Support Apparatus, Stage Apparatus, Exposure Apparatus, And Device Manufacturing Method

• US 20080013060A1
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Yuichi, Ichinose, Go
• Application Number:
  US11/632,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20080013060A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/025 Hydrostatic or aerostatic this type of bearing for rotary parts F16C32/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0614 the gas being supplied under pressure, e.g. aerostatic bearings
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• 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: G03F 7/70816 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: G12B 5/00 Adjusting position or attitude, e.g. level, of instruments or other apparatus, or of parts thereof levels per se G01C9/00; Compensating for the effects of tilting or acceleration, e.g. for optical apparatus

Abstract

A support apparatus, a stage apparatus, an exposure apparatus, etc. are proposed that can increase response of a relative movement between a piston and a cylinder, etc. are proposed. There is provided a support apparatus including: a cylinder portion; a piston portion that is provided inside the cylinder portion and is movable in a Z direction; a fluid bearing formed in at least a portion between an inner wall of the cylinder portion and an outer wall of the piston portion, the support apparatus supporting a supported member in the Z direction with respect to a support member by means of a biasing force generated by the cylinder portion and the piston portion, in which fluids are supplied independently inside the fluid bearing and the cylinder.

Claims

1. A support apparatus comprising:

a cylinder portion;

a piston portion that is provided inside the cylinder portion and is movable in a first direction;

a fluid bearing formed in at least a portion between an inner wall of the cylinder portion and an outer wall of the piston portion, the support apparatus supporting a supported member in the first direction with respect to a support member by means of a biasing force generated by the cylinder portion and the piston portion,

wherein first and second fluids are supplied independently inside the fluid bearing and the cylinder, respectively.

2. The support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first supply apparatus that supplies the first fluid inside the cylinder portion; and

a second supply apparatus that supplies the second fluid to the fluid bearing, wherein a pressure of the first fluid supplied from the first supply apparatus and a pressure of the second fluid supplied from the second supply apparatus are different from each other.

3. The support apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a pressure chamber provided inside the cylinder portion, wherein the first supply apparatus supplies the first fluid to the pressure chamber.

4. The support apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pressure chamber is provided independently of the cylinder portion and has an outer envelope extendable in the first direction.

5. The support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the piston portion is connected with the outer envelope.

6. The support apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a reduction mechanism is provided that reduces an interference between the first fluid in the pressure chamber and the second fluid supplied to the fluid bearing.

7. The support apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the first and second fluids are prevented from moving between the pressure chamber and the fluid bearing.

8. The support apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a pressure release portion connected with the pressure chamber and the fluid bearing.

9. The support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fluid bearing has a porous body provided on at least either one of the inner wall of the cylinder portion and the outer wall of the piston portion, and the second supply apparatus supplies the second fluid to the porous body.

10. The support apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

an intermediate member located on one end of the piston portion and inclinable with respect to a plane that intersects the first direction; and

a second fluid bearing formed between the piston portion and the intermediate member,

wherein the second bearing is supplied with the first fluid and/or the second fluid from at least either one of the first supply apparatus and the second supply apparatus.

11. The support apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the intermediate member has a support plane that supports a support member or a supported member, and a relative movement is allowed between the support member or the supported member and the support plane with respect to a direction that intersects the first direction.

12. The support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder portion is connected with the support member.

13. The support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder portion is connected with the supported member.

14. The support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an actuator that generates a force substantially parallel with the first direction is provided between the support member or the supported member and the cylinder portion.

15. A stage apparatus, comprising:

a first member; and

a second member that is supported movably with respect to the first member by at least one support apparatus,

wherein the support apparatus is a support apparatus according to claim 1, and

the second member includes at least a part of the supported member.

16. A stage apparatus movable on a base with a guide face, comprising a support apparatus according to claim 13,

the stage apparatus being supported on the base by means of the support apparatus.

17. An exposure apparatus comprising:

a mask stage with a mask; and

a substrate stage that holds a substrate, the exposure apparatus exposing a pattern formed on the mask onto the substrate,

wherein the stage apparatus according to claim 15 is used for at least either one of the mask stage and the substrate stage.

18. A device manufacturing method comprising a lithography process, wherein the exposure apparatus according to claim 17 is used in the lithography process.