Abstract: A two-piece chuck for supporting a substrate in which a base plate allows the wafer to tilt and also exposes the underside of the wafer during wash/rinse cycle as well as during load/unload operations.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a metal substrate. A conductive ceramic layer is disposed above the metal substrate. A high purity barrier layer is disposed above the conductive ceramic layer. The high purity barrier layer preferably has a thickness of not more than about 200 &mgr;m and a purity of at least about 99%. Exemplary materials from which the high purity insulation layer may be formed include alumina, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and sapphire. A method for manufacturing an electrostatic chuck includes providing a metal substrate, forming a ceramic layer over the metal substrate, and forming a high purity barrier layer over the ceramic layer. The high purity barrier layer may be formed by plasma spray coating, chemical vapor deposition, or sputtering.

Abstract: A chuck system for supporting a semiconductor wafer that includes a chuck platform for supporting the semiconductor wafer, and a lift structure movably coupled with the chuck platform to receive the semiconductor wafer that includes a lift base, and at least one lift pin removably coupled with the lift base, the lift pin having two ends with a first end removably coupled to the lift base and a second end for supporting the semiconductor wafer during lifting operation of the lift structure.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck including a dielectric layer made of aluminum nitride, an inner electrode buried in the dielectric layer, and a surface layer covering a surface of the dielectric layer. The surface layer is made of a material harder than the aluminum nitride constituting the dielectric layer and having a thickness of not less than 200 nm, and the surface of the dielectric layer has a center-line average surface roughness of not more than 25 nm. The electrostatic chuck is adapted to adsorb a wafer onto the dielectric layer through the surface layer.

Abstract: A chuck having two distinct portions mounts a substrate within a vacuum processing chamber. A first sealing stage confines a gas within a heat-transfer interface between one portion of the chuck and the substrate. A second sealing stage collects gas escaping from the heat-transfer interface within an intermediate space bounded by the two portions of the chuck and the substrate. Pressure in the intermediate space is reduced with respect to pressure at the heat-transfer interface to inhibit leakage of gas from the heat-transfer interface into the vacuum processing chamber.

Abstract: A polishing head (200) for a chemical-mechanical polishing machine that holds a semiconductor wafer (150) against a polishing pad (140) has a chuck (295) with a pressure chamber (210) to apply a down force substantially equally to the wafer backside (152). An electrode arrangement (270) within the chamber (210) is located coplanar to the wafer (150) to provide compensation to wafer or chuck irregularities by applying a compensation force having a distribution corresponding to the irregularities.

Abstract: A hot electrostatic chuck having an expansion joint between a chuck body and a heat transfer body. The expansion joint provides a hermetic seal, accommodates differential thermal stresses between the chuck body and the heat transfer body, and/or controls the amount of heat conducted from the chuck body to the heat transfer body. A plenum between spaced apart surfaces of the chuck body and the heat transfer body is filled with a heat transfer gas such as helium which passes through gas passages such as lift pin holes in the chuck body for backside cooling of a substrate supported on the chuck. The heat transfer gas in the plenum also conducts heat from the chuck body into the heat transfer body. The chuck body can be made of a material with desired electrical and/or thermal properties such as a metallic material or ceramic material. The chuck can be used in various semiconductor processes such as plasma etching, chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, ion implantation, ashing, etc.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck, disposed within a processing chamber, receives a substrate and signals to selectively grip and release the substrate. A radio frequency power supply creates and passes a first signal to a first path that passes it to a high pass filter. The high pass filter inhibits signals lower than a first frequency from passing to the radio frequency power supply through the first path, and passes the first signal to a second path. The second path passes the first signal to a first electrode in the processing chamber, which emits the first signal within the processing chamber. A second electrode is also disposed within the processing chamber. The second electrode receives a second signal, and emits the second signal within the processing chamber. The emission of the first and second signals creates a plasma from the environment within the processing chamber.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a substrate, inner electrode and outer electrodes each made of a metal and concentrically buried in the substrate. A plurality of embossed portions are formed on a main plane of the substrate. A projecting portion is made of the same material as that of said plurality of the embossed portions and is formed on substantially an entire outer peripheral portion on the main plane of the substrate on which the embossed portions are formed. When positive and negative potentials are to be applied to the inner and outer electrode, respectively, or vice versa, an object to be treated is supported by the embossed portions and the projecting portion. A sum of a total area of upper surfaces of the embossed portions in an outer electrode-located zone of the substrate and an area of an upper surface of the projecting portion in the outer electrode-located zone of the substrate is in a range of 0.7 to 1.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck 55 comprises an electrostatic member 100 including a dielectric 115 having a surface 120 adapted to receive a substrate 30. The dielectric 115 covers an electrode 105 that is chargeable to electrostatically hold the substrate 30. The base 175 comprises a composite of a plurality of materials, such as, ceramic and metal, for example silicon carbide and aluminum. Optionally, a support 190 can be provided to support the base 175.

