Abstract: A ceramic electrostatic chucking device having electrostatic clamping electrodes suitable for clamping wafers and flat panel displays. The chucking device includes a top insulating layer, the clamping electrode, a second insulating layer, a first metallization layer for distributing power to one of the clamping electrodes, a third insulating layer, a second metallization layer for distributing power to the other clamping electrode, a fourth insulation layer, inner and outer heater electrodes, a fifth insulating layer, a third metallization layer for distributing power to the heater electrodes, and at least one additional insulating layer. The insulating layers include groups of electrically conductive feedthroughs for interconnecting the electrodes and metallization layers.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck (ESC) provides increased temperature uniformity and adjustment capability of the surface of a wafer or wafer-like workpiece during processing, for example, in an electron-cyclotron-resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECR-CVD) reactor. Temperature uniformity is achieved through an improved pattern of grooves in the face of the ESC which allows an inert gas to be contained between the ESC and a wafer held thereby even at high levels of vacuum. The ESC is adapted for a particular desired temperature range by choice of surface roughness of the remaining areas of the face of the ESC. Adjustability within that range is achieved by variation of the electrostatic voltage by which a wafer is held against the chuck face.

Abstract: A mask aligner (10) includes a ring member (11) having an aperture (13) and a series of internal pneumatic cylinders (14-17) having rolling bearing surfaces (19) at the ends of piston rod shafts (18) wherein when a mask (20) is positioned in the aperture, one bearing surface is actuated inwardly to move the mask laterally into engagement with others of said bearing surfaces to rigidly hold and coarse align the mask. Fine accurate alignment in the x, y and .phi. directions are provided by a spaced series of linear motors (40, 41, 42) and a linkage (45) extending between the motor shaft (43) and a rigid post on a fixed support arm (12), the linkage being of sufficient flexibility to bend when the linear motor moves its shaft (43) inwardly to shorten the span between the motor(s) and the rigid post, and of sufficient stiffness to act as a push rod when the linear motor moves its shaft outwardly to lengthen the span between the motor(s) and the rigid post.