Following stage planar motor

• US 20030111912A1
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Binnard, Michael, Yuan, Bausan
• Granted Patent: US 6,927,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/12
• 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 7/70758 Drive means, e.g. actuators, motors for long- or short-stroke modules or fine or coarse driving
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/682 Mask-wafer alignment in general G03F7/70, G03F9/70
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2201/18 Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/031 of the permanent magnet type

Abstract

In electric motor assemblies, separating the x and y coils may achieve significant advantages. An advantageous design includes pairs of interacting magnet array/coil arrays. Separated coil arrays are provided, with a coil array on an arm connected to a following stage, and another coil array on a stage base (the stage being one to which is attached magnet arrays). Positioning devices, moving magnet motor assemblies, moving coil motor assemblies, and methods of driving a stage are provided. By differential driving and creation of torques about the x and y axes, a stage may be driven in six independent degrees of freedom.

Claims

1. A stage assembly comprising:

a first motor that includes a first part and a second part, the first motor producing a first force;

a second motor that includes a first part and a second part, the second motor producing a second force;

a base to which the first part of the first motor is attached;

a stage to which is attached the second part of the first motor and the second part of the second motor, the stage moving relative to the base by at least one of the first force and the second force; and

a second stage to which the first part of the second motor is attached;

wherein the base and the second stage are different respective bodies.

2. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein the first part of the first motor and the second part of the first motor interacts with each other to produce the first force and the first part of the second motor and the second part of the second motor interact with each other to produce the second force.

3. The stage assembly of claim 1, including (a) two of the first parts of the first motor;

(b) two of the first parts of the second motor;

or (c) two first parts of the first motor and two first parts of the second motor.

4. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein the base and the second stage are isolated from each other.

5. The stage assembly of claim 4, wherein at least one of the base and the second stage is connected to ground via a reaction frame.

6. The stage assembly of claim 4, wherein at least one of the base and the stage base is a countermass.

7. The stage assembly of claim 4, further comprising an actuator connected to the base, the actuator moving the base.

8. The stage assembly of claim 1, having at least two stages.

9. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein

one of the first part and the second part of the first motor comprises a magnet member and the other part comprises a coil member;

and

one of the first part and the second part of the second motor comprises a magnet member and the other part comprises a coil member.

10. The stage assembly of claim 9, wherein at least one magnet member of the first motor and the second motor is planar and/or at least one coil member of the first motor and the second motor is planar.

11. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein the direction of the first force is different from the direction of the second force.

12. The stage assembly of claim 1, further comprising a levitation device that supports a part of weight of the stage.

13. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein the second stage is movable along the same direction of the first force.

14. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first motor and the second motor includes a pair of the motors and produces torque about the Z axis that is perpendicular to a guide surface of the base.

15. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first motor and the second motor produces a third force, the direction of the third force being perpendicular to a guide surface of the base.

16. The stage assembly of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first motor and the second motor produces torque about the X and Y axes.

17. The stage assembly of claim 15, wherein the stage is movable in six degrees of freedom by the first motor and the second motor.

18. A stage assembly comprising:

a first motor that includes a first part and a second part, the first motor producing a first force;

a second motor that includes a first part and a second part, the second motor producing a second force;

a base to which the first part of the first motor is attached;

a stage to which is attached the second part of the first motor and the second part of the second motor, the stage moving relative to the base by at least one of the first force and the second force; and

the first part of the second motor being attached to a second body that is different from the base.

19. A method for driving a stage, comprising

driving the stage by (a) a first force produced by a first motor including a first part and a second part that interacts with the first part;

and (b) a second force produced by a second motor including a first part and a second part that interacts with the first part of the second motor,

with the first part of the first motor and the first part of the second motor being separate,

wherein the first part of the first motor is attached to a base that supports the stage and the first part of the second motor is attached to a different body from the base.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein at least one of the first motor and the second motor includes a pair of the motors and produces torque about the Z axis that is perpendicular to a guide surface of the base.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first motor and the second motor produces a third force, the direction of the third force being perpendicular to a guide surface of the base.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein at least one of the first motor and the second motor produces torque about the X and Y axes.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the stage is movable in six independent degrees of freedom by the first motor and the second motor.

24. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an illumination system that irradiates radiant energy; and

an apparatus comprising;

a first motor that includes a first part and a second part, the first motor producing a first force;

a second motor that includes a first part and a second part, the second motor producing a second force;

a base to which the first part of the first motor is attached;

a stage to which is attached the second part of the first motor and the second part of the second motor, the stage moving relative to the base by at least one of the first force and the second force; and

a second stage to which the first part of the second motor is attached,

wherein the base and the second stage are different respective bodies;

the apparatus disposing an object on a path of the radiant energy.

25. A device manufactured with the exposure apparatus of claim 24.

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