Stage device, exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing devices

• US 20090122293A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,152,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/73
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70058 Mask illumination systems
• 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 7/70766 Reaction force control means, e.g. countermass
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68 for positioning, orientation or alignment

Abstract

A stage device includes a stage and a frame-shaped member that move in three degrees of freedom directions in a two-dimensional plane while floating above a surface plate. The stage also holds an object. First fixed elements and second fixed elements are fitted to the frame-shaped member, and cooperate with first movable elements and second movable elements to generate drive forces to drive the stage in the two-dimensional plane. A reaction force generated by the driving of the stage acts on the first and/or second fixed elements, and causes the frame-shaped member to move in the two-dimensional plane. Because the reaction force caused by the movement of the stage is substantially completely cancelled, and because the movement of a center of gravity of a system including the stage and the frame-shaped member does not occur, no unbalanced load acts on the surface plate.

Claims

1. A stage device comprising:

a supporting plate;

a slider that holds an object while floating above the supporting plate and that is movable along the supporting plate; and

a drive mechanism that generates a drive force in a first axis direction and that includes first and second pairs of movable elements that are arranged symmetrically with respect to a neutral plane of the slider, the first pair of movable elements located on a first side relative to a second axis direction perpendicular to the first axis direction of an area where the object of the slider is mounted, and the second pair of movable elements located on a second side relative to the second axis direction of the area where the object of the slider is mounted, the drive mechanism further comprising first and second pairs of stators that in cooperation with the first and second pairs of movable elements each generate the drive force in the first axis direction.

2. The stage device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first and second pairs of stators are arranged symmetrically with respect to the neutral plane of the slider.

3. The stage device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

a gas hydrostatic pressure bearing is provided on the slider over an entire area extending in the first axis direction from a first extension that extends in the first axis direction on one side of the slider to a second extension that extends in the first axis direction on the other side of the slider;

and

a pressurized gas is supplied to the gas hydrostatic pressure bearing from the supporting plate without passing through piping.

4. An exposure apparatus that synchronously moves a mask and a photosensitive object in a predetermined direction and transfers a pattern formed on the mask onto the photosensitive object, comprising:

an illumination unit that illuminates the mask with illumination light;

the stage device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mask is mounted on the slider as the object; and

a projection optical system that projects the illumination light emitted from the mask onto the photosensitive object.

5. A method of manufacturing a device using a lithographic process that includes a step of exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus as set forth in claim 4.