Method for producing electrostatic chuck and electrostatic chuck

1. A method for producing an electrostatic chuck, comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a ceramic slurry in a molding die, the ceramic slurry containing a ceramic powder, a solvent, a dispersing agent, and a gelling agent, gelatinizing the ceramic slurry by a chemical reaction induced by the gelling agent in the molding die, and removing the molding die to obtain a first ceramic molded body and a second ceramic molded body;

(b) drying, debinding, and then calcining the first and second ceramic molded bodies to obtain a first ceramic calcined body and a second ceramic calcined body;

(c) printing an electrostatic electrode paste on a surface of one of the first and second ceramic calcined bodies to form an electrostatic electrode while assuming the first ceramic calcined body is to form a dielectric layer of an electrostatic chuck; and

(d) superposing the first and second ceramic calcined bodies on each other so as to sandwich the electrostatic electrode and subjecting the first and second calcined bodies in such a state to hot-press firing so as to prepare a ceramic sintered body,

wherein the difference between a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness of the dielectric layer is 60 μm or less, and

wherein ceramic grains constituting the dielectric layer have an average grain size of 0.7 to 1.2 μm and a ratio of the number of grains having a grain size equal to or less than the average grain size to the number of all grains is 60% or more.

2. The method for producing an electrostatic chuck according to claim 1 , wherein

in step (a), a third ceramic molded body is prepared as with the first and second ceramic molded bodies;

in step (b), a third ceramic calcined body is prepared as with the first and second ceramic calcined bodies;

in step (c), a heater electrode paste is printed on a surface of one of the second and third ceramic calcined bodies to form a heater electrode; and

in step (d), the first and second ceramic calcined bodies are superposed on each other so as to sandwich the electrostatic electrode, the second and third ceramic calcined bodies are superposed on each other so as to sandwich the heater electrode, and the first to third calcined bodies in such a state are subjected to hot-press firing to prepare a ceramic sintered body.

3. A method for producing an electrostatic chuck, comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a ceramic slurry in a molding die, the ceramic slurry containing a ceramic powder, a solvent, a dispersing agent, and a gelling agent, gelatinizing the ceramic slurry by a chemical reaction induced by the gelling agent in the molding die, and removing the molding die to obtain a first ceramic molded body and a second ceramic molded body;

(b) printing an electrostatic electrode paste on a surface of one of the first and second ceramic molded bodies to form an electrostatic electrode while assuming the first ceramic molded body is to form a dielectric layer of an electrostatic chuck;

(c) drying, debinding, and calcining the first and second ceramic molded bodies to obtain a first ceramic calcined body and a second ceramic calcined body; and

(d) superposing the first and second ceramic calcined bodies on each other so as to sandwich the electrostatic electrode and subjecting the first and second calcined bodies in such a state to hot-press firing so as to prepare a ceramic sintered body,

wherein the difference between a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness of the dielectric layer is 60 μm or less, and

wherein ceramic grains constituting the dielectric layer have an average grain size of 0.7 to 1.2 μm and a ratio of the number of grains having a grain size equal to or less than the average grain size to the number of all grains is 60% or more.

4. The method for producing an electrostatic chuck according to claim 3 , wherein

in step (a), a third ceramic molded body is prepared as with the first and second ceramic molded bodies;

in step (b), a heater electrode paste is printed on a surface of one of the second and third ceramic molded bodies to form a heater electrode;

in step (c), the third ceramic molded body is dried, debound, and calcined as with the first and second ceramic molded bodies so as to prepare a third ceramic calcined body; and

in step (d), the first and second ceramic calcined bodies are superposed on each other so as to sandwich the electrostatic electrode, the second and third ceramic calcined bodies are superposed on each other so as to sandwich the heater electrode, and the first to third calcined bodies in such a state are subjected to hot-press firing to prepare a ceramic sintered body.

5. The method for producing an electrostatic chuck according to claim 1 ,

wherein, in step (a), a mixture of alumina and MgF 2 serving as a sintering aid is used as the ceramic powder,

in step (d), temperature of the hot-press firing is set within a range of 1120° C. to 1300° C.

6. The method for producing an electrostatic chuck according to claim 2 ,

wherein, in step (a), a mixture of alumina and MgF 2 serving as a sintering aid is used as the ceramic powder,

in step (d), temperature of the hot-press firing is set within a range of 1120° C. to 1300° C.

7. The method for producing an electrostatic chuck according to claim 3 ,

wherein, in step (a), a mixture of alumina and MgF 2 serving as a sintering aid is used as the ceramic powder,

in step (d), temperature of the hot-press firing is set within a range of 1120° C. to 1300° C.

8. The method for producing an electrostatic chuck according to claim 4 ,

wherein, in step (a), a mixture of alumina and MgF 2 serving as a sintering aid is used as the ceramic powder,

in step (d), temperature of the hot-press firing is set within a range of 1120° C. to 1300° C.

9. The method for producing an electrostatic chuck according to claim 1 , wherein the ceramic powder used in step (a) has an average particle diameter of 0.4 to 0.6 μm.

10. The method for producing an electrostatic chuck according to claim 2 , wherein the ceramic powder used in step (a) has an average particle diameter of 0.4 to 0.6 μm.

11. The method for producing an electrostatic chuck according to claim 3 , wherein the ceramic powder used in step (a) has an average particle diameter of 0.4 to 0.6 μm.

12. The method for producing an electrostatic chuck according to claim 4 , wherein the ceramic powder used in step (a) has an average particle diameter of 0.4 to 0.6 μm.

13. A sintered electrostatic chuck including a dielectric layer, wherein the difference between a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness of the dielectric layer is 60 μm or less, and wherein ceramic grains constituting the dielectric layer have an average grain size of 0.7 to 1.2 μm and a ratio of the number of grains having a grain size equal to or less than the average grain size to the number of all grains is 60% or more.

14. The electrostatic chuck according to claim 13 , wherein the dielectric layer is an alumina ceramic body.

15. The electrostatic chuck according to claim 14 , wherein the alumina ceramic body contains Mg.

16. An electrostatic chuck including a dielectric layer, wherein the difference between a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness of the dielectric layer is 60 μm or less, wherein ceramic grains constituting the dielectric layer have an average grain size of 0.7 to 1.2 μm and a ratio of the number of grains having a grain size equal to or less than the average grain size to the number of all grains is 60% or more, and wherein the dielectric layer is formed by gel casting, followed by sintering.