Electrostatic chuck

An electrostatic chuck, comprising:

• a chuck body of dielectric ceramic, and
• an electrostatic inner electrode embedded in the chuck body,
• the dielectric ceramic having a volume resistivity value not greater than approximately 10.sup.13 .OMEGA.cm at a high temperature of not less than approximately 250.degree. C., the dielectric ceramic comprising a material selected from the group consisting of polycrystalline alumina ceramic, aluminum nitride ceramic and silicon nitride ceramic, the dielectric ceramic comprising approximately 85 weight % of at least one of alumina, aluminum nitride and silicon nitride as a main ingredient and comprising not more than approximately 0.2 weight % of impurities other than aluminum, silicon, oxygen and nitrogen.

An electrostatic chuck, comprising:

• a chuck body comprising a single-crystalline sapphire plate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the sapphire plate forming a chucking surface having a surface roughness of not more than 0.8 S,
• a dielectric plate, and
• an electrostatic inner electrode for coupling the dielectric plate with the second surface of the sapphire plate.

An electrostatic chuck for at least one of fixing and carrying semiconductor wafers at a high temperature of not less than approximately 250.degree. C., the electrostatic chuck comprising:

• a chuck body for generating a chucking force by means of minimal leak current, the chuck body comprising dielectric ceramic having a volume resistivity value not greater than approximately 10.sup.13 .OMEGA.cm at a high temperature of not less than approximately 250.degree. C., and
• an electrostatic inner electrode embedded in the chuck body.

An electrostatic chuck for at least one of fixing and carrying semiconductor wafers under a vacuum processing condition at a temperature ranging from approximately room temperature to approximately 500.degree. C., the electrostatic chuck comprising:

• a chuck body comprising a single-crystalline sapphire plate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the sapphire plate forming a chucking surface having a surface roughness of not more than 0.8 S,
• a dielectric plate, and
• an electrostatic inner electrode for coupling the dielectric plate with the second surface of the sapphire plate.