Patent ID: 7442275

Claim:
A wafer supporting pedestal for maintaining the temperature across a semiconductor wafer substantially uniform as the wafer is heated on its upper side and the pedestal is cooled beneath the wafer, comprising: a pedestal body having a top surface and a pedestal compartment adjacent the underside of the top surface, the top surface supporting the wafer thereon, the compartment defining a shallow open volume below the top surface and including a sink having vaporizable liquid in the open volume; a surface of wicking material disposed on the underside of the top surface of the compartment, and including a plurality of distributed first wicking elements extending into vaporizable liquid, but not contacting the bottom of the compartment; a condensing surface comprising a second plurality of wicking elements protruding up from the bottom of the volume compartment to above the liquid level, but without contacting the top surface of the compartment, and the lateral distances between the downwardly extending and the upwardly protruding wicking elements each being respectively selected with respect to the transport distance and pressure of the liquid undergoing wicking action to minimize wicking transport distances.