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The Silicon Cathode Plate Electrode (TEL OEM P/N 3D10-351315-12, ESCT P/N ES7099-189) is the centre-section electrode plate fitted to the upper electrode assembly of Tokyo Electron 300 mm plasma etch chambers. Designated in TEL nomenclature as the “CEN” (centre) plate of the DRM electrode stack, this circular silicon component forms the powered or grounded surface that faces the wafer across the plasma gap. It is one of the most plasma-exposed consumables in the chamber, and its condition directly governs how cleanly and uniformly the etch reaction proceeds across a 300 mm substrate.
In a capacitively coupled etch chamber, the upper electrode is segmented so that the central region and the outer annulus can be tuned independently. This part is the central plate, the disc that sits directly above the wafer centre and defines the bulk of the active electrode area. Because it is machined from high-purity silicon, it does more than carry RF current: it participates chemically in the plasma, acting as a sacrificial source of silicon that scavenges free fluorine and helps stabilise the fluorocarbon polymer chemistry on which selective dielectric etching depends.
As a wear part, the centre electrode plate is consumed steadily through ion bombardment and chemical erosion. Its surface finish, thickness and electrical contact integrity drift over chamber life, and at end of life it is replaced as part of scheduled preventive maintenance. Sourcing a verified, dimensionally faithful replacement such as ES7099-189 keeps a fab’s etch tools running to specification without committing to OEM lead times and pricing.
The centre plate is the heart of the upper electrode. It delivers RF energy into the plasma, distributes process gas in many configurations, and chemically conditions the discharge. Its principal functions include:
The performance of a silicon centre electrode comes down to material purity and surface engineering. Both must be held tightly, because the plate is simultaneously an electrical conductor and a reactive chemical participant in the discharge.
The plate is machined from high-purity, doped monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon with a controlled resistivity so that it behaves predictably as an RF electrode. Purity matters because trace metals liberated from the electrode become wafer-level contamination; controlled resistivity matters because it sets the local RF coupling and DC bias behaviour.
The plasma-facing face is ground and finished to a tight flatness and surface-roughness specification, and the overall thickness is held to OEM tolerance so the plasma gap is correct on installation. These geometric factors determine field uniformity and the rate at which the plate is consumed.
Because the centre plate occupies the largest active area of the upper electrode, its state propagates straight into device-level results. A worn, contaminated or poorly contacted plate shows up as drift long before it causes an outright fault. Consequences of a degraded centre electrode include:
The centre electrode plate is a true consumable; it is expected to wear and be replaced. Understanding how it degrades helps maintenance teams set realistic replacement intervals.
Continuous ion bombardment and fluorine attack steadily remove silicon from the plasma-facing surface. As the plate thins, the electrode gap widens and erosion can become non-uniform, pulling the central etch rate away from the recipe target. Beyond a defined thickness loss the plate is no longer qualifiable.
Localised arcing, micro-masking and fluorocarbon polymer accumulation roughen the surface over time. Pits act as field concentrators that accelerate further erosion, while loosely adhered polymer can flake into the chamber and land on the wafer as killer defects.
Degraded contact between the plate and its backing assembly raises RF impedance and can cause hot spots, while thermal and mechanical stress, or rough handling during a PM, can chip or crack the brittle silicon. Either condition risks arcing, particle showers and abrupt loss of process control.
Replacement should follow TEL preventive-maintenance procedure for the specific chamber and be carried out by trained personnel under cleanroom discipline. The silicon plate is brittle and contamination-sensitive, so handling care is paramount. A typical sequence is:
Silicon electrode plates are recurring spend across the lifetime of every etch chamber, so a dependable second-source supply protects both budget and uptime. ESCT Fab Support stocks ES7099-189 as a verified equivalent to the TEL OEM part, offering:
It is the central silicon disc of the upper electrode that sits above the wafer centre. It couples RF energy into the plasma, helps shape a uniform electric field, and acts as a sacrificial silicon source that scavenges fluorine to keep etch chemistry and selectivity stable.
No. ES7099-189 is supplied as a new, second-source part that is verified to match the original’s form, fit and function. It is fully compatible with the applicable TEL chambers but it is not an original OEM-branded component.
As a plasma-exposed consumable, replacement intervals depend on chemistry, power and RF-hours rather than a fixed calendar. Most fabs swap it during scheduled PMs once thickness loss, particle trends or process drift approach their qualification limits.
High-purity silicon erodes cleanly without shedding metallic contamination, and it chemically consumes free fluorine, which stabilises fluorocarbon-based dielectric etch processes. A metal electrode would contaminate the wafer and could not provide this chemical buffering.
The standard lead time is approximately 4–5 weeks. We recommend factoring this into your PM planning and holding buffer stock for this high-use consumable to avoid unplanned chamber downtime.
Keep it sealed in its original packaging until installation, handle it only with clean gloves by the edges, and avoid mechanical shock, silicon is brittle and prone to chipping. Store in a clean, dry, ESD-safe environment to preserve surface and contamination integrity.
The Silicon Cathode Plate Electrode, Centre Section (TEL OEM P/N 3D10-351315-12, ESCT P/N ES7099-189) is a critical upper-electrode consumable for TEL 300 mm plasma etch chambers. It couples RF power into the discharge above the wafer centre, shapes field uniformity, and chemically stabilises the etch through fluorine scavenging, making its purity, flatness, thickness and contact integrity decisive for etch uniformity, selectivity and particle performance. As a steadily eroding wear part, it is replaced on a planned basis, and ESCT’s verified second-source supply offers a cost-effective, dependable alternative to the OEM with a 4–5 week lead time.
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 3D10-351315-12. 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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