Abstract: An automatic discharge apparatus for an electrostatic chuck includes a high voltage determining part having an external high voltage determination value supplied thereto. A high voltage generating transformer, electrically connected to an output of the high voltage determining part, generates the high voltage to be supplied to an electrostatic chuck under control of the high voltage determining part. A high voltage controlling part, electrically connected to the high voltage generating transformer and the electrostatic chuck, controls the high voltage supplied from the high voltage generating transformer to the electrostatic chuck in response to an on/off state of power supplied by a power supply. A discharge circuit part electrically connected between the electrostatic chuck and the power supply, forcibly discharges residual voltage remaining in the electrostatic chuck in response to an off state of the power supply.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a substrate, inner electrode and outer electrodes each made of a metal and concentrically buried in the substrate, a plurality of embossed portions formed on a main plane of the substrate, a projecting portion made of the same material as that of said plurality of the embossed portions and formed on substantially an entire outer peripheral portion on the main plane of the substrate on which the embossed portions are formed, wherein positive and negative potentials are to be applied to the inner and outer electrode, respectively, or vice versa, an object to be treated is to be supported by the embossed portions and the projecting portion, and a sum of a total area of upper surfaces of the embossed portions in an outer electrode-located zone of the substrate and an area of an upper surface of the projecting portion in the outer electrode-located zone of the substrate is in a range of 0.7 to 1.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electrostatic holding apparatus in which a voltage is applied to an conductive electrode covered with an insulating dielectric layer in order to cause the insulating dielectric layer to electrostatically attract an object. The main component of the insulating dielectric layer is ceramic containing 0.1-30 wt. % of an atomic metal, and the volume resistivity of the metal-containing ceramic at 20° C. is 108-1013 &OHgr;·cm. The metallic element is Mo or W. In the electrostatic holding apparatus, since the volume resistivity of an insulating dielectric layer of an electrostatic attraction portion is decreased, a strong electrostatic force can be generated. Also, there can be maintained the capability of allowing removal of an object at the time of stopping application of voltage. Further, since neither fine cracks nor pores remain in the insulating dielectric layer after sintering, the withstand voltage is high.

Abstract: AC waveforms biasing of bead transporter chucks and their accumulated charge sensing circuits tailored for low resistivity substrates and beads where if traditional DC quasi-static biasing potentials were used, the bead attraction potentials of the chuck would undergo rapid RC decay and cause the bead transporter chuck to stop working. Methods for selecting AC waveforms are given, including those that maximize the time average of the bead attraction potential at the bead collection zone of the bead contact surface.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a substrate having a wafer-installing face and a back face on an opposite side of the wafer-installing face, an electrostatically chucking electrode buried in the substrate, and an insulating layer provided at the back face of the substrate, the substrate including a dielectric layer facing at least the wafer-installing face and surrounding the electrostatically chucking electrode, and said insulating layer including an insulating material having a volume resistivity larger than that of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use with an electrostatic chuck is described, which incorporates a capacitance measurement circuit for monitoring the capacitance between a wafer substrate and an electrode, or between a plurality of electrodes of the chuck. The capacitance measurement is used for continuous closed-loop control of the chuck operation, in which the voltage applied to the chuck is adjusted according to the measured capacitance.

