Patent ID: 8600543

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling a temperature of a semiconductor wafer mounted on a stage that controls the temperature of the semiconductor wafer so as to reach a target temperature and for controlling an in-plane temperature distribution of the semiconductor wafer so as to reach a desired temperature distribution, the apparatus comprising: a low-temperature tank that stores a circulating liquid which is kept to be a low temperature lower than the target temperature: a high-temperature tank that stores the circulating liquid which is kept to be a high temperature higher than the target temperature: a plurality of zones which are formed at each region in the stage and whose temperatures are capable of being adjusted independently, the plurality of zones being each provided with a thermoelectric element in accordance with the size of a semiconductor wafer: an inside-stage flow channel which is formed inside the stage and into which the circulating liquid flows: a switching unit that selectively switches between a low-temperature circulating liquid and a high-temperature circulating liquid to supply to the inside-stage flow channel; each of temperature sensors provided in each of the plurality of zones in the stage; and control means that when the temperature of the semiconductor wafer is controlled to be the target temperature by raising the temperature of the semiconductor wafer, performs switching so that the high-temperature circulating liquid in the high-temperature tank is supplied into the inside-stage flow channel, and based on temperature detected by each of the temperature sensors, adjusts each of the thermoelectric elements provided in each of the zones to control each of the temperatures in each of the zones so that the temperature of the semiconductor wafer coincides with the target temperature and the in-plane temperature distribution of the semiconductor wafer becomes the desired temperature distribution, and when the temperature of the semiconductor wafer is controlled to be the target temperature by dropping the temperature of the semiconductor wafer, performs switching so that the low-temperature circulating liquid in the low-temperature tank is supplied into the inside-stage flow channel, and based on temperature detected by each of the temperature sensors, adjusts each of the thermoelectric elements provided in each of the zones to control each of the temperatures in each of the zones so that the temperature of the semiconductor wafer coincides with the target temperature and the in-plane temperature distribution of the semiconductor wafer becomes the desired temperature distribution.