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The Hot Edge Ring carrying LAM OEM part number 716-040738-120 is an edge-zone consumable used in LAM Research FLEX series dielectric plasma etch chambers, including the FLEX 45 platform. It is an annular ring that encircles the 300 mm wafer at the very perimeter of the electrostatic chuck, bridging the gap between the silicon device wafer and the surrounding chamber hardware. In the FLEX architecture the edge ring assembly is not a single passive part but a stack of components; the hot edge ring is the upper, plasma-facing member that sits closest to the wafer edge and is held at an elevated, controlled temperature during processing, the characteristic that gives it the “hot” designation.
Its job is to extend the electrical and thermal environment of the wafer outward past the last die, so that the plasma sheath does not collapse or distort where the silicon physically ends. Without a correctly profiled and correctly biased edge ring, the etch rate, profile angle and critical dimension at the outermost few millimetres of the wafer drift away from the values seen across the centre. In a high-volume dielectric etch step (contact, via or trench formation in oxide and nitride films) that edge band can represent a meaningful fraction of the saleable die, so the condition of this ring has a direct commercial impact.
Because the hot edge ring is directly exposed to fluorocarbon plasma, energetic ion bombardment and elevated temperature, it is a scheduled-replacement consumable rather than a lifetime component. ESCT supplies the 716-040738-120 ring as a second-source new part, dimensionally and functionally matched to the OEM item, to support preventive maintenance and ring-kit refresh cycles without the cost and lead time pressure of single-source OEM procurement.
The hot edge ring performs several overlapping functions at the wafer perimeter, combining plasma engineering, thermal management and mechanical protection in a single consumable that frames the electrostatic chuck.
As a plasma-facing consumable, the hot edge ring is defined by the erosion resistance and thermal behaviour of its material and by the dimensional precision that determines how cleanly it integrates with the rest of the edge stack.
Edge rings of this type are produced from high-purity etch-grade materials selected for predictable, slow wear in aggressive fluorocarbon chemistries and to avoid introducing metallic or particulate contamination into the process.
Because the ring is held hot and must mate precisely with the chuck and the components beneath it, both its thermal response and its as-manufactured geometry are critical to repeatable edge results.
The state of the hot edge ring shows up directly in edge metrology and in fleet-wide tool matching, which is why it is one of the most closely watched consumables in a dielectric etch module.
The dominant ageing mechanism is gradual erosion of the plasma-facing surface by ion bombardment and chemical etch. As the ring thins and its step height drops, the wafer-to-ring relationship changes, the sheath at the edge reshapes, and edge etch rate and CD slowly drift out of specification, the normal trigger for scheduled replacement.
Thermal cycling between hot process conditions and idle, combined with repeated handling during preventive maintenance, can initiate cracks or edge chips. A fractured ring is both a particle source and a local field disturbance, and in severe cases can compromise wafer seating or clamping at the perimeter.
Fluorocarbon by-products deposit on and around the ring over time. Heavy, flaking polymer raises particle risk and alters local conductance, while erosion-thinned regions or contaminated contact faces can promote micro-arcing that pits the ring and adjacent hardware, accelerating the end of useful life.
Hot edge ring replacement is a routine preventive-maintenance task on FLEX chambers, but it directly affects edge results, so keep it clean and seat it correctly. The following sequence is a general guide; always follow the LAM tool manual, your site PM procedure and applicable safety and ESD precautions.
Edge rings are consumed on a predictable cadence, so they are ideal candidates for a planned second-source supply strategy that protects uptime and controls cost without compromising process integrity.
It is intended for LAM Research FLEX series 300 mm dielectric plasma etch chambers, including the FLEX 45 platform, where it functions as the plasma-facing, temperature-controlled edge ring at the wafer perimeter. Always confirm the ring against your chamber configuration and the OEM part number before ordering.
No. This is supplied as a second-source new part, manufactured to match the form, fit and function of LAM OEM P/N 716-040738-120. It is a new OEM-compatible component, not an original LAM-branded item, and it carries the ESCT part number ES2099-002 for identification and reordering.
The usual indicators are drift in edge etch rate, profile or critical dimension, a rise in edge-zone particles, or measured height loss and visible erosion during preventive maintenance. Most fabs replace the ring on a consumable-life schedule derived from RF hours or wafer count and confirmed by edge metrology.
The designation reflects that this ring is held at an elevated, controlled temperature during processing rather than running cold. Maintaining a hot edge keeps polymer deposition, by-product volatility and surface chemistry at the perimeter consistent with the centre of the wafer, which is central to achieving uniform edge etch results.
The current lead time is 4-5 weeks. We recommend aligning orders with your preventive-maintenance calendar and holding appropriate buffer stock so that ring changes are never gated by procurement.
After any edge ring change it is standard practice to run a season or burn-in recipe and then verify edge etch rate, uniformity and particle performance against your qualification limits before returning the chamber to production. Because the ring is dimensionally matched to the OEM envelope, it is designed to drop into existing FLEX edge kits and recover the established process window.
The Hot Edge Ring, LAM OEM P/N 716-040738-120 (ESCT P/N ES2099-002), is a temperature-controlled, plasma-facing edge consumable for LAM Research FLEX 300 mm dielectric etch chambers. It frames the wafer perimeter, extends the plasma sheath and thermal environment past the last die, shields the chuck edge from ion bombardment, and sets the gas and electrical boundary that governs edge etch-rate and critical-dimension uniformity. Because it wears predictably under fluorocarbon plasma and thermal cycling, it is a planned-replacement item; ESCT supplies it as a second-source new part with a 4-5 week lead time to keep edge performance, yield and tool matching within specification while controlling cost of ownership.
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 Lam Research part number 716-040738-120. It is not an original OEM part and is not sold as one. It is not manufactured by, endorsed by, or affiliated with Lam Research, and all manufacturer names and part numbers are quoted for identification and compatibility purposes only.
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