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The Ground Groove Ring FG8-N (TEL OEM P/N 3D10-251300-V1) is a grounding component used in the process chamber of Tokyo Electron (TEL) 300 mm plasma etch systems. As its name indicates, it is a grounding (GND) ring carrying a machined groove feature, designated FG8-N within the TEL parts hierarchy. The ring forms part of the assembly that surrounds the wafer edge region and the focus/edge ring stack, providing a defined, low-impedance return path for radio-frequency (RF) current within the chamber.
In a capacitively coupled or RF-driven etch chamber, every watt of RF power delivered to the cathode must complete a circuit back to the generator. The path that current takes through the chamber furniture (the focus ring, edge ring, insulators, ground ring and chamber wall) directly shapes the plasma sheath above the wafer edge. The ground groove ring sits at a critical junction in this circuit, establishing the electrical reference around the perimeter of the electrode stack and anchoring the boundary between the powered region and the grounded chamber structure. Its groove geometry typically seats an O-ring, retains an adjacent component, or controls the creepage and confinement gap that prevents stray discharge.
Although a ground ring is electrically passive, it is exposed to the same aggressive environment as the consumable rings around it: energetic ions, reactive fluorine- and chlorine-bearing radicals, polymer deposition and thermal cycling. A worn, eroded or poorly seated ground ring quietly degrades plasma confinement and RF symmetry long before it fails outright, which makes it an important item to track in any TEL etch fleet’s preventive maintenance plan.
Within the chamber, the FG8-N ground groove ring performs several intertwined electrical and mechanical functions that together stabilise the etch process at the wafer edge:
A grounding ring in a plasma etch chamber must reconcile two competing demands: it must be electrically continuous and conductive enough to carry RF return current with minimal loss, yet solid enough to survive continuous ion bombardment and corrosive chemistry without shedding particles or losing contact integrity.
Ground rings of this class are commonly fabricated from conductive materials such as anodise-free aluminium alloys, conductive ceramics or coated metals selected to keep contact resistance low and stable over thousands of RF hours. The mating surfaces must remain clean and intimately seated, because any oxide build-up, polymer film or microscopic gap raises local impedance and forces RF current to find alternative, asymmetric return paths.
The exposed surfaces of the ring face fluorine, chlorine and bromine chemistries together with energetic ion flux. Material selection and any protective surface treatment aim to minimise erosion, sputtering and reaction-product formation, all of which generate particles and alter the grounding geometry over time.
Because the ground ring defines part of the RF return circuit and the confinement boundary, its condition feeds directly into edge process results and chamber matching. Subtle degradation typically appears first as edge-of-wafer drift before it becomes a hard fault:
Continuous ion bombardment gradually erodes exposed faces, while process by-products deposit as polymer films. Both alter the ring’s geometry and surface condition, changing the local grounding behaviour and acting as a source of flaking particles that reach the wafer.
As oxide or polymer accumulates at the mating interface, contact resistance rises and RF return becomes uneven. In severe cases the increased impedance promotes micro-arcing at the contact line, which pits the surfaces, injects metallic particles and accelerates further degradation.
Thermal cycling, repeated handling during preventive maintenance and a worn O-ring in the groove can leave the ring sitting unevenly or eccentrically. Damage to the groove or warping of the ring breaks the concentricity of the consumable stack and undermines azimuthal etch symmetry.
The ground groove ring is normally changed during a scheduled wet clean or consumable-set replacement. Follow your facility’s TEL maintenance procedure and qualified work instructions; the sequence below is a general guide only.
Grounding hardware is easy to overlook in a spares plan because it lasts longer than the focus and edge rings around it, yet a degraded ground ring can quietly cap chamber matching and yield. Holding qualified replacements on the shelf protects both uptime and process stability. ESCT Fab Support offers this part with practical advantages for fab maintenance teams:
It provides a defined, low-impedance RF ground return at the perimeter of the electrode and focus-ring stack in a TEL 300 mm plasma etch chamber. Its machined groove seats a sealing or retaining element, and the ring as a whole anchors the plasma confinement boundary and the electrical reference that shapes etch behaviour at the wafer edge.
No. This is a new, second-source part that is OEM-compatible. It is manufactured to match the form, fit and function of TEL OEM P/N 3D10-251300-V1 and is supplied under ESCT P/N ES7099-222, but it is not an original Tokyo Electron OEM component and is not sold as one.
Watch for symptoms rather than a fixed counter: drift in edge etch uniformity, rising particle counts, RF tuning or reflected-power instability, or visible erosion, polymer build-up and arc marks at inspection. It is good practice to inspect the ring at each wet clean and replace it whenever its surfaces or contact integrity are compromised.
It is best avoided where chamber matching matters. Mixing components of different wear states changes the grounding and confinement geometry and can cause chamber-to-chamber mismatch. Replacing grounding hardware as part of a coordinated consumable-set strategy gives the most repeatable results.
The typical lead time is 4-5 weeks. Because this is a longer-life grounding component, we recommend holding at least one qualified spare per chamber so that a worn ring can be swapped during planned maintenance without waiting on procurement.
Yes. As a grounding component, clean, oxide-free mating surfaces and firm, concentric seating both matter. Handle it with clean, lint-free gloves, avoid contaminating the contact faces, fit a fresh O-ring in the groove where applicable, and qualify the chamber with particle, RF and edge-uniformity checks before production.
The Ground Groove Ring FG8-N (TEL OEM P/N 3D10-251300-V1, ESCT P/N ES7099-222) is a grounding ring for TEL 300 mm plasma etch chambers that establishes the RF return path and electrical reference around the focus/edge ring stack. Though electrically passive and longer-lived than the rings it surrounds, it is exposed to the full plasma environment and its condition directly affects edge uniformity, particle performance, RF stability and chamber matching. Keeping a qualified spare on hand and replacing the ring before its contact integrity degrades protects both yield and uptime across a TEL etch fleet.
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 3D10-251300-V1. 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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