Stage device and exposure apparatus

• US 6,721,041 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/314,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20030128350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/67, 355/72-76, 356/399-401, 356/359, 356/363, 356/500, 250/548
• US Class Current: 355/72
• 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

Abstract

A stage device includes a first stationary member, a second stationary member, a moving member and positioning devices. The first stationary member extends in a first direction. The second stationary member extends in the first direction and is spaced apart from the first stationary member in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The moving member can cooperate with the first stationary member and with the second stationary member. The positioning devices selectively position the moving member into cooperation with one of the first and second stationary members without physically contacting the moving member with the first and second stationary members. In addition, a stage device provided with a moving member that can move within a two-dimensional plane having a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction includes a first stationary member and a second stationary member. The first stationary member extends in the first direction and is supported at a first position in a third direction that is perpendicular to the two-dimensional plane. The second stationary member extends in the first direction and is supported at a second position in the third direction, different from the first position. The moving member has a first part that can cooperate with the first stationary member, and a second part that can cooperate with the second stationary member. When two stages are replaced, generation of a positional shift on an object on the stages is prevented, and separate processing can be performed simultaneously with respect to objects on the stages.

Claims

1. A stage device comprising:

a first movable stage that moves in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction, the first movable stage having a first reflective portion extending in the first direction, a second reflective portion parallel to the first reflective portion, and a first reference mark portion;

a first position detector that detects a position of the first movable stage cooperating with the first reflective portion;

a first mark detector that detects the first reference mark portion when the first position detector detects the position of the first movable stage;

a second position detector that detects a position of the first movable stage cooperating with the second reflective portion;

a second mark detector that detects the first reference mark portion when the second position detector detects the position of the first movable stage; and

a controller that communicates with the first position detector, the second position detector, the first mark detector, and the second mark detector to correlate the first position detector with the second position detector.

2. A stage device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first mark detector and the second mark detector detects the first reference mark portion optically.

3. A stage device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first position detector and the second position detector comprises an interferometer system.

4. A stage device according to claim 1, further comprising a second movable stage that moves in the first direction and the second direction, the second movable stage having a third reflective portion extending in the first direction, a fourth reflective portion parallel to the third reflective portion, and a second reference mark portion.

5. A stage device according to claim 4, further comprising a replacer that replaces the first and second movable stages with respect to the first and second position detectors.

6. A stage device according to claim 5, wherein the first mark detector detects the second reference mark portion when the first position detector detects a position of the second movable stage cooperating with the third reflective portion.

7. A stage device according to claim 5, wherein the second mark detector detects the second reference mark portion when the second position detector detects a position of the second movable stage cooperating with the fourth reflective portion.

8. A stage device according to claim 4, wherein the second movable stage is a cantilevered stage.

9. A stage device according to claim 1, wherein the first movable stage is a cantilevered stage.

10. An exposure apparatus comprising:

a first movable stage that moves in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction, the first movable stage holding a first substrate and having a first reflective portion extending in the first direction, a second reflective portion parallel to the first reflective portion, and a first reference mark portion;

a first position detector that detects a position of the first movable stage cooperating with the first reflective portion;

a first mark detector that detects the first reference mark portion when the first position detector detects the position of the first movable stage;

a second position detector that detects a position of the first movable stage cooperating with the second reflective portion;

a second mark detector that detects the first reference mark portion when the second position detector detects the position of the first movable stage;

a projection system that associates with the second mark detector to project a pattern onto a first substrate; and

a controller that communicates with the first position detector, the second position detector, the first mark detector, and the second mark detector to correlate the first position detector with the second position detector.

11. An exposure apparatus according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the first mark detector and the second mark detector detects the first reference mark portion optically.

12. An exposure apparatus according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the first position detector and the second position detector comprises an interferometer system.

13. An exposure apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a second movable stage that moves in the first direction and the second direction, the second movable stage holding a second substrate and having a third reflective portion extending in the first direction, a fourth reflective portion parallel to the third reflective portion, and a second reference mark portion.

14. An exposure apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a replacer that replaces the first and second movable stages with respect to the first and second position detectors.

15. An exposure apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the first mark detector detects the second reference mark portion when the first position detector detects a position of the second movable stage cooperating with the third reflective portion.

16. An exposure apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the second mark detector detects the second reference mark portion when the second position detector detects a position of the second movable stage cooperating with the fourth reflective portion.

17. An exposure apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the second movable stage is a cantilevered stage.