Abstract: A wafer holding unit includes a disk-shaped ceramic substrate having a wafer mounting surface on an upper surface of the substrate, an RF electrode, for example, embedded within the substrate, a metal terminal inserted from a lower surface of the substrate, and a connecting terminal which electrically connects the RF electrode and the metal terminal with each other. The connecting terminal is constituted by a ceramic member and a metal layer. The ceramic member is made of the same material as the substrate and preferably has a truncated conical shape. The metal layer covers a surface of the ceramic member. An upper end of the metal layer is connected to the RF electrode, while a lower end of the metal layer is connected to the metal terminal with a metal member interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A heater includes a base, a plurality of heating bodies, a plurality of terminals, and a cylindrical. The base has a first surface on which a heating target is placed, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The plurality of heating bodies include an inside heating body disposed in a region including a center of the base, and a plurality of outside heating bodies disposed outside of the inside heating body to be concentric with the base. The inside heating body and the plurality of outside heating bodies are disposed to be spaced from each other in a thickness direction of the base. The inside heating body is disposed at a first layer located closest to the first surface in the thickness direction of the base. The plurality of outside heating bodies include a first outside heating body, and a second outside heating body.

Abstract: A wafer holding unit includes a disk-shaped ceramic substrate having a wafer mounting surface on an upper surface of the substrate, an RF electrode, for example, embedded within the substrate, a metal terminal inserted from a lower surface of the substrate, and a connecting terminal which electrically connects the RF electrode and the metal terminal with each other. The connecting terminal is constituted by a ceramic member and a metal layer. The ceramic member is made of the same material as the substrate and preferably has a truncated conical shape. The metal layer covers a surface of the ceramic member. An upper end of the metal layer is connected to the RF electrode, while a lower end of the metal layer is connected to the metal terminal with a metal member interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A wafer holding unit includes a disk-shaped ceramic substrate having a wafer mounting surface on an upper surface of the substrate, an RF electrode, for example, embedded within the substrate, a metal terminal inserted from a lower surface of the substrate, and a connecting terminal which electrically connects the RF electrode and the metal terminal with each other. The connecting terminal is constituted by a ceramic member and a metal layer. The ceramic member is made of the same material as the substrate and preferably has a truncated conical shape. The metal layer covers a surface of the ceramic member. An upper end of the metal layer is connected to the RF electrode, while a lower end of the metal layer is connected to the metal terminal with a metal member interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A wafer holding unit includes a disk-shaped ceramic substrate having a wafer mounting surface on an upper surface of the substrate, an RF electrode, for example, embedded within the substrate, a metal terminal inserted from a lower surface of the substrate, and a connecting terminal which electrically connects the RF electrode and the metal terminal with each other. The connecting terminal is constituted by a ceramic member and a metal layer. The ceramic member is made of the same material as the substrate and preferably has a truncated conical shape. The metal layer covers a surface of the ceramic member. An upper end of the metal layer is connected to the RF electrode, while a lower end of the metal layer is connected to the metal terminal with a metal member interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A heater unit has excellent uniform heat properties in a wafer placement surface, and is capable of rapid temperature increase and rapid cooling, also has high rigidity. A heating and cooling device that includes the heater unit is used as a manufacturing or inspection apparatus and is used for work with glass substrates or semiconductor substrates for flat panel displays. The heater comprises a first uniform heat plate having a placement surface on which a substrate is placed, a second uniform heat plate for supporting the first uniform heat plate, and at least one layer of a insulated resistance heating element provided between the first uniform heat plate and the second uniform heat plate. The first uniform heat plate and the second uniform heat plate have a differing thermal conductivity and differing Young's modulus.

Abstract: The invention provides a wafer-prober wafer holder that allows positional precision and temperature uniformity to be increased, and also allows the chip to be heated and cooled rapidly, and a wafer prober device provided with the same. The wafer-prober wafer holder of the invention is constituted by a chuck top having a chuck top conducting layer on its surface, and a support member for supporting the chuck top, and has a cavity in a portion between the chuck top and the support member. The chuck top preferably is provided with a heating member.

