Positioning system and method and apparatus for device manufacture

• US 5,858,587 A
• Filed: 02/16/1996
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Akutsu, Kotaro, Yamane, Yukio, Osanai, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): ROSASCO, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US08/602,460
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 430/22, 430/5, 384/9, 108/143, 356/401, 355/53
• US Class Current: 430/22
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2370/20 Optical, e.g. movable lenses or mirrors; Spectacles
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/025 Hydrostatic or aerostatic this type of bearing for rotary parts F16C32/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0618 via porous material
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68 for positioning, orientation or alignment

Abstract

A positioning system wherein a holding surface for holding a substrate is movable relative to a base in directions of X, Y and Z axes and in rotational directions about the X, Y and Z axes, wherein there are plural guiding devices associated respectively with motions in the directions of X, Y and Z axes and in the rotational directions about the X, Y and Z axes, respectively, and wherein each guiding device comprises a non-contact static bearing device.

Claims

1. A positioning system for moving a holding surface for holding a substrate relative to a base, comprising:

an X-Y stage disposed on the base and being movable in directions of X and Y axes; and

a θ

-Z-T stage having said holding surface and disposed on said X-Y stage, said θ

-Z-T stage being movable in a direction of a Z axis and in rotational directions about the X, Y and Z axes, respectively,

wherein said X-Y stage includes a plurality of non-contact static bearings for providing guiding in the directions of X and Y axes, and a plurality of linear motors for moving said θ

-Z-T stage in the directions of X and Y axes, and

wherein said θ

-Z-T stage includes a plurality of non-contact static bearings for providing guiding in the direction of the Z axis and in the rotational directions about the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively, and a plurality of linear motors for moving the holding surface in the direction of the Z axis and in the rotational directions about the X, Y, and Z axes, such that positioning along all the six axes can be performed in non-contact positioning.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein those of said plurality of non-contact static bearings for providing guiding in the direction of the Z axis and in the rotational directions about the X, Y and X axes, respectively, comprise cylindrical static bearings, respectively.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said θ

-Z-T stage is provided with driving means which comprises at least three actuating elements supported by said X-Y stage.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said X-Y stage comprises (i) a Y stage movable along a Y-axis static guiding surface provided on said base, (ii) Y-stage driving means for moving said Y-stage, (iii) an X stage movable with said Y stage and movable along an X-axis static guiding surface provided on said Y stage, and (iv) X-stage driving means for moving said X stage, wherein said X-stage and said Y stage are supported, individually, on said base by static bearing means, with respect to the direction of the Z axis.

5. A device manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a device by moving a holding surface for holding a substrate relative to a base, comprising:

an X-Y stage disposed on the base and being movable in directions of X and Y axes; and

a θ

-Z-T stage having said holding surface and disposed on said X-Y stage, said θ

-Z-T stage being movable in a direction of a Z axis and in rotational directions about the X, Y and Z axes, respectively;

wherein said X-Y stage includes a plurality of non-contact static bearings for providing guiding the directions of X and Y axes, and a plurality of linear motors for moving said θ

-Z-T stage in the directions of X and Y axes, and

wherein said θ

-Z-T stage includes a plurality of non-contact static bearings for providing guiding in the direction of the Z axis and in the rotational directions about the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively, and a plurality of linear motors for moving the holding surface in the direction of the Z axis and in the rotational directions about the X, Y, and Z axes, such that positioning along all the six axes can be performed in non-contact positioning; and

means for performing a device manufacturing process on the substrate held on the holding surface, guided by said plurality of non-contact static bearings, and moved by the plurality of linear motors.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said static bearing means comprises a porous throttling type bearing.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, further characterized by plural driving means associated respectively with motions in the directions of X, Y and Z axes and in the rotational directions about the X, Y and Z axes, respectively, wherein each driving means comprises a linear motor.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein those of said plurality of non-contact static bearings for providing guiding in the direction of the Z axis and in the rotational directions about the X, Y and Z axes, respectively, comprise cylindrical static bearings, respectively.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said θ

-Z-T stage is provided with driving means which comprises at least three actuating elements supported by said X-Y stage.

10. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said X-Y stage comprises (i) a Y stage movable along a Y-axis static guiding surface provided on said base, (ii) Y-stage driving means for moving said Y stage, (iii) an X stage movable with said Y stage and movable along an X-axis static guiding surface provided on said Y stage, and (iv) X-stage driving means for moving said X stage, wherein said X stage and said Y stage are supported, individually, on said base by static bearing means, with respect to the direction of the Z axis.

11. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said static bearing means has a guiding surface with a surface roughness not greater than 1s (1 micron).

12. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said static bearing means comprises a porous material having a permeability not greater than 5×

10^-16 and a porosity coefficient not greater than 20%.