Electrostatic holding apparatus and method of producing the same

Abstract

There is disclosed an electrostatic holding apparatus in which a voltage is applied to an electrode formed of a conductive layer disposed on an insulator layer and covered with an insulating dielectric layer in order to cause the insulating dielectric layer to electrostatically attract an object. The electrostatic holding apparatus is formed of a sintered body in which a thermal expansion mitigating layer is disposed between the insulating dielectric layer and the conductive layer and/or between the conductive layer and the insulator layer. The insulating dielectric layer, the conductive layer, the insulator layer, and the thermal expansion mitigating layer are superposed and press-formed in an unfired state to obtain a green body, which is then sintered to obtain the sintered body. An insulating dielectric layer, a conductive layer and an insulator layer are united while differences in coefficient of thermal expansion among these layers are minimized in order to prevent generation of inter-layer delamination, cracks, and the like, and in order to prevent generation of distortion or warping on the electrostatic attraction surface to thereby increase the electrostatic attraction force. Further, the electrostatic holding apparatus has an excellent capability of allowing removal of an object at the time of stopping application of voltage and an increased withstand voltage.