Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) - Tender Notification
Notice Inviting Quotation (E-Procurement Mode)
Sub: Notice Inviting Tenders for procurement of Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope for microstructural, elemental, and crystallographic analysis of metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, thin films, and nanomaterials.
SRM University-AP invites tenders from reputed Manufacturers/Authorized Dealers/ Tenderer for procurement of above-mentioned item. All interested vendors are requested to send their bid for supply of the above item as per details technical specification given below and as per the Bid Submission table given. No manual bids will be accepted. All quotation (both Technical and Financial should be submitted in the SRM-AP E-procurement portal). The Important information related to tender are as follows:
| Date of Publishing | 16 July 2026 |
| Last date and Time for receipt queries | 24 July 2026 |
| Last date for submitting of Bids | 31 July 2026 |
| Technical queries | pranab.m@srmap.edu.in |
| Commercial queries / Bids submitting to | SRM-AP Portal |
| Bid validity Days | 90 Days (From the last date of opening of Tender) |
| Number of Quantity | 01 Nos |
| Warranty | Warranty for Three years and should cover overall hardware / software |
Technical Specifications for Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope
| Sl. No. | Parameter | Minimum Requirement | Unit | Notes / Compliance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PART – A: Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) with Accessories | ||||
| A. ELECTRON SOURCE & OPTICS | ||||
| 1 | Electron Source | Field emission gun with continuous Schottky field emitter source or equivalent advanced field emission technology | -- | MANDATORY |
| 2 | Accelerating Voltage Range | 0.1 kV or lower to 30 kV or higher, continuously adjustable. | kV | MANDATORY |
| 3 | Resolution (High Vacuum, Secondary Electron Mode) |
0.7 nm or better at 15 kV 1.2 nm or better at 1 kV Demonstrated during Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) in accordance with ISO/TS 24597 or equivalent. |
nm | MANDATORY |
| 4 | Low-kV Imaging | Support advanced low-kV imaging (Beam Deceleration, Gentle Beam, or equivalent technology). | -- | MANDATORY |
| 5 | Lens System |
Advanced hybrid electron optical system (or equivalent) with optimized objective lens design for high-resolution imaging of magnetic and non-magnetic materials. Single condenser lens with cross-over free beam path is preferable. |
-- |
MANDATORY DESIRABLE |
| 6 | Probe / Beam Current Range |
10 pA or lower to 100 nA or higher; continuously variable. Current stability 0.2% per hour or better. 300 nA or higher as an option. Several beam defining apertures are preferable. |
pA – nA |
MANDATORY MANDATORY DESIRABLE DESIRABLE |
| 7 | Magnification Range | Minimum 20× to 2,000,000× or better. | -- | MANDATORY |
| B. VACUUM SYSTEM | ||||
| 8 | Vacuum Type |
Entirely oil-free differential vacuum system. Turbomolecular pump (TMP) backed by a dry (oil-free) roughing pump. Ion Getter Pump (IGP) or equivalent UHV pump dedicated to the FEG. Automatic isolation valves and safety interlocks. Chamber pressure better than 10-4 Pa / 4 × 10-6 mbar. Computer-controlled automated differential vacuum monitoring system. Automatically operated pneumatic column isolation valve. |
-- | MANDATORY |
| C. CHAMBER & SPECIMEN STAGE | ||||
| 9 | Chamber Ports | Minimum 8 available accessory ports for installation of EDS, EBSD and future analytical accessories. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 10 | Stage Type | Fully motorized 5-axis eucentric specimen stage (X, Y, Z, Tilt and Rotation) with software-readable and reproducible stage coordinates. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 11 | Stage Control | Computerized and manual with joystick. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 12 | XYZ Travel Range | Minimum X = 100 mm; Y = 80 mm; Z = 40 mm. | mm | MANDATORY |
| 13 | Tilt Range | –5° or lower to +70° or higher. | Degrees | MANDATORY |
| 14 | Rotation | 360° continuous. | Degrees | MANDATORY |
| 15 | Sample Holder & Specimen Size |
Multi-specimen holder capable of accommodating at least eight standard specimens or equivalent. Specimen chamber shall accommodate specimens of at least 175 mm diameter and 50 mm height while permitting installation of the specified analytical detectors. |
-- | MANDATORY |