Abstract: In a method of holding a substrate and a substrate holding system, the amount of foreign substances on the back surface of the substrate can be decreased, and only a small amount of foreign substances transferred from a mounting table to the substrate. For this purpose, the substrate holding system has a ring-shaped leakage-proof surface providing a smooth support surface on the specimen table corresponding to the periphery of the substrate, a plurality of contact holding portions which bear against the substrate on the specimen table between the corresponding position to the periphery of the substrate and the corresponding position to the center of the substrate, and electrostatic attraction means for fixing the substrate by contacting the back surface of the substrate to the ring-shaped leakage-proof surface and the contact holding portions.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck comprising a ceramic chuck body having an adsorption face and an electrode for applying a potential to the adsorption face, the chuck body including a ceramic consisting mainly of MgO. The ceramic that consists mainly of MgO is doped with one or more additives selected from a group including TiC, TiO2, ZrO2, V2O5, Nb2O5, Ta2O5, Co3O4, Cr2O3, and NiO so that its electrical resistivity in a working temperature region ranges from 1×108 to 1×1012 &OHgr;·cm. This electrostatic chuck is highly resistant to a corrosive environment such as fluoride plasma.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck having an essentially flat film electrode which is essentially parallel to the chucking surface of the electrostatic chuck is fabricated by depositing a film electrode, preferably by screen printing, onto a surface of a sintered ceramic substrate. A green ceramic layer is formed or molded onto the film electrode and the resulting structure is sintered, thereby producing the electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: A quick-connect tool change system for hand drills comprising a) a first, two ended, magnetic bit holder element fitting a chuck, b) at least one second working tool element slidingly fitting over the first bit holder element and having retaining means, The first bit holder element can comprise a natural magnet or an electro magnet selectively energized from a direct current source. A hand drill with a means to provide and transmit electric current to the electro magnet is also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for retaining a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, upon an electrostatic chuck within a semiconductor wafer processing system. Specifically, the apparatus contains high voltage, DC power supply that is capable of both sourcing and sinking current at any polarity of output voltage level. This power supply is coupled to at least one electrode of an electrostatic chuck. Consequently, the power supply can be used to dynamically control the chucking voltage to apply a negative potential difference between said wafer and chuck.

Abstract: A conductive feed-through providing a conductive path through a dielectric body while maintaining differences in pressure between volumes separated by the dielectric body. A conductive feed-through of the present invention employs a hollow conductive tube created by first drilling a bore through the dielectric material. A first electrode is used to cover one end of the bore, and a vacuum-tight seal is formed around this first electrode. A second electrode is attached to the dielectric body at the other end of the bore. The inside surface of the bore is then coated with an electrically conductive material, and the coating provides a conductive path between the first electrode and the second electrode. In an alternative embodiment, the electrically conductive material coating is deposited such that it extends over the surface of the dielectric body so as to function as an electrode as well.

Abstract: A power delivery system for providing energy to sustain a plasma in a plasma processing chamber configured for processing substrates. The power delivery system includes a metallic enclosure having an input port, a first output port, a second output port, and a third output port. There is further included a power distribution box disposed within the enclosure. The power distribution box includes a first AC input port for receiving AC power from external of the metallic enclosure through the input port and for providing AC power to AC loads external to the metallic enclosure via the first output port. There is also included a DC power supply electrically coupled to the power distribution box. The DC power supply is configured to receive the AC power from the power distribution box and to output DC power. The DC power supply is disposed within the metallic enclosure. The DC power is supplied to DC loads external of the metallic enclosure via the second output port.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electrostatic holding apparatus in which a voltage is applied to an electrode formed of a conductive layer disposed on an insulator layer and covered with an insulating dielectric layer in order to cause the insulating dielectric layer to electrostatically attract an object. The electrostatic holding apparatus is formed of a sintered body in which a thermal expansion mitigating layer is disposed between the insulating dielectric layer and the conductive layer and/or between the conductive layer and the insulator layer. The insulating dielectric layer, the conductive layer, the insulator layer, and the thermal expansion mitigating layer are superposed and press-formed in an unfired state to obtain a green body, which is then sintered to obtain the sintered body.

Abstract: A susceptor for a wafer support of a semiconductor processing chamber having multiple parallel electrical contacts between an RF electrode and a thick robust electrode near a bottom of the susceptor. The thick robust electrode has a low resistance and, therefore, evenly distributes RF power over its area. The multiple parallel contacts ensure that the RF power is also uniformly distributed across an area of the RF electrode. A plurality of electrically conductive vias extending between the robust electrode and the RF electrode make a plurality of parallel electrical contacts therebetween. Generally, the robust electrode is attached to a bottom side of the susceptor and is aligned substantially parallel to the RF electrode. An insulator plate is attached to a bottom of the susceptor for electrically isolating the robust electrode for the pedestal.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is formed by: providing a conductive base member; machining a pattern of ridges in the top surface of the base member; providing through holes in the base member; inserting insulated contact posts into through holes and joining same to the base member in such manner that the contact posts extend above the top surface of the base member; depositing a first insulating layer over the base member top surface, ridges and the contact posts, the thickness of the insulating layer being less than the height of the contact posts above the base member surface; removing the first insulative layer from the top of the contact posts and removing a portion of the contact posts in such manner that the contact posts are flush with the surrounding first insulating layer; depositing a conductive layer over the first insulating layer and the tops of the contact posts, the thickness of the conductive layer being approximately the height of the ridges; grinding the top surface of the base member flat to the p

