A Scientific Approach to Performance Measurement
Potentials recently completed a qualification of our bushing for the Purion XE bushing at a customer fabrication facility, comparing its performance with the OEM bushing under actual production conditions. The results were impressive, but equally important was the methodology used to evaluate performance.
The test described below is based on an actual customer qualification. To protect confidentiality, the name of the fab and the engineer who did the study have been omitted.
Unlike evaluations that simply run a bushing until failure or determine its maximum voltage capability, this customer developed a qualification protocol that closely reflected normal production operations, including routine maintenance and cleaning practices.
We believe this methodology provides a more meaningful and scientific assessment of real-world performance because it measures the factors that directly affect manufacturing efficiency and operating costs, including:
- Maximizing tool uptime
- Minimizing production interruptions
- Reducing maintenance effort required to sustain production
Creating a Fair Comparison
To assure an objective comparison, the same test conditions were applied to both the OEM and Potentials bushings:
- The evaluation period was identical for both bushings.
- Process conditions — including voltage, current, implant species, and other operating parameters — were kept as consistent as possible.
- The same cleaning and maintenance procedures were followed throughout the qualification.
Maintenance Protocol
Maintenance procedures can vary from fab to fab, so it is important to understand the protocol used during this qualification.
Whenever the implanter experienced a beam loss:
- The bushing and other designated components were cleaned using the customer’s standard maintenance procedures.
- The cleaned components were reinstalled.
- Wafer processing resumed.
This approach is intended to maximize bushing service life. By responding promptly to early signs of beam instability, maintenance can help prevent the arcing damage that may occur if operation continues after beam degradation begins.
Results
Using this methodology, performance was measured by tracking the number of beam-loss events during the qualification period.
Incidence of Beam Loss
| Bushing | Beam-Loss Events |
|---|---|
| OEM Bushing | 76 |
| Potentials Bushing | 44 |
The Potentials bushing experienced 44 beam-loss events compared to 76 for the OEM bushing, representing approximately a 42% reduction in beam-loss incidents during the qualification period.
Acknowledgement
We appreciate the customer engineer who shared both the qualification methodology and the resulting performance data. Objective, production-based evaluations such as this provide valuable insight into the real-world performance of our products.
For more information about the Potentials Purion XE bushing, please refer to the Potentials part description ESBPXE.