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The cathode electrode, abbreviated CEL in Tokyo Electron parts nomenclature, is the powered upper electrode plate that sits directly above the wafer inside a TEL 300 mm capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) etch chamber. Carried under OEM part number 3D10-250266-11(S) and stocked by ESCT Fab Support as ES7099-017, this component is the surface through which radio-frequency energy is delivered into the process gas to strike and sustain the plasma. It is one of the most process-critical consumables in the chamber, because its condition directly governs how energy is coupled to the discharge and how uniformly that energy is distributed across a 300 mm wafer.
In a typical TEL CCP architecture, the cathode forms the top boundary of the reaction volume and faces the lower electrode chuck on which the wafer is clamped. Process gases are frequently distributed through and around the cathode region, so the part participates in both the electrical and the gas-flow design of the chamber. Manufactured from high-purity silicon (or, in some variants, a silicon-faced assembly), the cathode is a sacrificial surface: it is consumed slowly by ion bombardment and fluorine or chlorine chemistry over the course of normal production, and it is replaced on a defined preventive-maintenance schedule.
Because the cathode sits in the most aggressive part of the discharge and carries the RF that defines etch behaviour, even small changes in its surface condition, thickness or contact resistance translate into measurable shifts in etch rate, uniformity and on-wafer particle counts. Fabs therefore treat the CEL as a controlled consumable, tracking its hours and replacing it before erosion begins to degrade results.
The cathode is simultaneously an electrical, chemical and thermal element of the chamber. Its principal functions include the following:
The cathode is defined by the purity and integrity of its silicon working face and by the quality of its electrical and thermal interfaces. Both aspects must hold over thousands of RF hours for the part to perform.
High-purity silicon is used because it erodes predictably under plasma, contributes negligible metallic contamination and acts as a controlled scavenger for reactive fluorine species. A clean, flat and dimensionally accurate surface keeps the discharge gap consistent and the ion flux uniform from wafer centre to edge.
The cathode must present a low, stable contact resistance to the RF feed and a repeatable thermal path to the chamber. Poor interfaces cause localised heating, impedance drift and arcing, all of which destabilise the plasma.
Because the cathode delivers the RF that drives the etch, its condition propagates directly into device-level results. A worn, contaminated or poorly seated cathode shows up as:
Continuous ion bombardment and reactive chemistry gradually consume the silicon face. As the cathode thins, the discharge gap and surface texture change, the etch rate drifts and uniformity degrades until the part reaches the end of its useful thickness and must be replaced.
Thermal cycling and mechanical stress can create micro-cracks, pitting or localised hot spots on the silicon. These features shed particles and can flake redeposited polymer films onto the wafer, driving defectivity and forcing unplanned cleans or wet-clean cycles.
Loss of clean contact at the RF or mounting interface raises contact resistance, causes impedance drift and can lead to arcing at the cathode edge. Arc damage scars the silicon and the chamber, accelerates erosion and can immediately compromise the wafer in process.
Cathode replacement is a planned preventive-maintenance activity that should follow the TEL tool’s documented procedure and the fab’s safety protocols. A representative sequence is:
Cathodes are scheduled consumables, which makes inventory discipline central to chamber availability. ESCT Fab Support helps fabs keep these critical parts on hand without overcommitting capital:
CEL is the cathode electrode, the powered upper silicon electrode in a TEL 300 mm CCP etch chamber. It couples RF energy into the process gas to generate the plasma that etches the wafer below.
No. This cathode is supplied as a second-source, brand-new part that is OEM-compatible and verified to the form, fit and function of OEM P/N 3D10-250266-11(S). It is not an original Tokyo Electron OEM part and is not sold as one.
The working surface is high-purity silicon, chosen for predictable plasma erosion, low contamination and its ability to scavenge reactive fluorine species while maintaining etch uniformity.
Replace it on the RF-hours schedule defined by your process, or sooner if you observe etch-rate drift, degrading uniformity, rising particle counts, or RF tuning and arcing issues that point to erosion or interface wear.
The typical lead time is 4-5 weeks. We recommend holding buffer stock aligned to your preventive-maintenance interval so that scheduled cathode changes never wait on supply.
Handle it only with clean gloves, by the edges, to avoid contaminating or damaging the silicon face. Check interface surfaces are clean, observe correct orientation, and torque fasteners to specification for uniform contact before pumping down and seasoning.
The cathode electrode (CEL), OEM P/N 3D10-250266-11(S) and ESCT P/N ES7099-017, is the powered upper silicon electrode that delivers RF energy into the plasma in TEL 300 mm etch chambers. As a sacrificial, process-critical consumable, its purity, flatness and interface quality directly determine etch rate, uniformity, particle performance and chamber availability. Sourced from ESCT Fab Support as a second-source new part with a 4-5 week lead time, it offers fabs a dependable, cost-effective way to keep TEL etch chambers in spec on a planned maintenance cycle.
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 3D10-250266-11(S). 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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