Abstract: Apparatus for retaining a workpiece on a workpiece support and method for manufacturing same. The apparatus contains an adhesive layer, an insulating layer made of a base material having a first resistivity, an electrode layer, a hybrid/adhesive layer and a workpiece support layer made of a base material and a dopant, the dopant having a second resistivity wherein a resistivity of the resultant workpiece support layer is lower than the first resistivity. The multi-resistivity layers establish a Johnsen-Rahbek effect for electrostatic chucking while not unduly compromising chuck strength or longevity. The method consists of the steps of disposing an adhesive layer, disposing an insulating layer, disposing an electrode layer, disposing a hybrid/adhesive layer, disposing a workpiece support layer, curing the layers and forming a plurality of grooves in the workpiece support layer.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck 12 for a plasma reactor apparatus 10 comprises a base metallic section 23, a pair of electrodes 24 set in bonding material 27 and electrically insulated from the base by a plate 29 and a thick dielectric layer 20 (e.g. 0.5 to 1.5 mm), which covers the electrodes 24 and bonding material 27 and forms the support surfaces for wafers 31.

Abstract: Data related to an attractive force between a substrate holder 3 and a substrate 2 is detected when pushing up and releasing the substrate 2 from the substrate holder 3, and when the attractive force is detected to be greater than a predetermined value, the push-up operation is regulated by a controller 18.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck device is characterized in the provision of a ceramic layer, which serves as an adsorption surface, via an electricity insulating elastic layer, and an electrode that is formed between the ceramic layer and the electricity insulating elastic layer. The electricity insulating elastic layer consists of an adhesive that contains a rubber component and a phenol-type antioxidant. This electrostatic chuck device does not easily experience wear or deformation, and has extremely high durability. The electricity insulating elastic layer relieves stress caused by differences in coefficients of thermal expansion during heating, or by slight volume changes in the resin material. As a result, the stress applied on the ceramic layer can be reduced, making it possible to limit a reduction in the degree of flatness and the like.

Abstract: A method for reducing particles from an electrostatic chuck, having the steps of: setting a wafer onto an attracting face of an electrostatic chuck, attracting the wafer onto the attracting face by applying a voltage to the electrostatic chuck, releasing stress due to a difference in heat expansion between the wafer and the electrostatic chuck by sliding the wafer relative to the attracting face before the wafer's temperature arrives at a saturated temperature, and increasing the wafer's temperature to a saturated temperature from its lower temperature than that of the attracting face.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to prevent charging of a substrate, retained by an electrostatic chuck in a plasma chamber, during ignition of a plasma. The method deactivates a voltage to the chuck electrodes (or other conductive element in a substrate support pedestal) and allows the chuck electrodes to float during ignition of the plasma. The method activates the chuck electrodes again following the ignition of the plasma.

Abstract: A method for reducing particles from an electrostatic chuck, having the steps of: setting a wafer onto an attracting face of an electrostatic chuck, attracting the wafer onto the attracting face by applying a voltage to the electrostatic chuck, releasing stress due to a difference in heat expansion between the wafer and the electrostatic chuck by sliding the wafer relative to the attracting face before the wafer's temperature arrives at a saturated temperature, and increasing the wafer's temperature to a saturated temperature from its lower temperature than that of the attracting face.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a pair of electrodes having different polarities, and a dielectric film, formed on top surfaces of the pair of electrodes, on which a sample to be electrostatically attracted and held when a DC voltage is applied between the pair of electrodes, wherein the respective amounts of electric charges stored on attracting portions of the dielectric film corresponding to the pair of electrodes, directly before stopping supply of the DC voltage applied between the pair of electrodes, are substantially equal to each other. With this chuck, the electric charges stored on the attracting portions of the dielectric film after stopping supply of the DC voltage can be eliminated due to the balance between the electric charges having different polarities. The electrostatic chuck is subjected to a significantly reduced residual attracting force.

Abstract: A method for rapidly dechucking a wafer from a chuck by applying a voltage that between the wafer and the electrode that performs a hysteretic discharge cycle such that residual charge is removed. The voltage is a decaying oscillating waveform that provides a decaying electric field at the wafer to chuck surface interface. The form of this field at this interface is very important to achieving rapid dechucking of less than 200 mS.

