MEMS BASED CONTACT CONDUCTIVITY ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK

摘要

The present invention is directed to a method for clamping and processing a semiconductor substrate using a semiconductor processing apparatus. According to one aspect of the present invention, a multi-polar electrostatic chuck and associated method is disclosed which provides heating or cooling of a substrate by thermal contact conduction between the electrostatic chuck and the substrate. The multi-polar electrostatic chuck comprises a semiconductor platform having a plurality of protrusions that define gaps therebetween, a surface roughness of the plurality of protrusions is less than 100 Angstroms. The electrostatic chuck further comprises a voltage control system operable to control a voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck to thus control a contact heat transfer coefficient of the electrostatic chuck, wherein the heat transfer coefficient of the electrostatic chuck is primarily a function of a contact pressure between the substrate and the plurality of protrusions.