Technical Specifications

Main Features and Advantages

Superior Material and Surface Engineering: The Applied Materials 0040-00555 is fabricated from high‑purity 316L stainless steel with a meticulously controlled surface finish of Ra ≤ 0.8 μm . This electrolytic polished and passivated surface minimizes particle generation, a critical factor for defect‑sensitive semiconductor processes, and ensures compatibility with the aggressive chemistries used in clean and etch steps, including HF and NH₃ .

Robust Environmental Tolerance: Capable of operating in vacuum environments from -20°C to +600°C, the 0040-00555 withstands the severe thermal and plasma stresses of PVD and CVD processes . With a vacuum leak rate of ≤1×10⁻⁹ mbar·L/s, the shield maintains the high‑vacuum integrity essential for repeatable process results . This robust construction provides reliable protection across thousands of RF hours.

Sacrificial Protection Extending Hardware Life: The Applied Materials 0040-00555 is designed as a sacrificial consumable, meaning it absorbs the wear from plasma erosion and deposition buildup that would otherwise damage the chamber’s permanent components . By replacing the 0040-00555 at scheduled preventive maintenance intervals, fabs protect expensive chamber hardware from degradation and avoid costly, extended downtime for major overhauls . This strategy contributes to lower cost of ownership and more predictable tool performance.

Seamless Integration and Rapid Exchange: As an OEM‑specified component for AMAT Endura, Centura, and Producer platforms, the 0040-00555 offers drop‑in compatibility with existing chamber designs . Its modular design allows equipment engineers to quickly remove, clean, or replace the shield during routine maintenance, minimizing tool downtime and ensuring that the chamber returns to production with restored process stability .

Application Field

The Applied Materials 0040-00555 is deployed in semiconductor wafer fabrication facilities (fabs) operating advanced process tools for logic, memory, and power device manufacturing. Its primary application is in PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) chambers, where it shields chamber walls from sputtered metal particles, and in CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) and etch chambers, where it protects hardware from reactive plasma species and chemical byproducts .

In high‑volume 300mm fabs, etch chambers operate around the clock with plasma generating highly reactive species that can attack critical hardware. The 0040-00555 is installed as a replaceable shield to capture process byproducts and protect the chamber interior, ensuring that process conditions remain stable and consistent etch rates are maintained across thousands of wafers . During routine preventive maintenance cycles, the Applied Materials 0040-00555 is replaced after a prescribed number of RF hours, with the old shield showing visible erosion that confirms it has absorbed wear that would otherwise damage the chamber .

The 0040-00555 is also essential in 200mm manufacturing lines, many of which continue to run specialty or mature-node processes. It serves as a key component of the process kit, working alongside components such as the Chamber Liner, Showerhead, and Shadow Ring to create a stable and clean reaction environment . For fabs operating legacy AMAT platforms where the original part is discontinued, availability of high‑quality used or professionally refurbished 0040-00555 shields is critical to maintaining production continuity.