Abstract: A magnetic coupling system comprising a magnetic assembly for removably combing a base structure and a tool insert is described. This arrangement allows energy from a transducer located in the base structure to be transmitted through the magnetic assembly to the tool insert. In one embodiment, the magnetic assembly comprises one or more magnetic inserts located between the base structure and tool insert and a permanent magnet or an electromagnet located proximate to the one or more magnetic inserts. The permanent magnet can be axially polarized, radially polarized or polarized at any intermediate angle. In one embodiment, the two components being coupled are a wave guide in direct contact with an ultrasonic motor and a dental scaling tool. In this embodiment, vibrational motion is transferred from the acoustic extension to the tool insert.

Abstract: Present invention provides a method of holding substrate and a substrate holding system where the amount of foreign substances on the back surface can be decreased, and a little amount of foreign substances may be transferred from a mounting table to a substrate. The substrate holding system comprises a ring-shaped leakage-proof surface having smooth surface on the specimen table corresponding to the periphery of the substrate, a plurality of contact holding portions against the substrate on the specimen table between the corresponding position to the periphery of the substrate and the corresponding position to the center of the substrate, and electrostatic ttraction means for fixing the substrate by contacting the back surface of the substrate to the ring-shaped leakage-proof surface and the contact holding portions. The substrate contacts to the cooling surface at the ring-shaped leakage-proof surface and the contact holding portion placed on a position inside the ring-shaped leakage-proof surface.

Abstract: A substrate holding system is provided for holding a substrate in a substrate etching apparatus by using electrostatic force. An electrical insulating member is also provided having a top surface approximately at the same level as the treated surface of the substrate and having an inner side surface in adjacent relationship with a surface of the substrate forming the periphery of the substrate. The inner side surface of the electrical insulating member faces the periphery of the substrate in substantially parallel relationship with a direction normal to the treated surface of the substrate. A dielectric film is formed on one surface of a metallic member having a flow passage for circulating a coolant to control the temperature of the substrate. An electrically insulating material member is placed on and in contact with a surface of the metallic member.

Abstract: A holder is provided for holding a pan or other article during the process of applying a coating, such as a non-stick release coating, to the article's surface. The pan holder includes a pan holding member for holding the pan in position on the pan holder, and a pan holder chuck attached to the pan holding member. The holding member may include a bottom support piece and a plurality of pan support rods extending from the bottom support piece. At least one of the support rods is preferably movable and biased in an inward radial direction for holding the pan in position against the other support roads. The movable support rod may also include therefor for engaging a handle stud extending from a pan. The pan holder chuck includes a downward extending shaft for mounting the pan holder on a conveyor chain in a chain-on-edge spray line, and a pulley adapted to be engaged by a drive belt for rotating the pan holder while a coating material is sprayed onto an article held by the pan holder.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck according to the present invention exhibits a greater attractive force by virtue of the Johnson-Rahbeck effect, while ensuring satisfactory insulation in a ceramic portion present below an electrostatic attraction electrode thereof in a temperature range of 250 to 450° C. The electrostatic chuck is produced by superposing green sheets printed with a conductive paste and green sheets not printed with the conductive paste in a predetermined order with a binding liquid applied on the respective green sheets, heat- and press-bonding the superposed green sheets and firing the heat- and press-bonded green sheets. During the production, a conductive component of the electrostatic attraction electrode is diffused into the ceramic portion present between the electrode and an attractive surface of the chuck.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing high-frequency oscillator elements from a workpiece material includes a tool holder formed of magnetic material providing a magnetic field at a tip thereof and a spherical whetstone made of a magnetic material. A grinding mount is made of a magnetic material installed on a main rotating shaft proximate the tool holder through which flux of the magnetic field is channeled. The spherical whetstone held at the tip of the tool holder by magnetic attraction. The workpiece material is mounted on the grinding mount and the tool holder is rotated around an axis coincident with a center of the spherical whetstone while bringing the spherical whetstone into engagement with the workpiece material to lap the workpiece material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for retaining a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, upon an electrostatic chuck within a semiconductor wafer processing system. Specifically, the invention contains high voltage, DC power supply that is capable of both sourcing and sinking current at any polarity of output voltage level. This power supply is coupled to at least one electrode of an electrostatic chuck. Consequently, the power supply can be used to dynamically control the chucking voltage in response to any indicia of optimal chucking including leakage current, wafer-to-chuck potential, backside gas leakage rate, and the like.

