Electrostatic chuck having composite dielectric layer and method of manufacture

An electrostatic chuck comprising:

• (a) an electrode capable of being electrically charged to generate an electrostatic charge to hold a substrate;
• and
• (b) a composite layer covering the electrode, the composite layer comprising:
• (1) a first dielectric material covering a central portion of the electrode, the first dielectric materal having a resistivity of from about 5×109 Ω cm to about 8×1020 Ω cm;
• and
• (2) a second dielectric material covering a peripheral portion of the electrode, the second dielectric material having a resistivity of from about 1×1011 to about 1×1020 Ω cm;
• and
• wherein the composite layer comprises a surface configured to support the substrate, the surface extending across (i) the first dielectric material and (ii) at least a portion of the second dielectric material.

An electrostatic chuck comprising:

• (a) an electrode capable of being electrically charged to electrostatically hold a substrate;
• and
• (b) a composite layer covering the electrode, the composite layer comprising:
• (i) a first dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the electrode, the first dielectric layer having a first resistivity in a range Δρ defined by:
• (1) a first lower resistivity ρL that is sufficiently low (i) to allow a leakage current to flow from the electrode when an electrical charge is applied to the electrode to form accumulated electrostatic charge in the first dielectric layer, and (ii) to allow the accumulated electrostatic charge to dissipate in less than about 1 second, when the electrical charge applied to the electrode is terminated;
• and
• (2) a second higher resistivity ρH that is sufficiently high to maintain the accumulated electrostatic charge in the first dielectric layer during operation of the chuck;
• and
• (ii) a second dielectric layer covering a peripheral portion of the electrode, the second dielectric layer having a second resistivity that is greater than the first resistivity,
• wherein the composite layer comprises a surface configured to support the substrate, the surface extending across (i) the first dielectric layer and (ii) at least a portion of the second dielectric layer.