Patent ID: 7072165

Claim:
A multi-polar electrostatic chuck for clamping a substrate and controlling a heat transfer associated therewith, the electrostatic chuck comprising: a clamping plate, the clamping plate further comprising: a semiconductor plafform; a first electrically conductive layer formed over a top surface of the semiconductor plafform, wherein the first electrically conductive layer comprises a plurality of portions, wherein the plurality of portions are generally electrically isolated from one another, therein defining a plurality of poles associated with the electrostatic chuck; and a plurality of electrically insulative protrusions formed over the first electrically conductive layer, the plurality of protrusions extending a first distance from a top surface of the first electrically conductive layer, wherein the plurality of protrusions are operable to generally contact the substrate, therein defining a protrusion contact area that is entirely electrically insulative, and wherein the plurality of protrusions generally define a plurality of gaps therebetween having a second distance associated therewith; a base plate operable to transfer thermal energy from the substrate through the clamping plate; and a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to the respective plurality of portions of the first electrically conductive layer, wherein the plurality of electrodes are further operable to be connected to a voltage source.