Electrostatic chuck device

Abstract

An electrostatic chuck device provided with a dielectric plate with a surface embossed to give it a plurality of projections, an electrode, and an external power source, wherein substrate supporting surfaces of the plurality of projections are covered by conductor wiring and the conductor wiring electrically connects the substrate supporting surfaces of the plurality of projections. At the time of substrate processing, when the embossed projections contact the back of the substrate, the back of the substrate and the conductor wiring is made the same in potential due to the migration of the charges, the generation of force between the back of the substrate and the conductor wiring being in contact with the same is prevented, and a rubbing state between the two is prevented. Due to this, the electrostatic chuck device reduces the generation of particles, easily and stably removes and conveys substrates, and realizes a high yield and system operating rate.

1 . A unipolar type electrostatic chuck device for fixing a substrate, said electrostatic chuck device comprising: 
 a metal electrode having a plurality of embossed projections on its top surface, dielectric layers formed only on top surfaces of said plurality of embossed projections, an insulator covering said metal electrode except at the top surface of said metal electrode, and a DC power source connected to said metal electrode.    
   
   
       2 . The electrostatic chuck device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said dielectric layers are made to cover the entire top surface of said metal electrode provided with said embossed projections.  
   
   
       3 . The electrostatic chuck device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the height of said embossed projections is larger than 10 μm and the thickness of said dielectric layers is smaller than 1 μm.  
   
   
       4 . The electrostatic chuck device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said metal electrode has a mechanism for one of cooling and heating for maintaining a desired temperature on said metal electrode.  
   
   
       5 . The electrostatic chuck device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said metal electrode is supplied with a rf current of a frequency in a range of 100 kHz to 100 MHz.  
   
   
       6 . The electrostatic chuck device of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layers has a thickness of about 100 nm.  
   
   
       7 . A bipolar type electrostatic chuck device for fixing a substrate, said electrostatic chuck device comprising: 
 two metal electrodes having pluralities of embossed projections on their top surfaces and electrically insulated from each other,    dielectric layers formed only on top surfaces of said pluralities of embossed projections,    an insulator covering said metal electrodes except at the top surfaces of said metal electrodes, and    two DC power sources connected to said two metal electrodes in separated states.    
   
   
       8 . The electrostatic chuck device as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said dielectric layers are made to cover the entire top surfaces of said metal electrodes provided with said embossed projections.  
   
   
       9 . The electrostatic chuck device as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the height of said embossed projections is larger than 10 μm and the thickness of said dielectric layers is smaller than 1 μm.  
   
   
       10 . The electrostatic chuck device as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said metal electrodes have mechanisms for one of cooling and heating for maintaining desired temperatures on said metal electrodes.  
   
   
       11 . The electrostatic chuck device as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said two metal electrodes are connected to a single rf power source operating at a frequency in a range of 100 kHz to 100 MHz.  
   
   
       12 . The electrostatic chuck device of  claim 7 , wherein the dielectric layers has a thickness of about 100 nm.