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The Inner Cathode Electrode (CEL, INNER SS-1LESS V2) is a powered electrode component that sits at the heart of the lower assembly in a Tokyo Electron (TEL) 300 mm plasma etch chamber. In TEL nomenclature the “CEL” designation identifies a cathode electrode element, and the “inner” qualifier places this part at the central region of a segmented cathode stack, the zone directly beneath the wafer that establishes the primary RF-driven plasma sheath. The “SS-1LESS V2” suffix denotes the specific build revision of the susceptor-side electrode geometry used in this chamber generation.
As a cathode part, this electrode is bonded into the radio-frequency power path that couples energy into the process gas above the wafer. It works alongside the surrounding focus ring, edge ring and outer cathode hardware to define how the plasma sheath bends at the wafer centre versus the wafer edge. Because the inner electrode governs the central portion of that sheath, its flatness, surface condition and electrical contact directly shape centre-to-edge etch rate uniformity across a 300 mm substrate.
In production the inner cathode is treated as a wear-managed chamber consumable rather than a permanent fixture. It is exposed continuously to ion bombardment, reactive radicals and thermal cycling, so it degrades over a predictable service window and must be replaced before its condition begins to pull process results out of specification. ESCT Fab Support stocks this electrode as a second-source new part verified to the form, fit and function of the original TEL component.
Within the lower electrode assembly the inner cathode performs several interlocking jobs that together set the baseline behaviour of the plasma at the wafer centre. Its specific functions include the following.
Cathode electrodes of this class are built from high-purity, plasma-grade electrode material selected for clean sputter behaviour and electrical conductivity in fluorocarbon and oxygen-bearing etch chemistries. The surface is engineered to erode slowly and predictably under ion bombardment so that the electrode geometry, and therefore the local sheath, holds its shape across thousands of RF hours. Material purity is critical, because any sputtered species from the electrode become candidate on-wafer contamination, so trace metals and bulk consistency are tightly controlled.
Beyond its plasma-facing surface, the inner cathode must behave consistently as an electrical and thermal element. Stable bulk resistivity keeps the RF coupling repeatable, while good thermal contact to the cooled assembly prevents temperature drift that would otherwise change reaction rates at the wafer centre. The V2 build geometry is dimensioned so that its mating, sealing and contact faces seat correctly within the assembly, maintaining both the electrical interface and any gas or thermal interfaces that depend on flatness and seating pressure.
Because the inner cathode shapes the plasma exactly where the wafer sits, its condition propagates straight into device-level results. A worn, contaminated or poorly seated electrode degrades the very metrics that etch process engineers watch most closely.
Continuous ion bombardment slowly sputters the plasma-facing surface, thinning the electrode and roughening its finish. As the local geometry changes, the central sheath shifts and centre etch rate begins to wander away from the edge, eroding uniformity until the part is replaced. Advanced roughening can also become a particle source.
Repeated thermal cycling, deposit build-up at contact faces and gradual loss of seating pressure can raise contact resistance in the RF return path. The result is unstable impedance, harder plasma strikes, arcing risk and run-to-run power-coupling variation that shows up as process drift.
Fluorocarbon chemistries deposit polymer films that, if they accumulate or flake, contaminate the wafer and disturb the discharge. Combined with thermal stress, localised hot spots and deep erosion can ultimately seed micro-cracks or chipping, at which point the electrode must be retired immediately to protect the wafer and the chamber.
Replacing the inner cathode is a controlled chamber-open procedure that should follow the TEL maintenance documentation for the specific platform and be carried out by trained technicians under proper contamination controls. The general sequence is as follows.
Cathode electrodes are scheduled-replacement consumables, so keeping qualified stock on hand is central to protecting tool availability. Sourcing the inner cathode through ESCT Fab Support gives fabs a dependable, cost-managed alternative to single-source OEM procurement.
It is the powered electrode element that couples RF energy into the plasma directly beneath the central region of the wafer. By setting the central plasma sheath, it governs ion energy and directionality at the wafer centre and, with the outer cathode and focus ring, helps deliver uniform etch across the full 300 mm wafer.
No. This is supplied as a second-source new part. It is manufactured and verified to match the form, fit and function of the original Tokyo Electron component (OEM P/N 2L10-252653-11) but it is not an original OEM-branded part.
Replacement is typically driven by accumulated RF hours and by process indicators, drifting centre-to-edge uniformity, rising particle counts, unstable impedance or harder plasma strikes. Visual inspection during scheduled maintenance for erosion, roughening, polymer build-up or cracking confirms when the part has reached the end of its service window.
Material sputtered from the cathode surface lands on the wafer, so any trace metals or particulate contributions become potential defect and contamination sources. High-purity, plasma-grade material with a controlled erosion behaviour keeps that contribution within budget and protects device yield.
The part is built to the SS-1LESS V2 revision geometry so that its contact, sealing and mating faces seat correctly within the matching TEL lower-electrode assembly. Confirm that your chamber uses this OEM part number and build revision, and follow the TEL maintenance documentation for your specific platform during installation.
Standard lead time is 4-5 weeks. Because the electrode is a scheduled-replacement consumable, most fabs hold buffer stock aligned to their preventive-maintenance cadence so a qualified spare is always on the shelf when a chamber is opened.
The Inner Cathode Electrode (CEL, INNER SS-1LESS V2; OEM P/N 2L10-252653-11; ESCT P/N ES7099-201) is a powered, plasma-facing consumable at the centre of the lower electrode assembly in TEL 300 mm plasma etch chambers. It couples RF energy into the central plasma, sets the sheath that controls ion energy and directionality at the wafer centre, and works with surrounding cathode hardware to maintain centre-to-edge uniformity, particle performance and impedance stability. As a wear part it erodes predictably and must be replaced on schedule to hold process targets. ESCT Fab Support offers it as a second-source new electrode on a 4-5 week lead time, cross-referenced for fast, cost-effective ordering.
Disclaimer: This part is supplied by ESCT Fab Support as a new, OEM-compatible second-source component, verified to the form, fit and function of Tokyo Electron part number 2L10-252653-11. It is not an original OEM part and is not sold as one. It is not manufactured by, endorsed by, or affiliated with Tokyo Electron, and all manufacturer names and part numbers are quoted for identification and compatibility purposes only.
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