Aluminum Nitride (AlN) Ceramic Electrostatic Chuck

1.Advantages

• High-purity AlN ceramic with thermal conductivity up to ~180 W/m·K for efficient heat transfer and temperature uniformity

• Strong electrical insulation and high volume resistivity supporting stable clamping at 1–3 kV (higher voltages available)

• Custom dielectric layer materials and electrode layouts: Coulomb or Johnsen–Rahbek (JR); single or multi-zone

• Fast clamp and de-clamp performance, typically under 0.1 second

• Surface dimple microstructures down to ~300 μm diameter, reducing contact area to as low as ~1%

• High flatness capability; typical global flatness on the order of 0.5–3 μm PV for 300 mm class platforms

• Dense microstructure with near-zero water absorption and good chemical resistance for process environments

2.Typical Applications

Aluminum Nitride Ceramic Electrostatic Chucks are used in process steps that require both secure wafer holding and controlled thermal behavior:

• Dry plasma etch (ICP / RIE) and related chamber processes

• CVD, PEALD, thermal ALD, and other thin-film deposition stages

• Annealing and thermal process modules requiring uniform wafer temperature

• Inspection, metrology, and precision stages where low particle and stable clamping are critical

3.AlN Material Grades – Typical Properties

VeTek offers multiple Aluminum Nitride grades to balance thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, and cost for ESC designs:

Units: Thermal conductivity in W/(m·K); dielectric strength in kV/mm; volume resistivity in Ω·cm (25 °C); dielectric constant at 1 MHz. Values are typical and may vary with process and part geometry.

4.Typical ESC Design Parameters

5.Why Choose VeTek AlN Electrostatic Chucks?

VeTek Semiconductor integrates advanced AlN ceramics with precision ESC manufacturing for semiconductor customers who need both thermal performance and reliable clamping:

• Multiple AlN grades with thermal conductivity from ~90 to ~180 W/m·K to match process thermal budgets

• Flexible electrode and dielectric design for Coulomb or JR clamping behavior

• Tight control of flatness, surface microstructure, and electrical insulation performance

• Full lifecycle support: design, new build, and multi-level refurbishment

For etch, deposition, and thermal tools that depend on uniform wafer temperature and clean, repeatable clamping, VeTek Aluminum Nitride Ceramic Electrostatic Chucks provide a high-performance ceramic platform backed by application-focused engineering support.