Guideless stage with isolated reaction stage
DCFirst Claim
1. A stage assembly comprising:
- a base;
a stage slidably movable on the base;
a reaction frame laterally surrounding the stage and supported independently of the base;
a first follower frame slidably movable on the reaction frame in a first direction; and
a second follower frame slidably movable on the reaction frame in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
wherein the stage is slidably movable along the first follower frame in the second direction and along the second follower frame in the first direction.
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Abstract
A guideless stage for aligning a wafer in a microlithography system is disclosed, and a reaction frame is disclosed which isolates both external vibrations as well as vibrations caused by reaction forces from an object stage. In the guideless stage an object stage is disclosed for movement in at least two directions and two separate and independently movable followers move and follow the object stage and cooperating linear force actuators are mounted on the object stage and the followers for positioning the object stage in the first and second directions. The reaction frame is mounted on a base structure independent of the base for the object stage so that the object stage is supported in space independent of the reaction frame. At least one follower is disclosed having a pair of arms which are respectively movable in a pair of parallel planes with the center of gravity of the object stage therebetween. The linear positioning forces of the actuator drive means are mounted and controlled so that the vector sum of the moments of force at the center of gravity of the object stage due to the positioning forces of the drive means is substantially equal to zero. The actuator mounting means can include at least two thin flexible members mounted in series with the primary direction of flex of the members being orthogonal to one another.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A stage assembly comprising:
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a base; a stage slidably movable on the base; a reaction frame laterally surrounding the stage and supported independently of the base; a first follower frame slidably movable on the reaction frame in a first direction; and a second follower frame slidably movable on the reaction frame in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; wherein the stage is slidably movable along the first follower frame in the second direction and along the second follower frame in the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of positioning a stage on a base, comprising the steps of:
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slidably driving the stage along each of two orthogonally arranged follower frames; slidably driving both the follower frames relative to the base; and supporting the follower frames independently of the base, thereby isolating the stage from reaction forces caused by the steps of driving.
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10. An exposure apparatus for projecting a predetermined pattern image formed by a projection system onto a surface of a substrate supported on a stage member which is movable in two directions, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a base member for supporting said stage member to move in first and second directions on said base member; (b) a column structure for holding said projection system and said base member together; (c) an isolation assembly for supporting said column structure on a foundation; (d) a reaction frame structure disposed around said base member and supported on said foundation independently from said isolation assembly; (e) a first drive actuator for supplying a driving force to said stage member without contact, to move said stage member in the first direction on said base member, said first drive actuator being mounted to said reaction frame structure movably in the second direction; and (f) a second drive actuator for moving said first drive actuator in the second direction on said reaction frame structure so as to follow movement of said stage member in the second direction on said base member. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification