Abstract: A wafer holder is provided in which local heat radiation in supporting and heating wafers is kept under control and temperature uniformity of the wafer retaining surface is enhanced, and by making use of the wafer holder a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus suitable for processing larger-diameter wafers is made available. In a wafer holder (1) including within a ceramic substrate (2) a resistive heating element (3) or the like and being furnished with a lead (4) penetrating a reaction chamber (6), the lead (4) is housed in a tubular guide member (5), and an interval between the guide member (5) and the reaction chamber (6) as well as the interior of the guide member (5) are hermetically sealed. The guide member (5) and the ceramic substrate (2) are not joined together, and in the interior of the guide member (5) in which the inside is hermetically sealed, the atmosphere toward the ceramic substrate (2) is preferably substantially the same as the atmosphere in the reaction chamber (6).

Abstract: Ceramic susceptor whose wafer-retaining face has superior isothermal properties, and that is suited to utilization in apparatuses for manufacturing semiconductors and in liquid-crystal manufacturing apparatuses. In plate-shaped sintered ceramic body 1, resistive heating element 2 is formed. Fluctuation in pullback length L between sintered ceramic body outer-peripheral edge 1a and resistive heating element substantive-domain outer-peripheral edge 2a is within ±0.8%, while isothermal rating of the entire surface of the wafer-retaining face is ±1.0% or less. Preferable is a superior isothermal rating of ±0.5% or less that can be achieved by bringing the fluctuation in pullback length L to within ±0.5%.

Abstract: In the substrate processing apparatus, a ceramic module for mounting a substrate has a flat plate portion having an electric circuitry and a ceramic base body, and as at least a part of a surface of the flat plate portion other than the surface mounting the substrate is in contact with a chamber, it is supported by the chamber. Thus, a substrate processing apparatus can be provided which improves thermal uniformity, reduces cost, is suitable for size reduction of the apparatus and which can ease restrictions in mounting a power supply conductive member or the like.

Abstract: The present invention is a wafer holder including a heating plate 2 equipped with heating means such as a film-form/foil-form heat generating body 9 or the like, a cooling plate 3 equipped with cooling means such as a coolant passage 7 or the like, and temperature measurement means 4, wherein the heating plate 2 and cooling plate 3 are layered in a direction perpendicular to the wafer placement surface. The heating plate 2 is preferably disposed closer to the wafer placement surface than the cooling plate 3, and a heat conducting member 8 is disposed between the heating plate 2 and cooling plate 3.

Abstract: A wafer holder for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided with which a film may be evenly formed over the entire wafer surface and the incidence of particle generation is low, as well as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus equipped with same. The wafer holder of the present invention is a ceramic wafer holder in which a heating body and a high-frequency electrode are embedded, and a diameter of the high-frequency electrode embedded in the ceramic is greater than the diameter of an upper high-frequency electrode disposed opposite the high-frequency electrode. A main component of the ceramic is preferably aluminum nitride, and the high-frequency electrode is preferably in the form of a film.

Abstract: Wafer holder for semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor manufacturing device in which the holder is installed, the wafer holder having a wafer-carrying surface, wherein the temperature uniformity of its wafer-carrying surface is enhanced. In the wafer holder having a wafer-carrying surface, a shaft that supports the wafer holder is joined to the wafer holder; by making the in-shaft heat capacity of electrodes for supplying power to an electrical circuit formed either on a surface other than the wafer-carrying surface of the wafer holder, or else inside it, 55% or less of the heat capacity of the region of wafer holder that corresponds to the shaft, the temperature distribution in the wafer surface can be brought within a temperature uniformity of ±1.0%. The electrical circuit formed in the wafer holder is preferably at least a resistive heating element.

Abstract: A low-radiation-rate film, made of a material whose radiation rate is lower than that of a heater substrate, is formed at least entirely over the surface of a heat-subject-placing surface of a heater substrate. By applying patterning to the low-radiation-rate film, the exposure rate of the heater substrate is varied such that the radiation rate becomes smaller from the center part of the heat-subject-placing surface toward the outer peripheral part thereof, thereby enabling a uniform temperature across the surface. In addition, the power supply is reduced, thermal stress is eliminated, the wiring design flexibility is increased, and the reliability is increased by preventing short-circuit accidents.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a susceptor with superior thermal uniformity by minimizing pores in an aluminum nitride sintered body. In an aluminum nitride sintered body according to the present invention, the tin content and sulfur content are controlled so that they are no more than a fixed amount. More specifically, in an aluminum nitride sintered body having as its main component aluminum nitride, the tin content in the aluminum nitride sintered body is no more than 50 ppm and the sulfur content is no more than 100 ppm. It would be preferable for a resistance heating body to be formed in the aluminum nitride sintered body and it would be preferable for the aluminum nitride sintered body to be used as a semiconductor heating unit.