| 16 | Working Distance | Working distance shall support all imaging and analytical modes (including EDS and EBSD) over the specified accelerating voltage range, with a minimum range of 4 mm (or lower) to 40 mm (or higher). Automatic compensation for accelerating voltage and working distance shall be provided. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 17 | Integrated Plasma Cleaner | Fully integrated in-situ RF or equivalent plasma cleaner with automatic chamber cleaning. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 18 | Load Lock | Integrated load-lock chamber for rapid specimen exchange while maintaining high vacuum in the electron column and minimizing chamber contamination. | -- | MANDATORY |
| D. DETECTORS | ||||
| 19 | Secondary Electron (SE) Detector | Chamber-mounted Everhart-Thornley type Secondary Electron (SE) detector. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 20 | In-Lens / In-Column Detector | High-efficiency in-lens or in-column secondary electron detector (or equivalent technology) for high-resolution surface imaging at low kV. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 21 | In-Lens Backscattered Electron (BSE) Detector | Solid-state, in-column, in-lens or equivalent BSE detector for compositional and crystallographic contrast imaging. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 22 | Chamber / Navigation Camera | Integrated CCD camera with IR illumination for in-chamber sample viewing. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 23 | Specimen Current Monitor / Touch Alarm | Integrated probe-current measurement and touch-alarm safety feature. | -- | DESIRABLE |
| E. FUTURE UPGRADES | ||||
| 24 | Future Upgrades | Compatible with future field-installable accessories including WDS, Cathodoluminescence (CL) and other analytical modules. Field installation should not require replacement of the FESEM column or specimen chamber. Chamber and stage shall support commercially available in-situ heating stages. | -- | DESIRABLE |
| F. SAMPLE PREPARATION KIT & ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES | ||||
| 25 | Sputter Coater | Fully automatic sputter coater with continuous operation, planetary rotation and tilting stage. Complete with vacuum pump and Gold & Pt-Pd sputter targets (1 each). | -- | MANDATORY |
| 26 | Chiller System | OEM-approved recirculating air-cooled chiller with adequate cooling capacity and low-vibration operation (if required). | -- | DESIRABLE |
| 27 | Air Compressor | OEM-approved oil-free air compressor with dryer and accessories (if required). | -- | DESIRABLE |
| 28 | Standard Specimen Holders | Standard specimen holders for bulk samples, pin stubs and cross-sectional samples. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 29 | Multi-specimen Holder | Holder accommodating at least eight standard pin stubs. | -- | DESIRABLE |
| 30 | FESEM Calibration Standard | Certified SEM calibration standard for resolution, magnification and dimensional calibration. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 31 | Consumables | 50 aluminium stubs and 200 conductive carbon tabs or equivalent. | -- | DESIRABLE |
| 32 | Maintenance Tool Kit | Complete OEM-recommended maintenance and alignment toolkit for routine maintenance. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 33 | Utilities & Interface Accessories | All pumps, controllers, interface electronics, power supplies, cables, connectors and accessories required for complete installation and operation. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 34 | User Manuals | Complete operation, maintenance and service manuals (electronic and/or printed) for FESEM, EDS and EBSD. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 35 | Spare Filaments | One spare filament to be supplied at no additional cost whenever required during the support period. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 36 | Additional Requirement | Supplier shall store the spare filament and provide it within a short period whenever required. | -- | MANDATORY |
| PART – B: ENERGY-DISPERSIVE X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY (EDS) & ELECTRON BACKSCATTER DIFFRACTION (EBSD) | ||||
| G. ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY (EDS) | ||||
| 37 | EDS Detector Type | Silicon Drift Detector (SDD), LN2-free (Peltier-cooled), fully integrated with the supplied FESEM control software. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 38 | EDS Active Area | 60 mm² or higher | mm² | MANDATORY |
| 39 | EDS Energy Resolution | ≤129 eV at Mn-Kα at an input count rate of 100,000 cps. | eV | MANDATORY |
| 40 | Count Rate | Input count rate ≥1,000,000 cps. | cps | MANDATORY |
| 41 | EDS Peak Stability | Peak position and energy resolution drift ≤1 eV over the count rate range of 5,000–100,000 cps. | eV | MANDATORY |
| 42 | Low-kV EDS Analysis | Support qualitative and quantitative EDS analysis at accelerating voltages ≤5 kV. | -- | DESIRABLE |
