Electrostatic chuck

An electrostatic chuck having a holding surface for holding a wafer with a tape attached to one side of the wafer in a condition where the tape is in contact with the holding surface, the tape including a base sheet and a paste layer formed on one side of the base sheet, the base sheet being formed of resin, the electrostatic chuck comprising:

• a disk-shaped member having a plurality of fine holes communicating with a vacuum source, said fine holes being exposed to the holding surface;
• a plurality of asperities formed on the holding surface and connected to said fine holes, said plurality of asperities having a predetermined roughness configured for eliminating bubbles between the tape and the holding surface;
• and
• an electrode embedded in said disk-shaped member;
• wherein when said vacuum source is operated to produce a vacuum on the holding surface through said fine holes and thereby hold the wafer through the tape on the holding surface under suction, said asperities formed on the holding surface function as a suction passage communicating with said fine holes.