Patent ID: 7173219

Claim:
A ceramic heater comprising a ceramic substrate having a heating face including at least three independently controlled heating zones, a resistance heater corresponding to each of said zones, respectively, and terminals electrically connected to said resistance heaters, respectively; wherein said resistance heaters are respectively embedded in said ceramic substrate under said zones; wherein said terminals are respectively embedded in said ceramic substrate under said zones, and wherein at least a portion of each of said terminals is exposed to a back face of said ceramic substrate; wherein three or more through holes are formed in said ceramic substrate; wherein a distance between said terminals and wall surfaces of said ceramic substrate defining said through holes of said ceramic substrate are at least 8 mm, respectively; and wherein said resistance heater intersects a straight line connecting a center of one of said terminals that is closest to a respective one of said through holes and a center of said through hole when viewed in a plan view for each said through hole.