Patent ID: 7718007

Claim:
A substrate supporting member for mounting and supporting a substrate on a substrate supporting surface thereof, and controlling a temperature of the substrate by thermal transfer between the substrate and the substrate supporting surface, comprising: an electrode layer; and an electrostatic chuck, positioned between the electrode layer and the substrate, and including the substrate supporting surface to support the substrate via a plurality of protruded portions each having an upper face configured to contact the substrate, wherein the plurality of protruded portions have gaps therebetween such that the substrate only contacts the substrate supporting member via the upper face of each of the protruded portions, wherein the substrate supporting surface is smaller than the substrate, and includes a central region, a peripheral region, and an intermediate region located between the central region and the peripheral region, wherein a number of the protruded portions per unit area of the peripheral region is greater than a number of the protruded portions per unit area of the central region such that a thermal conductivity between the substrate and the peripheral region is greater than a thermal conductivity between the substrate and the central region, and wherein the number of the protruded portions per unit area of the central region is greater than a number of the protruded portions per unit area of the intermediate region such that the thermal conductivity between the substrate and the central region is greater than a thermal conductivity between the substrate and the intermediate region.