Abstract: A ceramic base material that is reduced in distortion caused by high-temperature heat treatment. A ceramic base material having sintering agents and satisfying the following formula: a/b?1.3, where a: the larger of c1 and c2, b: the smaller of c1 and c2, c1: the ratio “k” at a main-surface side, c2: the ratio “k” at the other main-surface side, k=s/m, s: the fluorescent X-ray-detected strength of the constituent elements of the sintering agents, m: the fluorescent X-ray-detected strength of the main-constituent elements.

Abstract: In an aluminum nitride sintered body, the bismuth and chlorine contents are restricted to be no more than fixed amounts. More specifically, in an aluminum nitride sintered body having aluminum nitride as its main component, the bismuth content in the aluminum nitride sintered body is no more than 30 ppm and the chlorine content is no more than 100 ppm. It would be preferable to form a resistance heating body on the aluminum nitride sintered body, and it would be preferable for the aluminum nitride sintered body to be used as a semiconductor heating part.

Abstract: To provide a semiconductor manufacturing device, which is provided with a wafer holder capable of improving the cooling rate of a heater and retaining the homogeneity of the temperature distribution of the heater at cooling time and which can markedly shorten the time period for treating a semiconductor wafer. The wafer holder includes the heater 1 for carrying the semiconductor wafer thereon to heat the same, and the cooling block 2 for cooling the heater 1. The cooling block 2 is arranged so as to come into and out of abutment against the back 1b of the heater on the side opposed to the wafer carrying face 1a, and its abutment face 2a to abut against the heater 1 has a warpage of 1 mm or less. The cooling block 2 can be provided therein with a passage for a cooling liquid. It is preferred that the passage has a sectional area of 1 mm2 or larger over 80% of its entire length, and that the area of the portion having the passage formed is 3% or larger of the entire area of the abutment face 2a.

Abstract: A heating and cooling module wherein the calorific value can be increased in a heater for mounting and heating a semiconductor chip, and the heating and cooling module is not damaged when the semiconductor chip is rapidly heated and cooled. The heating and cooling module of the includes a ceramic heater for mounting and heating a treated object, a cooling mechanism for cooling the ceramic heater, and a holder between the ceramic heater and the cooling mechanism, wherein the ceramic heater is an aluminum nitride heater having one or more internally disposed heating element layers. An intermediate layer is preferably inserted between the ceramic heater and the holder. An intermediate layer is also preferably inserted between the holder and the cooling mechanism.

Abstract: A wafer holder is provided in which local heat radiation in supporting and heating wafers is kept under control and temperature uniformity of the wafer retaining surface is enhanced, and by making use of the wafer holder a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus suitable for processing larger-diameter wafers is made available. In a wafer holder (1) including within a ceramic substrate (2) a resistive heating element (3) or the like and being furnished with a lead (4) penetrating a reaction chamber (6), the lead (4) is housed in a tubular guide member (5), and an interval between the guide member (5) and the reaction chamber (6) as well as the interior of the guide member (5) are hermetically sealed. The guide member (5) and the ceramic substrate (2) are not joined together, and in the interior of the guide member (5) in which the inside is hermetically sealed, the atmosphere toward the ceramic substrate (2) is preferably substantially the same as the atmosphere in the reaction chamber (6).

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 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: An inexpensive workpiece holder having high reliability and a processing apparatus equipped with the workpiece holder are provided, in which damage caused by oxygen in the air is prevented. The holder comprises: a ceramic body which has an electrode and a heater circuit and which can holds a workpiece; a tubular member having an end portion connected to the ceramic body; a sealing member which is disposed inside the tubular member and which isolates a space inside the tubular member into two regions: a region on the first end portion (“sealed portion”) and a region on the opposite side (“opposite region”); and power supply conductive members which extend from the opposite region side, penetrating the sealing member to the sealed region side, and which are electrically connected to the electrode and the heater circuit.

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 uniformly heats a wafer at high temperatures without being damaged. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided with this wafer holder. The contact surface area where the wafer and the wafer mounting surface of the wafer-holding part are in contact includes a contact surface area A in an outer circumferential area that is farther than 1/?2R from the center of the wafer, where R is the radius of the wafer, and a contact surface area B in an inner circumferential area that is within 1/?2R of the center. The contact surface area is established so that A>B. In order to obtain this relationship, the wafer-contacting part of the wafer mounting surface is preferably formed into annular convexities or embossed convexities.

Abstract: The invention provides a fluid heater in which the efficiency of heat transfer to a fluid is improved, downsizing of the heater itself can be achieved, and the rise time until warm water heated to a necessary temperature is supplied is shortened, which results in reduction of the power consumption. The heater includes a flat ceramic substrate (1) and a heating element formed on one surface of or in the interior of the ceramic substrate (1). The ceramic substrate (1) is made of A1N, etc. or silicon nitride, whose thermal conductivity is 50W/m·K or more. A zigzag water channel is formed by walls 6, etc., on the fluid-heating surface of the ceramic substrate (1). A plurality of fins 5 are fixed in the water channel. A heat insulating material 8 can be mounted so as to cover a surface excluding the fluid-heating surface of the ceramic substrate (1).

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.