The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an electrostatic chuck comprising: a base member of a metal material; and a dielectric layer, formed on an upper surface of the base member, including an electrode layer to the inside of which a DC power is applied. According to the present invention, the dielectric layer is formed of a ceramic material by using at least one selected from among a plasma spraying method and a sol-gel method, and thus can be provided with low porosity to increase in lifespan, and with high permittivity to increase in adhesion force to a substrate.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an electrostatic chuck comprising: a base member of a metal material; and a dielectric layer, formed on an upper surface of the base member, including an electrode layer to the inside of which a DC power is applied. According to the present invention, the dielectric layer is formed of a ceramic material by using at least one selected from among a plasma spraying method and a sol-gel method, and thus can be provided with low porosity to increase in lifespan, and with high permittivity to increase in adhesion force to a substrate.

A soft actuator, comprising: a deformable member having a base stiffness; one or more electroadhesive (EA) clutches, the one or more EA clutches being in mechanical communication with the deformable member, and the one or more EA clutches being configured to, when actuated, give rise to a region of relative stiffness within the actuator that is greater than the base stiffness. A method, comprising: in a soft actuator, actuating one or more EA clutches in mechanical communication with a deformable member having a base stiffness, the actuating being performed so as to give rise to one or more regions of relative stiffness within the soft actuator that is greater than the base stiffness; and effecting a bending force within the deformable member such that the deformable member attains a shape, the shape at least partially defined by the actuated one or more EA clutches.

A soft actuator, comprising: a deformable member having a base stiffness; one or more electroadhesive (EA) clutches, the one or more EA clutches being in mechanical communication with the deformable member, and the one or more EA clutches being configured to, when actuated, give rise to a region of relative stiffness within the actuator that is greater than the base stiffness. A method, comprising: in a soft actuator, actuating one or more EA clutches in mechanical communication with a deformable member having a base stiffness, the actuating being performed so as to give rise to one or more regions of relative stiffness within the soft actuator that is greater than the base stiffness; and effecting a bending force within the deformable member such that the deformable member attains a shape, the shape at least partially defined by the actuated one or more EA clutches.

Control for pixelated electrostatic adhesion can be provided by a voltage converter configured to increase an input voltage to an output voltage; a first gripping circuit, configured to selectively provide the output voltage at a first polarity to a first subset of electrodes of a plurality of electrodes; a second gripping circuit, configured to selectively provide the output voltage at a second polarity opposite to the first polarity to a second subset of electrodes of a plurality of electrodes that are associated with and different from the first subset of electrodes; a first release circuit, configured to selectively reverse the output voltage provided to the first subset of electrodes to the second polarity; and a second release circuit, configured to selectively reverse the output voltage provided to the second subset of electrodes to the first polarity.

Control for pixelated electrostatic adhesion can be provided by a voltage converter configured to increase an input voltage to an output voltage; a first gripping circuit, configured to selectively provide the output voltage at a first polarity to a first subset of electrodes of a plurality of electrodes; a second gripping circuit, configured to selectively provide the output voltage at a second polarity opposite to the first polarity to a second subset of electrodes of a plurality of electrodes that are associated with and different from the first subset of electrodes; a first release circuit, configured to selectively reverse the output voltage provided to the first subset of electrodes to the second polarity; and a second release circuit, configured to selectively reverse the output voltage provided to the second subset of electrodes to the first polarity.

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for non-invasive wafer chuck monitoring using a low voltage AC signal injected into a high voltage DC chucking voltage provided to a wafer chuck. Monitoring the injected signal can provide insight into the wafer chucking state and remedial actions, such as realignment of the wafer with the wafer chuck, can be carried out. Because of the low voltage nature of the AC signal, wafer chuck monitoring can be performed without influencing chucking performed by the higher voltage DC chucking voltage.

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for non-invasive wafer chuck monitoring using a low voltage AC signal injected into a high voltage DC chucking voltage provided to a wafer chuck. Monitoring the injected signal can provide insight into the wafer chucking state and remedial actions, such as realignment of the wafer with the wafer chuck, can be carried out. Because of the low voltage nature of the AC signal, wafer chuck monitoring can be performed without influencing chucking performed by the higher voltage DC chucking voltage.

An electrostatic chuck comprises a ceramic body comprising an embedded electrode and a first ceramic coating on a surface of the ceramic body, wherein the first ceramic coating fills pores in the ceramic body. The electrostatic chuck further comprises a second ceramic coating on the first ceramic coating and a plurality of elliptical mesas on the second ceramic coating, the plurality of elliptical mesas having rounded edges.

The present invention relates to an electrostatic chuck heater having a bipolar structure, the electrostatic chuck heater comprising: a heater body having an internal electrode and an external electrode for selectively performing any one of an RF grounding function and an electrostatic chuck function according to a semiconductor process mode; and a heater support mounted below the heater body so as to support the heater body.