Swept Source Laser - Winnipeg, MB

Trade Agreement: NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with Peru/Colombia/Panama
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
THORLABS INC
56 Sparta Avenue
NEWTON New Jersey
United States
07860
Nature of Requirements: 

Swept Source Laser - Winnipeg, MB

31005-161780/A
Mack, Wayne
Telephone No. - (306) 241-6435 (    )
Fax No. - (306) 975-5397 (    )


To supply a high speed swept source laser which will be part of a new optical coherence tomography (OCT) systemfor National Research Council (NRC), Winnipeg, MB. Delivery is mandatory by March 31, 2017.

Background:
The swept source laser is one component of a larger optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. NRC have invested extensively in developing OCT control, acquisition and data processing software and hardware over the past 10 years. Accommodating a source with different operational characteristics   could require a major redesign of the hardware and/or software requiring months of personnel  time todevelop, build, test and validate.


Sole Source Justification:
1) Emission at a central wavelength located at 1310 nm +/- 15nm
One of the applications for this OCT system is imaging biological tissue such as skin. Of the swept source laser wavelengths commonly available, 1310nm is the most suitable for these biological applications. Water (which tissue contains) has an absorption peak near 1550 nm reducing the depth of penetration of light into the sample therefore a 1550 nm laser would not beacceptable. 

NRC intends to repurpose an existing interferometer for use with this laser. The laser’s wavelength scan range needs to fall within the operating wavelength range of the optical components in the interferometer. The optical components work in a wavelength range of 1310nm +/- 70nm so the laser’s wavelength sweep needs to fall within this range. Wavelengths outside the required range are not acceptable.
 
 
2) Minimum 200 kHz repetition rate with unidirectional wavelength scanning

OCT data is acquired by scanning a laser beam over an area building up an image one point at a time. The swept source laser’s repetition rate determines how quickly data from individual points are acquired - the faster the repetition rate the faster an image can be built up. NRC tissue imaging applications often involve living biological samples in which motion due to breathing, heartbeat, etc. is unavoidable therefore faster acquisition rates are necessary to eliminate or reduce motion artifacts. NRC’s industrial imaging applications where the sample is in motion (for instance a conveyor belt or assembly line) also require fast scanning rates in order to acquire images with required scan spacing (resolution) to meet the application requirements withoutreducing production (conveyor) speed. 200 kHz swept sources are currently commercially available, therefore to ensure that NRC continues to offer clients state of the art OCT capabilities we require a minimum 200 kHz swept source.  

In applications where motion is a factor (see examples above), using a 100 kHz source instead of a 200 kHz source would effectively reduce our imaging resolution by a factor of 2. This reduction in resolution or production throughput would be an unacceptable drop in performance. 

Unidirectional scanning is needed due to compatibility issues. Existing software would need to be modified to handle bi-directional scanning.  Non-unidirectional scans exhibit interlace patterns in the scan images which degrade image qualityand increase the computation required for automation of image processing and machine learning.





3) Wavelength tuning range of at least 100 nm in width with continuous, mode-hop¬ free operation
 
The axial resolution of the OCT system is inversely proportional to the wavelength sweep range of the swept source laser. To get the axial resolution needed for imaging biological tissue and NRC’s industrial applications NRC needs a scan width of at least 100 nm.  The axial resolution enables differentiation of layered features and 3-D structures within the sample (biological or industrial) and provides measurement accuracy of geometric thicknesses and dimensions in a cross-sectional image.

Continuous scanning is required for compatibilitywith our existing in-house written data acquisition software.  Mode-hop free operation is required to avoid noise, provide smooth wavelength transition during sweeps and provide continuously smooth power during sweeps.
 
4) Minimum coherence lengthof 100 mm

Thecoherence length parameter of a swept source laser as it relates to OCT applications determines the maximum size of the depth ‘window’ over which an OCT signal can be acquired. Longer coherence length sources make it possible to handle larger differences in height (depth) without adjusting the reference arm. Biological tissues are never flat and are often in motion. An increased depth window allows scanning larger areas without having to adjust the reference arm of the OCT system. Industrial applications often involve samples that are not flat or have components at different depths. Having an increased depth window in the OCT imaging system creates greater options for industrial imaging without having to adjust the reference arm. Swept sources with coherence lengths of 100 mm are currently commercially available. To ensure that NRC will continue in the future to offer clients state of the art OCT capabilities we require a swept source with at least 100 mm coherence length.  
 
5) Average Output Power of at least 20mW 
 
 
6) Commercially available at time of Advanced Contract Award closing. Prototypes are not acceptable.
 



Compatibility Factors:
 
1) Existing OCT control, acquisition and data processing software and hardware

The software was developed in-house. The hardware includes the acquisition board, polarizer controllers, photo detectors and other optical and mechanical parts of the interferometer, reference arm and sample arm. Some of the optics, mechanicaland detector parts are from Thorlabs. The compatibility factors are the combination of the software and hardware to synchronize data acquisition, detect and digitize the optical signal, and process the acquired data to generate a structural image of thesample. The control software operation and hardware acquisition are dependent on the swept source having properties of wavelength scan range, continuous wavelength sweep operation, unidirectional, mode-hop free, wavelength sweeping to provide for systemoperation.


Newlaser must be compatible with the existing hardware and software

1.     Existing software is designed for unidirectional wavelength sweeps. Adapting the software to compensate for other sweep configurations (bi-directional, etc.) would require significant software modifications.

2.     Existing software is designed for continuous wavelength sweeps. Adapting the software to compensate for breaks or other inconsistencies (such as mode-hop) in the wavelength sweep would require significant software modifications.

3.    NRC’s  interferometer’s optical components accept wavelengths in the range of 1310nm +/- 70nm so the sweep range of the laser needs to fall within this range.


Total Estimated Cost: $48,485.81CDN

Thorlabs is the only company that can supply a swept source laser with the above specifications which are operationally justified.

GCR Exemption:
d) only one supplier (person or firm) is capable of performing the contract. 

NAFTA Limited Tendering Reason:
(b)where, for works of art, or for reasons connected with the protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights, or proprietary information or where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons, the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists;

(d) for additional deliveries by the original supplier that are intended either as replacement parts or continuing services for existing supplies, services or installations, or as the extension of existing supplies, services or installations, where a change of supplier would compel the entity to procure equipment or services not meeting requirements of interchangeability with already existing equipment or services, including software to the extent that the initial procurement of the software was covered by this Chapter.

AIT Article 506:
12) to ensure compatibility with existing products, to recognize exclusive rights, such as exclusive licences, copyright and patent rights, or to maintain specialized products that must be maintained 


Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

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