into scientific laboratories.

The dilution refrigerator must also be able to demonstrate the following minimum criteria in a laboratory setting:

e) Require no use of cryogenics such as liquid helium.

f) Reach temperatures of 30 mK or less and sufficient available cooling power (250 microW at 100mk) to incorporate new components for future experiments.

g) Allow the precise delivery (with micrometer precision) of photons to the devices both via line-of-sight and via optical fiber without compromising temperature.

h) Incorporate enough electronic wiring covering a broad band spectrum (up to GHz frequencies) to operate and readout qubits without compromising temperature.

i) Allow control of magnetic qubits by the application of a magnetic field of minimum 5T.

j) Have a small enough footprint (3 to 4 times smaller than existing systems) to integrate with optical table experiments.

k) Vibration isolation needs to be evaluated and match or surpass existing systems.

l) Allow sample exchange time of 24 hours or less.

Additional Outcomes

The following additional outcomes of proposed solutions to the Problem Statement will be scored according to PR7 of the Evaluation Grid at Appendix 1 of the Call for Proposals solicitation documents.

In order to be considered having met the additional outcomes and to what degree, the proposed innovation should:

a) Support a variety of qubit technology types, including photonic, spin, and charge qubits.

b) Be robust and support long lasting experiments without interruptions.

The successful dilution refrigerator design should allow the operation of novel hybrid quantum technologies. This translates to:

c) Ability to reach cryogenic temperatures suitable for solid state qubit implementations.

d) Ability to couple optical ‘flying’ qubits with solid state qubits.

e) Ability to electronically control and readout qubit devices.

f) Ability to control and operate spin qubits.

Additionally, in terms of laboratory use and installation, the proposed design should allow:

g) Fast sample exchange.

h) Easier operation than current dilution refrigerator technologies. Non-experts with no training in cryogenics should be able to use it.

i) Easier integration with existing laboratory equipment such as optical tables by reducing the size of the equipment.

Demand: Ultrasensitive spectroscopy system for quantum photonics (Quantum Sensing)

Description/Problem Statement

Quantum-level imaging and spectroscopy of short-wave infrared (SWIR) photons (1-1.7um) is a key challenge for technology development, including photon source construction, quantum sensing, and quantum communication. Noise from dark current and the read-out process are persistent problems in state-of-the-art SWIR array detectors, because they reduce the signal-to-noise ratio. We wish to establish and validate cutting-edge technical innovations that enable imaging and spectral analysis of the faint SWIR optical signals that arise in quantum photonic technologies, including photon source development. We are looking for pioneers to drive new innovations that improve the signal-to-noise ratio in short-wave infrared sensing technology, enabling the development of new quantum photonic technologies.

Innovators are invited to develop an imaging spectroscopy system that is suited to use with quantum technologies, especially photon source development and characterization.

The relevance of proposed innovations will be assessed according to how they address and resolve the Problem Statement above, when specified as such in this Notice, and where specified in the Evaluation Grid.

Essential Outcomes

The following are required essential outcomes, which proposed solutions to the Problem Statement must meet according to SC4 of the Evaluation Grid at Appendix 1 of the Call for Proposals solicitation documents.

The proposed innovation system must:

1. Be able to operate either as a two-dimensional array imaging device (imaging mode), or as an imaging spectrometer for characterizing photon sources (spectroscopy mode).
2. Be able to detect photons with quantum efficiency >0.65 over the spectral range 1um to 1.55um.
3. Represent an improvement in the signal to noise performance over the state of the art.
4. Have a total noise of less than 25 electrons per pixel for an integration time of 2 seconds when the imaging target and surrounding is at 20C.
5. Have a total noise of less than 20 electrons per pixel for an integration time of 0.5 seconds when the imaging target and surrounding is at 20C.
6. In imaging mode: achieve a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 10 for fewer than 450 incident photons per pixel during an integration time of 2 seconds.
7. In imaging mode: achieve a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 10 for fewer than 350 incident photons per pixel during an integration time of 0.5 seconds.
8. In spectroscopy mode: have at a transmission efficiency of at least 50% from the optical input port of the device to the focal plane array.
9. In spectroscopy mode: permit direct free-space imaging on to the entrance slit.
10. In spectroscopy mode: must be equipped with a fibre adapter for FC-connections and SMA-connections, including control of the fibre end-facet transverse position relative to the entrance slit.
11. In spectroscopy mode: must permit manual or automatic control of the entrance slit width.
12. In spectroscopy mode: achieve a resolution of less than 5nm for single-shot acquisition from 1000nm to 1600nm.
13. In spectroscopy mode: tune automatically between any high and low resolution settings.
14. In spectroscopy mode: obtain the requisite and desired range and resolution standards in single-shot acquisition.
15. Include a light source for wavelength calibration in spectroscopy mode.
16. Include a light source for intensity calibration in spectroscopy mode.
17. Include control software and hardware for data acquisition and display.
    1. The software must include live plotting of spectrum data with calibrated wavelength display.
    2. The software must include a routine for wavelength calibration in spectroscopy mode.
    3. The software must include live exporting of data to third party software, such as MATLAB and Python.
    4. The software must be available for installation on at least eight (8) separate computers.
    5. Specifications for computer hardware necessary to control the imaging spectrometer and any other laser of light sources
18. In spectroscopy mode: the system must include a tuneable continuous wave diode laser system for seeding photon pair sources. The tuneable diode laser(s) must:
    1. be tuneable from 660-673nm with >15mW average output power, linewidth <400kHz, and frequency stability <150MHz/K;
    2. be tuneable from 805-840nm with >50mW average output power, linewidth <400kHz, and frequency stability <150MHz/K;
    3. be tuneable from 890-910nm with >50mW average output power, linewidth <400kHz, and frequency stability <150MHz/K;
    4. include fiber adapters for fiber coupling of each beam;
    5. include an optical isolator for each operating wavelength range;
19. Have a linear response to optical power of >98% over the dynamic range of the detector array and over the full dynamic range of each pixel.
20. Achieve a pixel operability of >99% over the full array of pixels.

Additional Outcomes

The following additional outcomes of proposed solutions to the Problem Statement will be scored according to PR7 of the Evaluation Grid at Appendix 1 of the Call for Proposals solicitation documents.

In order to be considered having met the additional outcomes and to what degree, the proposed innovation should:

1. Include an example of how to implement live exporting of data to third party software, such as MATLAB and Python.
2. Be designed to minimize the impact of thermal background noise, including any necessary shielding.
3. Permit imaging in one spatial dimension when operating in spectroscopy mode.
4. If any external coolant is required for peak performance, still be able to operate without manual addition of an external coolant.
5. In spectroscopy mode: the system should achieve a resolution <0.5nm for a spectral range greater than 200nm centered on 1100nm.
6. In spectroscopy mode: the system should achieve a resolution <0.5nm for a spectral range greater than 200nm centered on 1300nm.
7. In spectroscopy mode: the system should achieve a resolution <0.5nm for a spectral range greater than 200nm centered on 1500nm.
8. In spectroscopy mode: the system should permit continuous tuning of the detector center wavelength across the operating range.
9. Include software that permits software binning and plotting of selected detector regions.