Abstract: The tool drive system for use with a chuck having a throughbore including an outer bore portion for receiving a tool or tool holder and an inner bore portion constructed to receive and be mounted on an outer end of a motor shaft of a power tool comprises: an insert received in the inner bore portion; structure for preventing rotation of the insert relative to the chuck; structure on the insert for engaging an inner end of a tool or tool holder; and a mechanism for holding the tool or tool holder against axial movement relative to the insert.

Abstract: AC waveforms biasing of bead transporter chucks and their accumulated charge sensing circuits tailored for low resistivity substrates and beads where if traditional DC quasi-static biasing potentials were used, the bead attraction potentials of the chuck would undergo rapid RC decay and cause the bead transporter chuck to stop working. Methods for selecting AC waveforms are given, including those that maximize the time average of the bead attraction potential at the bead collection zone of the bead contact surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for holding a substrate on a support layer in a processing chamber. The method includes the steps of positioning the substrate a predetermined distance from the support layer, introducing a plasma in the processing chamber, lowering the substrate to a point where the substrate engages the support layer, and maintaining the plasma for a predetermined time. The apparatus is directed to a susceptor system for a processing chamber in which a substrate is electrostatically held essentially flat. The apparatus includes a substrate support and a support layer composed of a dielectric material disposed on the substrate support. At least one lift pin is used for supporting the substrate relative to the support layer. Means are provided for moving each lift pin relative to the support layer. Means are also provided for producing a plasma within the processing chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrostatic chuck having a dielectric layer with improved porosity and electrical properties, and a method for fabricating the dielectric layer and applying the layer to a pedestal to form a portion of an electrostatic chuck. The dielectric layer is formed by a detonation gun process which includes igniting a fuel gas mixture to form a detonation wave and propelling aluminum oxide powder onto the pedestal at high speeds. The dielectric layer has a porosity of less than 1 percent of its total volume, which improves the electrical properties of the chuck, such as its dielectric strength and the dielectric constant. In addition, the low porosity decreases the adsorption of moisture and other gases into the dielectric layer, which further enhances the electrical properties of the chuck.

Abstract: An aluminum nitride sintered body has characteristics such that an amount of total metal elements other than aluminum is smaller than 100 ppm, and a volume resistivity at room temperature is greater than 1.0×109 &OHgr;·cm and is smaller than 1.0×1013 &OHgr;·cm. A metal including member has such a construction that a metal member is embedded in the aluminum nitride sintered body mentioned above. An electrostatic chuck is made by the metal including member mentioned above. In the metal including member mentioned above in which the metal member is embedded in the aluminum nitride sintered body mentioned above, a volume resistivity thereof can be controlled without adding a low resistance material in aluminum nitride.

Abstract: Before a wafer 2 that is electrostatically held on a wafer platform 1 located in a vacuum vessel 8 is stripped with a half-lifting lift pin 4, inert gas is fed in the vacuum vessel 8 and ionized through an ultraviolet ray applying unit 6 to neutralize the charges distributed on the rear surface of the wafer 2 and the top surface of the wafer platform 1 to reduce the residual absorption and to make easy the step of stripping of the wafer 2 off the wafer platform 1.

Abstract: A wafer attracting apparatus includes a substrate made of a ceramic material and adapted to attract and hold a wafer onto an attracting surface thereof, wherein the attracting surface is constituted by a ductile worked surface, the ductile worked surface has concave portions, a diameter of each of the concave portions is 0.1 .mu.m or less, and when the wafer is attracted onto the attracting surface of the substrate and released therefrom, the number of particles attaching to that wafer is 9.3 or less per 1 cm.sup.2.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is provided having a plurality of small electrostatic structures for holding an electrically conductive workpiece forming a plate of a capacitor. Each electrostatic structure includes a first thermally conductive single-crystal dielectric sheet, and a first electrode in sheet form sandwiched between the first dielectric sheet and a second dielectric surface. The workpiece, typically a conductive or semiconductive wafer, is juxtaposed to the first dielectric sheet of each electrostatic structure and forms a second electrode. The second dielectric sheet, if thick, is used as a thermally conducting base plate which can be attached to a low pressure reactor. If the second dielectric is a thin sheet, then it is mounted to a thermally conductive metal base plate through which heat can be controllably conducted. The resultant electrostatic structure may be brazed to the metal base plate if the thermal expansion characteristics of the two elements are sufficiently matched.