Abstract: A wafer holder is provided having high rigidity and an enhanced heat-insulating effect that allow positional accuracy and heating uniformity to be improved, a chip to be rapidly heated and cooled, and the manufacturing cost to be reduced, and a wafer prober apparatus on which the wafer holder is mounted. The wafer holder of the present invention includes a chuck top for mounting a wafer, a support member for supporting the chuck top, and a stand for supporting the support member. The chuck top has a thermal conductivity K1 and a Young's modulus Y1; the support member has a thermal conductivity K2 and a Young's modulus Y2; and the stand has a thermal conductivity K3 and a Young's modulus Y3. K1>K2 and K1>K3; and Y3>Y1 and Y3>Y2.

Abstract: A wafer holder that prevents positional deviation of the wafer mounted on the wafer-mounting surface of a chuck top and enables better thermal uniformity of the wafer, as well as a heater unit including the wafer holder and a wafer prober mounting these are provided. The wafer holder has a chuck top mounting and fixing the wafer and a supporter supporting the chuck top, and the chuck top has water absorption of at least 0.01% and preferably at least 0.1%. Preferable material of the chuck top is a composite of metal and ceramics, and particularly, a composite of aluminum and silicon carbide, or a composite of silicon and silicon carbide.

Abstract: A wafer holding body used for a wafer prober for testing a semiconductor wafer includes a chuck top having a conductive layer on a surface thereof and a support body supporting the chuck top. The support body has a base portion opposing the chuck top and a side portion extending from the perimeter of the base portion to the chuck top to support the chuck top. A cavity portion is formed between the chuck top and the base portion of the support body. A reflection plate is provided in the cavity portion. A heater unit and a wafer prober includes the wafer holding body.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a wafer prober wafer holder that is highly rigid and increases the heat insulating effect, thereby improving positional accuracy, thermal uniformity, and chip temperature ramp-up and cooling rates, as well as a wafer prober device equipped therewith. A wafer holder of the present invention includes a chuck top that mounts a wafer, and a support member that supports the chuck top, wherein, a restricting member is provided that covers an interface between the chuck top and the support member. By covering the gap between the chuck top and the support member with the restricting member, the heat insulating effect can be increased by preventing the flow of outside air through the gap into the support member, and the cooling rate can be particularly improved if cooling to a temperature below room temperature.

Abstract: According to the invention, there is provided a wafer holding member for use in a wafer prober for inspecting a semiconductor wafer, including a chuck top and a supporting member for supporting the chuck top, wherein the supporting member has a bottom portion facing to the chuck top, a cavity portion is formed between the chuck top and the bottom portion of the supporting member, and there is provided, in the cavity portion, at least a portion of a cooling mechanism for cooling at least one of the chuck top and the supporting member. Further, there is provided a wafer prober using the wafer holding member.

Abstract: By wafer holder including a chuck top for mounting a wafer and a supporter supporting the chuck top and having flatness of at most 0.1 mm, a heater unit for a wafer prober and the wafer prober using the wafer holder, a wafer holder and a wafer prober apparatus hardly deformable even under high load and capable of effectively preventing contact failure, and capable of preventing temperature increase in a driving system when a semiconductor wafer having semiconductor chips with minute circuitry that requires high accuracy is heated can be provided. In the wafer holder of the present invention, the flatness of the supporter is preferably at most 0.05 mm, and more preferably at most 0.01 mm.

