Chuck assembly and method of securing electrostatic chuck

A chuck assembly for holding a wafer, the chuck assembly comprising:

• an electrostatic chuck comprising:
• at least one dielectric layer;
• an electrode layer coupled to the dielectric layer;
• and
• a chuck base comprising a plurality of lock holes, wherein the dielectric layer and the electrode layer are disposed on the chuck base, each of the lock holes comprising a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion, the first portion has a first opening on a bottom surface of the chuck base, the second portion has a second opening on the bottom surface of the chuck base, a width of the second opening of the second portion is smaller than a width of the first opening of the first portion;
• and
• a support body configured to secure the electrostatic chuck and having a plurality of screw holes formed corresponding to the plurality of lock holes of the chuck base of the electrostatic chuck, wherein the electrostatic chuck is secured to the support body by a plurality of lock studs disposed corresponding to the plurality of lock holes of the chuck base.

A method of securing an electrostatic chuck, comprising:

• providing a support body having a plurality of screw holes;
• tightening a plurality of lock studs corresponding to the plurality of screw holes onto the support body, wherein each of the lock studs comprises a lock head and a screw stud connected to the lock head, and the screw stud of each of the lock studs is coupled to one of the screw holes of the support body;
• placing the electrostatic chuck on the support body, wherein the electrostatic chuck comprises a chuck base, the chuck base comprises a plurality of lock holes formed corresponding to the plurality of lock studs, each of the lock holes of the chuck base comprises a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion, and the lock heads of the lock studs are correspondingly disposed in the first portions of the lock holes of the chuck base;
• and
• rotating the electrostatic chuck about a center line of the support body to move the lock heads of the lock studs from the first portions of the lock holes to the second portions of the lock holes, wherein the lock heads of the lock studs are secured in the corresponding lock holes of the chuck base.