Photovoltaic Processing Equipment A manufacturer of thin film photovoltaic technology was experiencing frequent heater failures in their chemical vapor deposition equipment. The solution started in Durex’ metrology lab where we analyzed failed tubular heaters and determined their failure mode. Heater failures resulted from a combination of heater design, material, and environment. Knowing the failure mode was the first step. Designing a solution that would withstand this difficult environment was challenging. Durex used our 3-D Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software to model a heater circuit that would eliminate hot spots that were contributing to heater failure. As a result of our metrology and failure analysis, the heater element sheath material was changed to a high- grade alloy with a

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