Tray for transporting wafers and method for fixing wafers onto the tray

Abstract

A tray for transporting a wafer is herein provided, which can control the temperature of the wafer upon the processing thereof, and which can easily fix the wafer without reducing the effective area on the surface of the wafer and without requiring much time for the adhesion of the wafer thereto and without requiring any post-treatment after the wafer is detached from or attached to the tray. The trayis one which comprises a base body consisting of an insulating material and an electrostatic chuck electrodeembedded in the base body, wherein the terminal at a load-dispatching or power supply portion for energizing the electrostatic chuck electrode is a spring-type terminal, the spring-type terminal is so designed that the tip of the same can come in touch with the electrostatic chuck electrode, and further the tray is so designed that a sealing memberis provided at the periphery of the load-dispatching portion so that any heat-exchanging medium never passes around the contact portion or area between the tip of the spring-type terminal and the electrostatic chuck electrode and that the tray can thus fixe the wafer S thereto through the electrostatic chucking. Thus, the wafer is fixed to this wafer-transporting tray by the action of the electrostatic chucking.