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The Inner CEL is the inner-zone segment of the silicon cathode electrode assembly fitted to GES-equipped Tokyo Electron (TEL) 300 mm plasma etch process chambers. In TEL nomenclature the “CEL” designation refers to the cathode electrode, the powered or ground-referenced silicon plate that forms the active electrode surface immediately surrounding and beneath the wafer pedestal. The “inner” qualifier distinguishes this central component from the outer cathode ring and focus-ring hardware that sit concentrically around it, while the “4x” suffix denotes the specific design revision of the part as catalogued by the OEM. Supplied here as a 2nd-source new part to OEM P/N D100-04489A-03.
Positioned at the heart of the lower electrode stack, the Inner CEL is one of the most plasma-exposed consumables in the chamber. It is machined from high-purity silicon so that it is chemically compatible with the fluorine- and chlorine-bearing chemistries used in dielectric and conductor etch, eroding sacrificially rather than shedding metallic contamination. Because it occupies the central footprint directly under the wafer, its surface condition, flatness and electrical contact have a direct and measurable bearing on etch rate, uniformity and on-wafer particle counts.
As a wearing item exposed to continuous ion bombardment and reactive radicals, the Inner CEL is a planned-replacement consumable rather than a lifetime component. Maintaining a qualified spare on the shelf keeps a 300 mm etch tool inside its process window and avoiding extended preventive-maintenance windows that ripple through the rest of the fab.
The Inner CEL performs several overlapping duties simultaneously, it is at once an electrode surface, a plasma-facing sacrificial part and an element of the RF return and thermal path. Its principal functions include:
Performance of an inner cathode electrode is governed almost entirely by the silicon material itself (its purity, crystalline quality and surface finish) together with how faithfully the finished part reproduces the OEM geometry that the process recipe was tuned around.
High-purity silicon is selected because it etches uniformly and cleanly under fluorine and chlorine chemistries, so erosion progresses as a smooth recession of the surface rather than as pitting or grain pull-out. Low bulk metallic content keeps mobile-ion and heavy-metal contamination off the wafer, while consistent resistivity keeps the part behaving predictably as an electrode across its service life. A correctly specified silicon grade erodes at a known rate, which makes wet-life and replacement intervals repeatable from part to part.
Because the recipe is calibrated to a specific electrode geometry, flatness, thickness and the diameter of the inner zone must reproduce the OEM design closely. A faithful surface finish minimises local field enhancement and particle generation, while accurate seating surfaces guarantee uniform contact with the pedestal so that thermal and electrical paths remain consistent. Even small departures from the qualified geometry can shift the centre-to-edge etch signature.
Because the Inner CEL sits directly under the wafer, its condition is reflected almost immediately in process results. A worn, contaminated or out-of-spec inner cathode can drive:
The dominant wear mechanism is sacrificial erosion. Continuous ion bombardment and reactive-radical attack steadily thin the silicon and roughen its surface. As the central thickness drops, the electrode gap and field geometry shift, pulling centre etch rate and uniformity away from the qualified target until the part reaches end of wet life.
Silicon is brittle, so thermal cycling, localised hot spots or mechanical mishandling during preventive maintenance can initiate cracks or chip the edges. A fractured inner cathode is an immediate particle source and can compromise the RF and thermal path, making it a hard end-of-life condition rather than a gradual drift.
Polymer build-up, redeposited films and back-side contamination at the seating surface raise contact resistance and disturb the RF return. The result can be hot spots, micro-arcing and unstable plasma coupling, all of which degrade uniformity and accelerate further wear long before the silicon is fully consumed.
Replacement should follow the OEM preventive-maintenance procedure for the specific TEL chamber and be carried out by trained personnel under clean-handling discipline. A typical sequence is:
Inner cathode electrodes are scheduled-wear items, so the economics of ownership are driven by availability and by how closely a replacement reproduces the qualified part. Sourcing through ESCT Fab Support offers fabs a dependable, cost-managed route to keep etch tools running:
It is the inner-zone segment of the silicon cathode electrode in a GES-equipped TEL 300 mm etch chamber. It forms the central electrode surface directly beneath the wafer, inside the surrounding outer cathode and focus-ring hardware, and is one of the most plasma-exposed consumables in the lower electrode stack.
No. This is supplied as a new 2nd-source, OEM-compatible part manufactured to match GES OEM P/N D100-04489A-03. It is a brand-new component verified to the form, fit and function of the original, but it is not an original OEM-branded part.
It is machined from high-purity silicon, chosen for clean, predictable erosion under fluorine- and chlorine-bearing etch chemistries and for low contamination contribution to the wafer. The silicon grade and resistivity are selected to reproduce the electrical and erosion behaviour expected by the process recipe.
Replacement is usually triggered by reaching its scheduled wet-life, by drift in centre etch rate or uniformity, by rising particle counts, or by any visible cracking, chipping or heavy surface roughening found during preventive maintenance. Following the OEM part-life limit is the most reliable approach.
Because it is built to the qualified OEM geometry and silicon specification, it is intended to drop into the existing process window. As with any consumable change, best practice is to season the surface and run your standard monitor-wafer requalification for etch rate, uniformity and particles before returning the tool to production.
The typical lead time is 4-5 weeks. Because the Inner CEL is a scheduled-wear consumable, we recommend forecasting usage and holding qualified spares so that replacements are available ahead of each preventive-maintenance interval.
The Inner CEL (GES OEM P/N D100-04489A-03) is the inner-zone silicon cathode electrode at the centre of the lower electrode stack in TEL 300 mm plasma etch chambers. It sustains the discharge beneath the wafer, sets the central etch zone, carries RF return and thermal paths, and erodes sacrificially as a planned-replacement consumable. Its purity, geometry and surface condition directly govern centre etch uniformity, critical dimensions and particle performance, so a reliably sourced, dimensionally faithful spare is central to keeping an etch tool within its process window. ESCT Fab Support supplies this component as a new, verified 2nd-source alternative with a typical 4-5 week lead time to support planned maintenance and inventory strategies.
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 GES part number D100-04489A-03. It is not an original OEM part and is not sold as one. It is not manufactured by, endorsed by, or affiliated with GES, and all manufacturer names and part numbers are quoted for identification and compatibility purposes only.
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