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The Upper Electrode Cathode LD777 is the powered upper-electrode assembly component that sits directly opposite the wafer in a Tokyo Electron (TEL) 300 mm plasma etch chamber. In the capacitively coupled etch architectures TEL builds, the upper electrode forms the ceiling of the discharge gap and, together with the lower electrode and electrostatic chuck, defines the volume in which the plasma is struck and sustained. This particular part is the cathode element of that upper stack, the conductive, plasma-facing surface through which RF energy is coupled into the gas and across which the electrical reference for the discharge is established.
Because it is mounted at the top of the chamber and bathed continuously in reactive plasma and energetic ions, the upper electrode cathode is a true chamber consumable. Its surface is sputtered, etched and chemically attacked over thousands of RF hours, and its condition has a direct and measurable effect on etch rate, within-wafer uniformity, plasma stability and particle performance. When the surface degrades, the entire chamber drifts away from its qualified process window, which is why the LD777 cathode is treated as a scheduled-replacement item in most fab preventive-maintenance plans.
ESCT Fab Support supplies this component under part number ES7099-023 as a 2nd Source NEW item, manufactured to match the form, fit and function of the original TEL upper electrode, with a typical lead time of 4-5 weeks. It is intended for engineers who need to keep TEL etch tools qualified and productive without being held to single-source OEM availability.
In a TEL 300 mm etch chamber the upper electrode is far more than a passive lid. It is an active, multi-function element of the plasma generation and gas-delivery system, and the LD777 cathode performs several roles simultaneously:
As a plasma-facing cathode, the LD777 must combine controlled electrical conductivity with chemical and physical resistance to an aggressive fluorocarbon, oxygen or halogen plasma environment. Its performance is governed both by the bulk material from which it is machined and by the finish and flatness of the surface presented to the discharge.
The cathode surface is continuously bombarded by energetic ions and exposed to reactive radicals. The material and surface treatment are selected to keep erosion slow and uniform so that the electrical and dimensional properties stay within specification across the qualified service interval.
Beyond resisting the plasma, the cathode must present a stable electrical and thermal interface. Consistent conductivity and clean contact surfaces keep RF coupling repeatable, while controlled thermal contact prevents local hot spots that would otherwise change local etch behaviour.
Because the upper electrode cathode sits at the heart of the discharge, its condition feeds directly into the metrics that fabs care about most. A worn, contaminated or out-of-specification cathode does not simply fail outright, it quietly shifts the process, and the consequences accumulate across every wafer the chamber runs:
The dominant wear mechanism is gradual erosion of the plasma-facing surface through sputtering and chemical attack. As material is removed, the electrode gap and surface profile change, the field geometry shifts and etch uniformity drifts. Eventually thinning reaches the point where the cathode can no longer hold the qualified process within control limits and must be replaced.
Polymer and etch by-products build up on and around the cathode between cleans. As these deposits thicken they can crack and flake, and a roughening or pitted surface becomes a particle source in its own right. This is one of the earliest yield-impacting symptoms of an ageing cathode and is often the trigger for an unscheduled intervention.
Oxidation, contamination or erosion of the mounting and contact interfaces raises contact resistance and disturbs the RF return path. The result is harder plasma ignition, increased reflected power, matching-network instability and a discharge that no longer behaves the way the recipe was qualified against.
Replacing the upper electrode cathode is a precision task carried out under cleanroom discipline, because contamination, poor seating or incorrect torque will all show up immediately in process performance. The following sequence reflects good practice; always defer to the tool’s own maintenance procedures and safety interlocks:
Plasma-facing electrodes are consumed on a predictable schedule, so the question is never whether they will be replaced but whether the right part is on the shelf when the PM falls due. Sourcing the LD777 cathode through ESCT Fab Support as ES7099-023 gives engineering and procurement teams a dependable second source for this high-turnover item:
It is the powered, plasma-facing upper electrode element in a TEL 300 mm etch chamber. It couples RF energy into the process gas, helps confine and shape the discharge above the wafer and provides part of the chamber’s electrical reference and RF return path, all of which directly influence etch rate and uniformity.
No. ES7099-023 is supplied as a 2nd Source NEW, OEM-compatible part. It is manufactured new and verified to match the form, fit and function of the original TEL upper electrode (OEM P/N DEB-1810-121988-11W), but it is not an original Tokyo Electron OEM component.
Replacement is usually driven by accumulated RF hours in the preventive-maintenance plan, supported by process indicators such as drifting etch rate or uniformity, rising particle counts, harder plasma ignition or increased reflected power. Visible erosion, pitting or thinning at inspection also signals end of life.
The typical lead time is 4-5 weeks. Because this is a scheduled-replacement consumable, we recommend aligning orders with your PM calendar and holding buffer stock so a chamber is never held waiting on the part.
A correctly installed, form-fit-function-verified cathode is designed to restore the chamber to its qualified behaviour. As with any plasma-facing part, a new cathode should be followed by the prescribed seasoning and requalification routine, and etch rate, uniformity and particle performance confirmed before the tool returns to production.
Yes. Using the OEM and ESCT part numbers together with your tool and chamber details, our team can confirm applicability before you order, helping avoid mis-shipments and confirming the cathode matches the configuration installed in your chamber.
The Upper Electrode Cathode LD777 (OEM P/N DEB-1810-121988-11W, ESCT P/N ES7099-023) is a critical plasma-facing consumable in TEL 300 mm plasma etch chambers, coupling RF power into the discharge, shaping the field above the wafer and anchoring the chamber’s electrical reference and RF return. Its condition drives etch rate, uniformity, plasma stability and particle performance, so it is replaced on a planned PM cadence. Supplied by ESCT Fab Support as a 2nd Source NEW part with a 4-5 week lead time, ES7099-023 gives fabs a dependable, verified alternative to single-source OEM supply for keeping TEL etch tools qualified and productive.
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 DEB-1810-121988-11W. 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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