Improving process control for older-generation tools by implementing equipment-level SPC

With a properly implemented system, equipment-level SPC of process input variables dramatically increases sensitivity to process variations than traditional output SPC. We demonstrate that such a system (1) is readily implemented on older-generation process tools, (2) can be implemented at little to no cost in some cases, (3) prevents scrap by identifying real process problems that industry-standard output SPC misses.