Abstract: A wafer holder with which probing can be performed with little or virtually no noise due to the wafer being shielded from electromagnetic waves; and a wafer prober on which the wafer holder is mounted. The wafer holder of the present invention includes a chuck top for mounting a wafer, and a resistance heat generator for heating the chuck top. At least part of the resistance heat generator is covered by an insulating layer, and an electrically conductive layer is present on an opposite side of the resistance heat generator having the insulating layer. The electrically conductive layer blocks electromagnetic waves that adversely affect inspection. The insulating layer preferably covers the entire surface of the resistance heat generator, and the electrically conductive layer preferably covers the entire surface of the resistance heat generator comprising the insulating layer.

Abstract: A wafer holder is provided having high rigidity and an enhanced heat-insulating effect that allow positional accuracy and heating uniformity to be improved, a chip to be rapidly heated and cooled, and the manufacturing cost to be reduced, and a wafer prober apparatus on which the wafer holder is mounted. The wafer holder of the present invention includes a chuck top for mounting a wafer, a support member for supporting the chuck top, and a stand for supporting the support member. The chuck top has a thermal conductivity K1 and a Young's modulus Y1; the support member has a thermal conductivity K2 and a Young's modulus Y2; and the stand has a thermal conductivity K3 and a Young's modulus Y3. K1>K2 and K1>K3; and Y3>Y1 and Y3>Y2.

Abstract: A wafer holder that includes a cooling module for rapid cooling, that can further improve the heating uniformity of a wafer, and that can be appropriately used with a wafer prober, a coater/developer, or the like. The wafer holder includes a mounting stage arranged to mount a wafer on a mounting surface, a heat generator 1 arranged to heat the mounting stage, and a cooling module arranged to cool the mounting stage, wherein an outside diameter of the cooling module is smaller than an outside diameter of the mounting stage, and the heat generator 1 attached to the mounting stage is positioned further to the outside than the cooling module. Along with the heat generator 1, a supplementary heat generator may be positioned between the cooling module and the mounting stage or on a surface of the cooling module opposite the mounting stage.

Abstract: A wafer holder is provided with a mounting stage having a mounting surface for mounting a wafer, and a holding member for holding the mounting stage, wherein relationships are established such that K1>K2 and Y1<Y2, where K1 is the thermal conductivity of the mounting stage, Y1 is the Young's modulus of the mounting stage, K2 is the thermal conductivity of the holding member, and Y2 is the Young's modulus of the holding member. The wafer holder preferably comprises a supporting member on the lower part of the holding member, wherein a relationship is establish such that K2>K3, where K3 is the thermal conductivity of the holding member.

Abstract: A wafer holder less susceptible to deformation even under high load and having high heat-insulating effect and hence capable of improving positional accuracy, improving thermal uniformity and rapid heating and cooling of chips, as well as a heater unit including the wafer holder and a wafer prober including the heater unit are provided. The wafer holder includes a chuck top having a chuck top conductive layer on its surface and a supporter supporting the chuck top, and has a support member in a space between the chuck top and the supporter. Preferably, the support member is arranged concentric with the supporter or approximately at the center of the supporter, and more preferably, support members arranged concentrically and arranged at the center are both provided.

Abstract: A heater unit that can be fabricated in a simple manner and is highly reliable, as well as a wafer prober mounting the heater unit are provided. The heater unit of the present invention includes a mounting base mounting an object to be processed and a heater unit heating the mounting base, wherein the heater body has an insulating sheet and a heating body formed on the insulating sheet. Preferably, at least a part of the heating body is covered with a protective layer, and preferably, the material of the heating body is metal foil. Further, preferably, the material of the protective layer is heat-resistant rubber, and preferably, the material of the insulating sheet is heat-resistant resin.

Abstract: A wafer holding body used for a wafer prober for testing a semiconductor wafer includes a chuck top having a conductive layer on a surface thereof and a support body supporting the chuck top. The support body has a base portion opposing the chuck top and a side portion extending from the perimeter of the base portion to the chuck top to support the chuck top. A cavity portion is formed between the chuck top and the base portion of the support body. A reflection plate is provided in the cavity portion. A heater unit and a wafer prober includes the wafer holding body.