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The Super-E cathode assembly is the powered lower-electrode structure at the heart of an Applied Materials 5200-series 200mm etch chamber. It is the component on which the wafer sits, through which radio-frequency (RF) power is delivered to strike and sustain the plasma, and around which the chamber’s electrical, thermal and gas-coupling functions are organised. In the “Isolated Source” (IS) configuration, the cathode is electrically isolated from the grounded chamber body so that RF energy is coupled cleanly into the discharge rather than leaking to ground, giving the process the controlled, repeatable ion energy that anisotropic etching depends on.
Mechanically, this assembly bundles the cathode body, its insulating isolators, RF feed connections, cooling and backside-gas pathways, and the mounting interface that locates the whole stack within the process kit. It is supplied here as a 200mm assembly excluding the electrostatic chuck (ESC), the dielectric clamping puck that bolts to or integrates with the cathode is not part of this line item, allowing a fab to reuse a known-good ESC or to specify the chuck separately while still refreshing the underlying cathode hardware.
Because the cathode defines the electrical reference plane for the plasma, its condition has an outsized influence on etch rate, uniformity and process drift. A worn, contaminated or electrically degraded cathode is one of the most common root causes behind creeping non-uniformity and matching problems across a fleet of 5200 chambers, which is why fabs treat a sound spare cathode assembly as a high-value insurance policy against unplanned downtime.
Within the 5200 process module, the cathode assembly performs several interlocking jobs at once. It is simultaneously a mechanical wafer support, an RF transmission element, a thermal management surface and an electrical isolation boundary. Its core functions include:
The cathode is fundamentally an RF component, and its electrical behaviour is what separates a healthy assembly from one that quietly undermines yield. Two performance dimensions matter most: clean RF delivery and reliable isolation.
RF current must pass from the feed through the cathode body and into the plasma with minimal resistive and contact losses. Stable contact resistance at the RF connections and a consistent grounding return path keep the matching network within its tuning range and hold reflected power low.
The insulating isolators that define the Isolated Source configuration must hold off RF voltage without tracking, arcing or leakage to the grounded chamber. Intact, clean dielectric surfaces preserve the intended power coupling and protect downstream electronics.
Because the cathode sets the electrical and thermal stage for every wafer it supports, its condition propagates directly into device-level results. A degraded cathode assembly tends to show up as:
Continuous exposure to energetic ions and reactive chemistries erodes exposed cathode surfaces and builds up process by-product films. Both effects change the electrical and thermal contact at the wafer plane and shed particles, gradually pushing the process off target.
As isolator surfaces accumulate conductive deposits or develop micro-cracks, the dielectric barrier weakens. The result is RF leakage to ground, intermittent arcing and matching instability, faults that are notoriously hard to chase from the data alone because they come and go with chamber condition.
Coolant channels and backside-gas seals lose performance as O-rings age, passages foul and contact surfaces distort. Poor backside-gas sealing or coolant flow lets wafer temperature drift, which directly degrades etch rate uniformity and selectivity.
Replacing the Super-E cathode is a process-kit-level task that should follow Applied Materials service procedures and be carried out by trained personnel under full lockout/tagout. A typical sequence is:
A cathode failure on a single chamber can idle a whole tool, so the economics of holding a qualified spare are compelling. ESCT supplies this assembly as a cost-effective, fit-for-purpose alternative to sole-source OEM procurement, with several advantages for fabs running ageing 200mm capacity:
No. This line item is the Super-E cathode assembly supplied excluding the ESC, as indicated by the “Exclude ESC” designation. The electrostatic chuck must be reused from your existing hardware or sourced separately. This lets you refresh the cathode while retaining a known-good chuck.
No. This is supplied as a new, OEM-compatible part, not an original Applied Materials item. It is verified to match the form, fit and function of the original cathode assembly and cross-references to AMAT OEM part numbers 0010-31575 and 0010-39852 for identification only.
Isolated Source (IS) refers to a cathode electrically isolated from the grounded chamber body so that RF power couples into the plasma rather than leaking to ground. This isolation is what gives the controlled self-bias and ion energy that anisotropic etching relies upon, so the integrity of the isolators is a key part of the assembly.
This is a 200mm assembly intended for 200mm AMAT 5200-series etch chambers. Always confirm the configuration against your chamber’s existing process kit and the OEM part numbers before ordering, as cathode hardware is configuration-specific.
The current lead time for this assembly is 8 weeks. We recommend planning replacements around scheduled preventive-maintenance windows and holding a qualified spare so a cathode fault never forces an unplanned tool stop.
Typical indicators include rising reflected power or matching faults, intermittent arcing, drifting etch uniformity and critical dimensions, particle excursions, and visible erosion or deposition on inspection. Where these symptoms track with chamber condition and clean up only briefly after a wet clean, the cathode assembly is a strong suspect.
The Super-E cathode assembly (AMAT 0010-31575 / 0010-39852, ESCT ES1011-025) is the powered, RF-coupled lower electrode at the centre of a 200mm AMAT 5200 etch chamber in its Isolated Source configuration. It supports the wafer, delivers RF power, maintains the electrical isolation that defines clean plasma coupling, and manages backside-gas and coolant pathways, all of which directly govern etch uniformity, profile control and fleet matching. Supplied excluding the ESC and verified to form, fit and function, this assembly is a practical, well-priced spare for fabs keeping legacy 200mm etch capacity productive.
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 Applied Materials part number 0010-31575 0010-39852. It is not an original OEM part and is not sold as one. It is not manufactured by, endorsed by, or affiliated with Applied Materials, and all manufacturer names and part numbers are quoted for identification and compatibility purposes only.
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