Electromagnetic actuator having an armature coil surrounded by heat-conducting anisotropy material and exposure apparatus

• US 6,847,132 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ukaji, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Waks, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cuevas, Pedro J.
• Application Number:
  US10/183,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20030011254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 310/12, 310/16, 310/52, 310/58, 310/64
• US Class Current: 310/12.24
• 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 7/70858 Environment aspects, e.g. pressure of beam-path gas, temperature pollution aspects G03F7/70916
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/03 Synchronous motors; Motors moving step by step; Reluctance motors H02K41/035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/223 Heat bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/227 Heat sinks

Abstract

An electromagnetic actuator has a permanent magnet and an armature coil that performs relative movement with respect to the permanent magnet. A material having heat conduction anisotropy surrounds a surface of the armature coil and a heat radiating member radiates heat generated by the armature coil. The heat conduction anisotropic material is oriented to guide the heat generated from the armature coil to the heat radiating member. The actuator may be used in one or more groups of semiconductor substrate exposure apparatuses in a manufacturing factory that performs plural processes using the group of manufacturing apparatuses.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic actuator comprising:

a permanent magnet;

an armature coil for performing relative movement with respect to said permanent magnet;

a material having heat-conduction anisotropy that surrounds said armature coil, said material having a thermal conductivity in the lateral direction greater than a thermal conductivity in the longitudinal direction; and

a heat radiating member coupled to the heat-conduction anisotropic material for radiating heat generated by said armature coil.

2. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1, wherein said material having heat-conduction anisotropy is oriented so as to guide the heat generated from said armature coil to said heat radiating member.

3. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1, further comprising a material whose thermal conductivity is lower than thermal conductivity of said material having heat-conduction anisotropy in a direction of thickness, between said material having heat-conduction anisotropy and said armature coil.

4. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1, wherein said material having heat-conduction anisotropy comprises a material having a smaller eddy-current loss than a metal.

5. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1, wherein said material having heat-conduction anisotropy comprises a graphite sheet.

6. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1, wherein said material having heat-conduction anisotropy is put in tight contact with said heat radiating member by an adhesive whose thermal conductivity is higher than thermal conductivity of said material having heat-conduction anisotropy in a direction of thickness.

7. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1, wherein said heat radiating member is connected to cooling means provided outside of said electromagnetic actuator, so as to conduct the heat to said cooling means.

8. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1, wherein said heat radiating member comprises a heat radiating plate.

9. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1, wherein said heat radiating member comprises a duct line having a refrigerant therewithin.

10. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 9, wherein an inner-wall material of said duct line comprises a nonmagnetic material.

11. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 9, wherein said material having heat-conduction anisotropy contacts the refrigerant flowing within said duct line.

12. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1, further comprising a supporting member for supporting said armature coil.

13. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 12, wherein heat conductivity of said supporting member is 200-400 W/m K.

14. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 12, wherein said material having heat-conduction anisotropy is put in tight contact with a surface of said supporting member by an adhesive whose thermal conductivity is higher than thermal conductivity of said material having heat-conduction anisotropy in a direction of thickness.

15. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 12, wherein said supporting member comprises a pair of bar-shaped members extending in a direction of movement and fixed parallel to each other, and said armature coil is supported by grasping of said armature coil between the pair of bar-shaped members.

16. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 12, wherein a duct line having a refrigerant flowing therewithin passes within said supporting member.

17. An electromagnetic actuator according to claim 16, wherein an inner-wall material of said duct line has thermal conductivity higher than thermal conductivity of said supporting member.

18. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate with a pattern of an original plate, said apparatus comprising:

a stage for moving the original plate or the substrate, said stage comprising;

a permanent magnet;

an armature coil capable of performing relative movement with respect to said permanent magnet;

a material having heat-conduction anisotropy that surrounds said armature coil, said material having a thermal conductivity in the lateral direction greater than a thermal conductivity in the longitudinal direction; and

a heat radiating member coupled to said heat-conduction anisotropic material for radiating heat generated by said armature coil.

19. A device manufacturing method comprising:

a step of installing a group of manufacturing apparatuses for respective processes inclusive of said exposure apparatus according to claim 18 in a device manufacturing factory; and

a step of manufacturing a device according to a plurality of processes using the group of manufacturing apparatuses.

20. A device manufacturing method according to claim 19, further comprising:

a step of performing manufacturing by the group of manufacturing apparatuses through a local area network; and

a step of performing data communication of information relating to at least one of the group of manufacturing apparatuses between the local area network and an external network provided outside of the device manufacturing factory.

21. A device manufacturing method according to claim 20, further comprising a step of obtaining maintenance information relating to the at least one of the group of manufacturing apparatuses according to data communication by accessing a database provided by a vender or a user of said exposure apparatus, via the external network.

22. A device manufacturing method according to claim 21, further comprising a step of performing production management according to data communication between the device manufacturing factory and another device manufacturing factory via the external network.

23. A device manufacturing factory comprising:

a group of manufacturing apparatuses for respective processes inclusive of said exposure apparatus according to claim 18;

a local area network connecting said group of manufacturing apparatuses; and

a gateway for allowing access from said local area network to an external network provided outside of said factory,

wherein data communication of information relating to at least one of said group of manufacturing apparatuses is allowed.

24. A method for performing maintenance of said exposure apparatus according to claim 18 installed in a device manufacturing factory, said method comprising:

a step of providing a maintenance database connected to an external network of the device manufacturing factory from a vender or a user of said exposure apparatus;

a step of permitting access to the maintenance database from the device manufacturing factory via the external network; and

a step of transmitting maintenance information accumulated in the maintenance database to the device manufacturing factory via the external network.

25. An exposure apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

a display;

a network interface; and

a computer for executing software for a network,

wherein maintenance information relating to said exposure apparatus can be subjected to data communication via a computer network.

26. An exposure apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the software for a network allows connecting said computer to an external network provided outside of a factory where said exposure apparatus is installed, providing a user interface for accessing a maintenance database provided by a vender or a user of said exposure apparatus on said display, and obtaining information from the database via the external network.