The TM105208 is a direct-equivalent ESC for the Applied Materials MxP poly etch chamber, supplied by ESC Technology as a drop-in replacement for OEM part numbers 0040-99997 and 0010-10528. It installs onto the existing OEM cathode and runs with the same process kits, settings and voltages, so it qualifies into a production chamber without a recipe change.
What the ESC does, and why its condition matters
In a poly etch chamber the ESC clamps the wafer flat against the cathode and holds its temperature through the process. Poly etch is particularly sensitive to temperature uniformity and particle performance: small variations in wafer temperature translate into etch-rate and profile variation across the wafer, and any particle source in the chamber shows up directly in yield. Because the ESC governs both clamping and thermal contact, its condition sets the ceiling on what the chamber can achieve: a worn ESC quietly caps uniformity and particle performance long before it is formally failed.
Why engineers replace the OEM MxP Poly ESC
The OEM MxP ESC is a polyimide design. As the polyimide ages under plasma and thermal cycling, clamping force drifts and temperature uniformity degrades, bringing wafer sticking, unreliable dechucking and rising particle counts, the familiar failure pattern that takes a poly etch chamber out of spec and forces an ESC replacement. The gradual nature of that drift means the chamber often produces marginal wafers for some time before the ESC is changed, so a more stable replacement protects yield as well as ESC life.
The coulombic ceramic difference
The TM105208 replaces the polyimide ESC with an improved coulombic ceramic design. Better design and material give better etch and temperature uniformity and improved particle performance, with clamping that stays consistent across the ESC’s life rather than drifting as polyimide does. The chamber therefore holds its poly-etch process window for longer and spends more of its time producing in-specification wafers.
Material
An improved ceramic body replaces the OEM polyimide construction, which is what underpins the more stable clamping and thermal behaviour.
Process and particle performance
A waferless plasma clean can be performed with this ESC, allowing the chamber to be cleaned and kept stable between wafers without a dummy wafer. With more uniform clamping and improved thermal contact, poly etch uniformity and particle performance both improve, and stay stable over a longer service interval, which for an engineer means fewer process-drift investigations and fewer ESC-related particle excursions.
Drop-in compatibility and qualification
- Fits the existing OEM cathode: no hardware modification.
- Uses the same OEM process kits.
- Runs the same ESC settings and voltages.
Because nothing in the surrounding chamber changes, qualification is straightforward and the ESC can be brought into production quickly.
Sizes
Available for 100mm, 150mm and 200mm wafer processing.
Repairable to new: lower cost of ownership
The TM105208 is built to be reconditioned to original specification rather than scrapped. Level 1 (surface recondition, ~25% of new) and Level 2 (full rebuild, ~70%) repair routes are available, and an ESC can be returned to specification up to three times, substantially reducing lifetime cost of ownership versus repeated OEM purchases. Over a chamber’s life this turns each ESC into a reusable asset rather than a single-use spare. (Repair pricing is indicative and quoted per ESC after inspection.)
Why source the equivalent from ESC Technology
Consistent build quality, a clear “direct equivalent, not an OEM part” position, and the repair programme above, supported across North America, Europe, South-East Asia and Japan.
Why poly etch is sensitive to ESC condition
Poly etch profiles depend closely on wafer temperature, so anything that disturbs the thermal contact between wafer and ESC shows up directly in the result. On the OEM polyimide ESC, that thermal contact changes as the polyimide ages and as clamping force drifts: the wafer is held slightly less flat, contact varies across its surface, and critical-dimension uniformity follows. The coulombic ceramic TM105208 holds clamping force steady regardless of surface ageing, so the wafer stays flat against the cathode and thermal contact stays uniform across the run. For a poly etch chamber that translates into tighter CD control wafer-to-wafer and fewer slow drifts that send the process out of its window between scheduled cleans. The improved particle performance matters here too: poly etch is unforgiving of particle defects, and an ESC that clamps cleanly and dechucks without sticking removes one of the recurring particle sources in the chamber. Engineers running mixed lots also benefit from the predictability, because the ESC does not need its clamping recipe re-tuned as it ages, the same settings hold across the ESC’s life, so requalification after an ESC swap is a confidence check rather than a fresh characterisation.
Specifications
| Chamber / platform | Applied Materials MxP (poly etch) |
| ESC Technology part no. | TM105208N |
| Clamping type | Coulombic |
| Replaces | Polyimide OEM ESC |
| Cathode / process kit | Uses existing OEM cathode and process kits |
| Settings / voltages | Same as OEM |
| Waferless plasma clean | Supported |
| Wafer sizes | 100mm, 150mm, 200mm |
| Repairable | Yes: Level 1 & Level 2, up to 3× |
OEM cross-reference
| OEM (Applied Materials) part no. | ESC Technology equivalent |
| 0040-99997 | TM105208N |
| 0010-10528 | TM105208N |
Applied Materials periodically revises part numbers; both superseded and current numbers resolve to this page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the TM105208 a direct drop-in for the AMAT MxP Poly ESC?
Yes, same OEM cathode, process kits, settings and voltages, so no recipe change is required.
Which OEM part numbers does it replace?
0040-99997 and 0010-10528.
How is it different from the OEM ESC?
It replaces the polyimide design with an improved coulombic ceramic ESC for better etch/temperature uniformity and particle performance.
Why does the OEM polyimide ESC drift out of specification?
Polyimide degrades with plasma exposure and thermal cycling, so clamping force and temperature uniformity change as the ESC ages.
Can a waferless plasma clean be performed?
Yes.
What wafer sizes are available?
100mm, 150mm and 200mm.
Can it be repaired, and how many times?
Up to three times, via Level 1 or Level 2 repair (indicatively ~25% and ~70% of new).
Do I need to change my process recipe?
No.
Where is it supplied?
North America, Europe, South-East Asia and Japan.
Request a quotation: send us your OEM part number or chamber and we’ll confirm the equivalent and lead time.
ESC Technology is an independent supplier and is not affiliated with, authorised by, or endorsed by Applied Materials. This product is a direct equivalent only. It is not an OEM part.