| 43 | EDS Elemental Range | Beryllium (Be) to at least Americium (Am) or higher. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 44 | EDS Software Features | Live imaging, live spectrum, auto peak labeling, elemental mapping, point/line/area analysis, spectral imaging, background correction, peak deconvolution, quantitative analysis (XPP/ZAF or equivalent), and built-in reporting. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 45 | EDS Mapping Resolution | Minimum 4K × 4K X-ray map resolution and line scan with minimum 8,000 points. | -- | DESIRABLE |
| 46 | EDS–FESEM Integration | Fully integrated with automatic exchange of microscope parameters and simultaneous SEM imaging and EDS acquisition. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 47 | EDS Calibration Standard | Certified multi-element EDS calibration standard (preferably NIST traceable or equivalent). | -- | MANDATORY |
| H. ELECTRON BACKSCATTER DIFFRACTION (EBSD) | ||||
| 48 | EBSD Detector Type | Integrated high-speed CMOS-based EBSD detector (or direct electron detection based). | -- | MANDATORY |
| 49 | EBSD Indexing Speed | Minimum 2,000 indexed patterns per second (real-time indexing). | pps | MANDATORY |
| 50 | Orientation Precision | Orientation precision ≤0.1° using standard indexing routines. | ° | MANDATORY |
| 51 | EBSD Integration | Fully integrated with FESEM and EDS on a common software platform supporting simultaneous SEM imaging, EDS and EBSD acquisition. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 52 | EBSD Collision Avoidance | Integrated proximity sensor or collision-avoidance system. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 53 | EBSD Calibration Standard | Certified EBSD calibration standard for system calibration and performance verification. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 54 | EBSD Software Capability | Phase mapping, grain reconstruction, grain size analysis, grain boundary characterization, texture analysis, pole figures, inverse pole figures, orientation mapping and ICSD or equivalent crystallographic database. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 55 | Software License | Additional offline software license for user analysis. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 56 | Future TKD Capability | Provision for future TKD analysis using the same EBSD detector. | -- | DESIRABLE |
| PART – C: MISCELLANEOUS | ||||
| I. CONTROL COMPUTER & SOFTWARE | ||||
| 57 | Control Software | Manufacturer's standard fully integrated SEM control and imaging software (current version). The FESEM control software shall support OEM-approved integration with the specified EDS and EBSD systems for simultaneous imaging and analytical data acquisition. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 58 | Operating System | Latest OEM-supported 64-bit operating system. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 59 | Processor, RAM & Storage | As per OEM recommendations (e.g., Intel Core i7 processor or equivalent/higher), Minimum 32 GB RAM and Minimum 2 TB SSD. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 60 | Monitor | Minimum 27-inch high-resolution LCD/LED monitor. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 61 | Image & Data Formats | Support for TIFF, BMP, JPEG and PNG image export formats with minimum 16-bit image depth where applicable. AVI capture facility for in-situ video recording. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 62 | Software & Upgrades | All future upgrades to control and analysis software shall be provided free of cost unless otherwise specified. Perpetual licenses for all supplied software. Updates during warranty and AMC/CMC shall be included. Minimum one offline analysis license for SEM, EDS and EBSD. | -- | MANDATORY |
| J. DOCUMENTATION, INSTALLATION, TRAINING & WARRANTY | ||||
| 63 | Documentation | Quoted model shall be the manufacturer's current production model listed on its global website. Product brochure and complete technical specifications shall be publicly available and submitted with the bid. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 64 | Delivery | Supply, installation and commissioning shall be completed within six months from the date of issue of the purchase order at SRM University-AP. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 65 | Installation | On-site installation, testing, commissioning and acceptance by factory-trained engineer(s) at SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 66 | Acceptance Test | System shall successfully complete Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) after installation and demonstrate compliance with all measurable technical specifications. Where on-site verification is impractical, OEM factory test reports and published documentation shall be accepted. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 67 | Software License | All FESEM, EDS and EBSD software licenses shall be perpetual and supplied with the instrument unless otherwise specified. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 68 | Training | Minimum five working days of on-site training covering operation, sample preparation, preventive maintenance, imaging, EDS, EBSD, software and troubleshooting. Annual refresher training (1–2 days) is desirable. | Days |
