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The CEL, OUTER (TE349-LABY-GNDFLAT) is a high-purity silicon outer electrode ring used in the cathode region of Tokyo Electron (TEL) 300 mm plasma etch process chambers. Catalogued under OEM part number 3D10-202378-12 and stocked by ESCT Fab Support as ES7099-101, this consumable sits at the periphery of the lower-electrode assembly, where it surrounds the active etch zone and helps define the boundary between the plasma sheath and the grounded chamber hardware.
The “OUTER” designation places this ring outboard of the wafer and inner electrode cell, while “GNDFLAT” identifies the machined ground flat that establishes the part’s RF return path and indexing orientation, and “LABY” denotes the labyrinth seal geometry built into its mating surfaces. Together these features make the part a multi-functional element: it is simultaneously a plasma-confinement boundary, an RF grounding component and a sealing interface that protects underlying assembly hardware from process gases and by-products.
As a directly exposed wear part, the outer cell ring is replaced on a defined preventive maintenance interval. ESCT supplies ES7099-101 as a 2nd-source NEW, OEM-compatible component manufactured to match the form, fit and function of the TEL original, giving fabs a verified alternative to single-source procurement without compromising on material quality.
In a TEL 300 mm plasma etcher, the lower-electrode (cathode) region is built from a stack of concentric silicon and dielectric components that together shape the electric field, confine the plasma over the wafer and manage the flow of RF current. The outer cell electrode ring occupies the outermost silicon position in this stack, performing several roles at once:
The outer cell ring is manufactured from high-purity silicon, the standard material for cathode-region consumables in plasma etch tools. Silicon is chosen because it is chemically compatible with fluorine- and chlorine-based etch chemistries, contributes minimal metallic contamination and can be machined to the tight tolerances required for both the labyrinth seal and the ground flat. In an etch environment its consumption is broadly predictable, which makes wear-rate planning and maintenance scheduling more reliable.
During processing the ring is exposed to energetic ions, reactive radicals and thermal cycling. Silicon erodes gradually under these conditions through a combination of physical sputtering and chemical etching, with the highest wear concentrated where the local field and ion flux are greatest. Because the part sits at the plasma boundary, its condition directly influences how cleanly the discharge is confined and how stable the RF environment remains across the maintenance cycle.
Because the outer cell ring governs plasma confinement, RF grounding and sealing simultaneously, its condition has a measurable effect on process results. A ring that is worn, eroded unevenly or improperly seated can shift edge etch behaviour, destabilise impedance and become a source of particles, all of which translate directly into yield risk at the wafer edge:
The most common end-of-life condition is simple erosion. Continuous ion bombardment thins the exposed silicon, rounds machined edges and gradually changes the geometry that defines plasma confinement. As the labyrinth lip and adjacent surfaces lose material, the confinement boundary shifts outward, edge uniformity drifts and the recipe window narrows until the ring is no longer able to hold the process within specification.
Silicon is hard but brittle, so thermal cycling, mechanical handling and over-torqued fasteners can initiate cracks or chips, most often at the thin labyrinth features and the ground flat. A fractured ring can break the RF return path, compromise the seal and release silicon fragments into the chamber, producing both immediate particle excursions and a risk of arcing. Cracked parts should be removed from service immediately and never reinstalled.
Polymer films and etch by-products accumulate on the ring and within the labyrinth seal over time. Heavy build-up can flake to generate particles, mask the labyrinth geometry and form an insulating layer on the ground-flat contact that degrades the RF return path. The result is unstable matching, drifting etch behaviour and rising defect counts, signalling that the consumable has reached the end of its useful interval.
Replacement should always follow the TEL-approved maintenance procedure for the specific tool and chamber configuration. The steps below summarise good practice for a silicon outer electrode ring and are not a substitute for the OEM maintenance manual:
Cathode-region silicon consumables wear on a predictable schedule, which makes them ideal candidates for planned stocking rather than reactive ordering. Holding qualified spares of ES7099-101 helps fabs protect uptime and avoid extended tool-down events when a ring reaches end of life. With a lead time of 4–5 weeks, ESCT recommends aligning order cadence with your preventive maintenance plan:
It serves as the outermost silicon element of the TEL cathode assembly, defining the radial edge of the plasma confinement region, providing an RF grounding and return path via its machined ground flat, and forming a labyrinth seal that limits process-gas and by-product ingress into the assembly. In doing so it also acts as a sacrificial surface that protects underlying hardware.
No. ES7099-101 is a 2nd-source NEW, OEM-compatible component and is not an original Tokyo Electron (TEL) part. It is manufactured to match the form, fit and function of OEM P/N 3D10-202378-12. TEL and the OEM part number are referenced solely to identify the application; ESCT Fab Support is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Tokyo Electron.
The labyrinth (LABY) feature is a non-contact tortuous-path seal machined into the ring’s mating surfaces. It restricts the migration of reactive gases and etch by-products into the body of the electrode assembly, helping to keep underlying hardware clean and to maintain stable chamber conditions across the maintenance interval.
High-purity silicon is compatible with the fluorine- and chlorine-based chemistries used in etch, contributes minimal metallic contamination, and erodes in a predictable manner that supports reliable wear planning. Its controlled resistivity also helps maintain a consistent RF return path through the ground flat.
Replacement is typically driven by the chamber’s preventive maintenance interval, supported by indicators such as drifting edge uniformity, unstable RF matching, rising particle counts and visible erosion, thinning or by-product build-up on the ring. Any cracking or chipping warrants immediate removal from service.
The standard lead time is 4–5 weeks. Because this is a scheduled wear part, ESCT recommends ordering ahead of your planned maintenance window and holding appropriate safety stock to protect tool availability.
The CEL, OUTER (TE349-LABY-GNDFLAT), OEM P/N 3D10-202378-12, stocked by ESCT Fab Support as ES7099-101, is a high-purity silicon outer electrode ground ring for TEL 300 mm plasma etch chambers. Combining plasma confinement, RF grounding through its ground flat and a labyrinth sealing function, it is a directly exposed consumable whose condition affects edge uniformity, RF stability and particle performance. Supplied as a 2nd-source NEW, OEM-compatible part with a 4–5 week lead time, it offers fabs a verified, quality-matched alternative for routine preventive maintenance.
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 3D10-202375-12. 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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