6.

2 Control Charts for x and R 241

decimal places in the calculation than we did. When the 25 and
sample ranges are plotted on the R chart in Figure 6.2b there is
LCL = x − A2 R = 1.5056 − (0.577)(0.32521) = 1.31795
no indication of an out-of-control condition.
Since the R chart indicates that process variability is in con- The x chart is shown in Figure 6.2a. When the preliminary
trol, we may now construct the x chart. The center line is sample averages are plotted on this chart, no indication of an
25 out-of-control condition is observed. Therefore, since both
∑ xi the x and R charts exhibit control, we would conclude that the
i =1 37.6400
x= = = 1.5056 process is in control at the stated levels and adopt the trial
25 25 control limits for use in phase II, where monitoring of future
production is of interest.
To find the control limits on the x chart, we use A2 = 0.577
from Appendix Table VI for samples of size n = 5 and equa-
tion 6.4 to find
UCL = x + A2 R = 1.5056 + (0.577)(0.32521) = 1.69325

1.7 UCL = 1.693

Sample mean

1.6

1.5 Mean = 1.506

1.4

1.3 LCL = 1.318

Subgroup 0 5 10 15 20 25
(a)

0.7 UCL = 0.6876

0.6
Sample range

0.5
0.4
0.3 R = 0.3252
0.2
0.1
0.0 LCL = 0

(b)

■ FIGURE 6.2 x and R charts (from Minitab) for flow width in the hard-bake
process.

Estimating Process Capability. The x and R charts provide information about the
performance or process capability of the process. From the x chart, we may estimate the
mean flow width of the resist in the hard-bake process as x = 1.5056 microns. The process
standard deviation may be estimated using equation 6.6—that is,
R 0.32521
σˆ = = = 0.1398 microns
d2 2.326
where the value of d2 for samples of size five is found in Appendix Table VI. The specifica-
tion limits on flow width are 1.50 ± 0.50 microns. The control chart data may be used to
describe the capability of the process to produce wafers relative to these specifications.
Assuming that flow width is a normally distributed random variable, with mean 1.5056 and