Wafer chuck, exposure system, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device

An exposure system including a wafer chuck on which a semiconductor wafer is placed;

• exposure light source;
• and a projection optical system for irradiating exposure light emitted from the exposure light source, passing through an exposure original on the semiconductor wafer, wherein the wafer chuck supports the semiconductor wafer on support pins by suction with a suction chamber at a negative pressure applied thereto, said suction chamber surrounded by a first peripheral wall, wherein:
• an upper surface of the first peripheral wall is formed to be lower than upper surfaces of the support pins, and the upper surface of the first peripheral wall is not in contact with the semiconductor wafer;
• and
• a first distance between the first peripheral wall and first closest support pins of the support pins is set to be shorter than a second distance between the first support pins and second support pins positioned inside the first support pins.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which performs wafer processes including a polishing process and a photolithography process to a semiconductor wafer to form a semiconductor device, wherein

• a wafer chuck for chucking the semiconductor wafer is used in at least one of the polishing process and an exposure system used in the photolithography process, wherein the wafer chuck supports the semiconductor wafer on support pins by suction with a suction chamber at a negative pressure applied thereto, said suction chamber surrounded by a first peripheral wall, wherein:
• an upper surface of the first peripheral wall is formed to be lower than upper surfaces of the support pins, and the upper surface of the first peripheral wall is not in contact with the semiconductor wafer;
• and
• a first distance between the first peripheral wall and first closest support pins of the support pins is set to be shorter than a second distance between the first support pins and second support pins positioned inside the first support pins.