MANDATORY DESIRABLE |
| 69 | Warranty – System | Minimum three years comprehensive onsite warranty covering all parts, labour, travel and software updates (excluding consumables). | Years | MANDATORY |
| 70 | Warranty – EDS / EBSD | Minimum three years comprehensive onsite warranty covering all EDS and EBSD hardware and software. | Years | MANDATORY |
| 71 | AMC / CMC | Quotation shall include year-wise charges for an additional two-year Comprehensive Maintenance Contract (CMC) after warranty. | Years | MANDATORY |
| 72 | Preventive Maintenance Visits | Warranty/CMC shall include a minimum of two preventive maintenance visits per year, including calibration, performance verification and software updates wherever applicable. | -- | DESIRABLE |
| 73 | After-Sales Service | OEM or OEM-authorized service support shall be available in India with on-site response within three working days. | -- | MANDATORY |
| 74 | Remote Support | Remote diagnostics, software updates and technical support shall be provided during warranty and AMC/CMC wherever applicable. | -- | DESIRABLE |
| 75 | Spare Parts Availability | Spare parts and service support shall be available for a minimum of ten years from the date of installation and acceptance. | Years | MANDATORY |
| 76 | Power & Site Requirements | Bidder shall conduct a pre-installation site survey or obtain the necessary site information and submit detailed site requirements along with the bid. | -- | MANDATORY (to be furnished after bid) |
1.1 Eligibility Criteria
- Tenderer should be the manufacturer / authorized dealer. Letter of Authorization from original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specific to the tender should be enclosed.
- An undertaking from the OEM is required stating that they would facilitate the tenderer on a regular basis with technology/product updates and extend support for the warranty as well.
- OEM should be Nationally/Internationally reputed Company.
- Non-compliance of tender terms, non-submission of required documents, lack of clarity of the specifications, contradiction between tenderer specification and supporting documents etc. may lead to rejection of the bid.
- In the tender, either the Indian agent on behalf of the Principal/OEM or Principal/OEM itself can bid but both cannot bid simultaneously for the same item/product in the same tender.
- If an agent submits bid on behalf of the Principal/OEM, the same agent shall not submit a bid on behalf of another Principal / OEM in the same tender for the same item/product.
1.2 Installation & Demonstration
The supplier is required to do the installation and demonstration of the equipment within two weeks of the arrival of materials at the SRM University-AP, site of installation, otherwise the penalty clause will be the same as per the supply of materials.
In case of any damage to equipment and supplies during the carriage of supplies from the origin of equipment to the installation site, the supplier must replace it with new equipment/supplies immediately at his own risk. Supplier will settle his claim with the insurance company as per his convenience. SRM University-AP will not be liable to any type of losses in any form.
1.3 Insurance
For delivery of goods at the purchaser’s premises, the insurance shall be obtained by the supplier in an amount equal to the value of the goods from “warehouse to warehouse” (final destinations) on “All Risks” basis including War Risks and Strikes. The insurance shall be valid for a period of not less than 3 months after installation and commissioning.
VENDOR DECLARATION SHEET
We, ___________________________________, hereby certify that all the information and data furnished by our organization about these tender specifications are true and complete to the best of our knowledge. I have gone through the specifications, conditions and stipulations in details and agree to comply with the requirements and intent of specification.
This is certified that our organization has been authorized (Copy attached) by the OEM to participate in the Tender. We further certify that our organization meets all the conditions of eligibility criteria laid down in this Tender document. Moreover, OEM has agreed to support on regular basis with technology / product updates and extend support for the warranty.
We, further specifically certify that our organization has not been Blacklisted/De Listed or put to any Holiday by any Institutional Agency/ Govt. Department/ Public Sector Undertaking in the last three years.