Multiple stage, stage assembly having independent reaction force transfer

• US 20020117109A1
• Filed: 02/27/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Keiichi, Hazelton, Andrew J.
• Application Number:
  US09/796,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20020117109A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/620
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70708 being electrostatic; Electrostatically deformable vacuum chucks
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70733 Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

A stage assembly (10) for independently moving and positioning a first device (26A) and a second device (26A) in an operation area (25) is provided herein. The stage assembly (10) includes a stage base (12), a first stage (14), a first mover assembly (15), a second stage (16), and a second mover assembly (18). The first mover assembly (15) moves the first stage (14) and the first device (26A) into the operational area (25) and the second mover assembly (18) moves the second stage (16) and the second device (26B) into the operational area (25). The present stage assembly (10) reduces and minimizes the amount of reaction forces and disturbances that are transferred between the stages (14), (16). This improves the positioning performance of the stage assembly (10). Further, for an exposure apparatus (30), this allows for more accurate positioning of two semiconductor wafers (28) relative to a reticle (32) or some other reference.

Claims

1. A stage assembly that independently moves a first device and a second device into an operational area, the stage assembly comprising:

a first stage that retains the first device;

a first mover assembly that moves the first stage and the first device into the operational area, the first mover assembly generating first reaction forces; and

a second stage that retains the second device and moves the second device into the operational area, the second stage being uncoupled from at least a portion of the first reaction forces.

2. The stage assembly of claim 1 wherein the second stage is uncoupled from substantially all of the first reaction forces.

3. The stage assembly of claim 1 further comprising a second mover assembly that moves the second stage and the second device into the operational area.

4. The stage assembly of claim 3 wherein the second mover assembly generates second reaction forces and the first stage is uncoupled from at least a portion of the second reaction forces.

5. The stage assembly of claim 4 wherein the second stage is uncoupled from substantially all of the first reaction forces and wherein the first stage is uncoupled from substantially all of the second reaction forces.

6. The stage assembly of claim 3 further comprising a first reaction frame assembly and a second reaction frame assembly, wherein the first mover assembly is coupled to the first reaction frame assembly and the second mover assembly is coupled to the second reaction frame assembly.

7. The stage assembly of claim 6 wherein the first reaction frame assembly is free to move with at least one degree of freedom and the second reaction frame assembly is free to move with at least one degree of freedom.

8. The stage assembly of claim 6 wherein the first mover assembly includes a first X mover system that moves the first stage along an X axis, the first X mover system being coupled to the first reaction frame assembly and wherein the second mover assembly includes a second X mover system that moves the second stage along the X axis, the second X mover assembly being coupled to the second reaction frame assembly.

9. The stage assembly of claim 8 wherein (i) the first mover assembly includes a first Y mover that moves the first stage along a Y axis, the first Y mover being coupled to the first reaction frame assembly and (ii) the second mover assembly includes a second Y mover that moves the second stage along the Y axis, the second Y mover being coupled to the second reaction frame assembly.

10. The stage assembly of claim 8 wherein the first X mover system includes a left first X mover and a right first X mover and the second X mover system includes a left second X mover and a right second X mover.

11. The stage assembly of claim 10 wherein the left first X mover is positioned below the left second X mover.

12. The stage assembly of claim 11 wherein the right first X mover is positioned above the right second X mover.

13. The stage assembly of claim 10 wherein the left first X mover is positioned substantially between the second X movers.

14. The stage assembly of claim 13 wherein the right second X mover is positioned substantially between the first X movers.

15. The stage assembly of claim 10 wherein the first reaction frame assembly includes a left first reaction frame and a right first reaction frame and wherein the left first X mover is secured to the left first reaction frame and the right first X mover is secured to the right first reaction frame.

16. The stage assembly of claim 15 wherein the second reaction frame assembly includes a left second reaction frame and a right second reaction frame and wherein the left second X mover is secured to the left second reaction frame and the right second X mover is secured to the right second reaction frame.

17. The stage assembly of claim 3 wherein the first mover assembly includes a left first X mover and a right first X mover and wherein the second mover assembly includes a left second X mover and a right second X mover.

18. The stage assembly of claim 17 further comprising a left common reaction component and wherein (i) the left first X mover includes a moving component that interacts with the left common reaction component and (ii) the left second X mover includes a moving component that interacts with the left common reaction component.

19. The stage assembly of claim 18 wherein the left common reaction component includes a plurality of spaced apart left component segments and wherein the moving component of the left first X mover interacts with a different left component segment than the moving component of the left second X mover.

20. The stage assembly of claim 19 further comprising a left flexible support assembly that secures the left component segments to a left common reaction frame and attenuates vibration of the left component segments.

21. The stage assembly of claim 18 further comprising a right common reaction component and wherein (i) the right first X mover includes a moving component that interacts with the right common reaction component and (ii) the right second X mover includes a moving component that interacts with the right common reaction component.

22. The stage assembly of claim 21 wherein the right common reaction component includes a plurality of spaced apart right component segments and wherein the moving component of the right first X mover interacts with a different right component segment than the moving component of the right second X mover.

23. The stage assembly of claim 22 further comprising a right flexible support assembly that secures the right component segments to a right common reaction frame and attenuates vibration of the right component segments.

24. An exposure apparatus including the stage assembly of claim 1.

25. A device manufactured with the exposure apparatus according to claim 24.

26. A wafer on which an image has been formed by the exposure apparatus of claim 24.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of providing a second mover assembly that moves the second stage and the second device into the operational area, the second mover assembly generates second reaction forces and the first stage is uncoupled from at least a portion of the second reaction forces.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the steps of providing a first reaction frame assembly that is coupled to the first mover assembly, and providing a second reaction frame assembly that is coupled to the second reaction frame assembly.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of allowing the first reaction frame assembly to move with at least one degree of freedom.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of providing a first mover assembly includes providing a first X mover system that moves the first stage along an X axis, the first X mover system being coupled to the first reaction frame assembly, and wherein the step of providing a second mover assembly includes providing a second X mover system that moves the second stage along the X axis, the second X mover assembly being coupled to the second reaction frame assembly.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein (i) the step of providing a first mover assembly includes providing a first Y mover that moves the first stage along a Y axis, the first Y mover being coupled to the first reaction frame assembly and (ii) the step of providing a second mover assembly includes providing a second Y mover that moves the second stage along the Y axis, the second Y mover being coupled to the second reaction frame assembly.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of providing a first X mover system includes providing a left first X mover and a right first X mover and the step of providing a second X mover system includes providing a left second X mover and a right second X mover.

34. The method of claim 33 including the step of positioning the left first X mover below the left second X mover.

35. The method of claim 34 including the step of positioning the right first X mover above the right second X mover.

36. The method of claim 33 including the step of positioning the left first X mover substantially between the second X movers.

37. The method of claim 36 including the step of positioning the right second X mover substantially between the first X movers.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of providing a first reaction frame assembly includes providing a left first reaction frame and a right first reaction frame and wherein the left first X mover is secured to the left first reaction frame and the right first X mover is secured to the right first reaction frame.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of providing a second reaction frame assembly includes providing a left second reaction frame and a right second reaction frame and wherein the left second X mover is secured to the left second reaction frame and the right second X mover is secured to the right second reaction frame.

40. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of providing a first mover assembly includes providing a left first X mover and a right first X mover and wherein the step of providing second mover assembly includes providing a left second X mover and a right second X mover.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising the step of providing a left common reaction component and wherein (i) the left first X mover includes a moving component that interacts with the left common reaction component and (ii) the left second X mover includes a moving component that interacts with the left common reaction component.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of providing a left common reaction component includes providing a plurality of spaced apart left component segments and wherein the moving component of the left first X mover interacts with a different left component segment than the moving component of the left second X mover.

43. The method of claim 41 further comprising the step of providing a left flexible support assembly that secures the left component segments to a left common reaction frame, the left flexible support assembly attenuating vibration of the left component segments.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising the step of providing a right common reaction component and wherein (i) the right first X mover includes a moving component that interacts with the right common reaction component and (ii) the right second X mover includes a moving component that interacts with the right common reaction component.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a right common reaction component includes providing a plurality of spaced apart right component segments and wherein the moving component of the right first X mover interacts with a different right component segment than the moving component of the right second X mover.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of providing a right flexible support assembly that secures the right component segments to a right common reaction frame, the right flexible support assembly attenuating vibration of the right component segments.

47. A method for making an exposure apparatus that forms an image on a wafer, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an irradiation apparatus that irradiates the wafer with radiation to form the image on the wafer; and

providing the stage assembly made by the method of claim 27.

48. A method of making a wafer utilizing the exposure apparatus made by the method of claim 47.

49. A method of making a device including at least the exposure process:

wherein the exposure process utilizes the exposure apparatus made by the method of claim 47.

27. A method for making a stage assembly that independently moves a first device and a second device into an operational area, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first stage that retains the first device;

providing a first mover assembly that moves the first stage and the first device into the operational area, the first mover assembly generating first reaction forces; and

providing a second stage that retains the second device and moves the second device into the operational area, the second stage being uncoupled from at least a portion of the first reaction forces.