Stage counter mass system

• US 6,963,821 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2003
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Ueta, Toshio, Binnard, Michael, Yuan, Bausan, Novak, W. Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nghiem, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Xiuqin
• Application Number:
  US10/361,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20040158427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 702/169, 702/95, 702/187, 702/151, 702/54, 702/456, 702/94, 355/75, 355/72, 318/649, 250/491.1
• US Class Current: 702/169
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 11/0032 Arrangements for preventing or isolating vibrations in parts of the machine B23B29/022, B23D47/005 take precedence; means for damping or suppressing vibrations, in general F16F
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70725 control
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70766 Reaction force control means, e.g. countermass

Abstract

A wafer stage countermass assembly generally includes a base supporting one or more stages and first and second countermasses. The first and second stages move in one or more degrees of freedom. The countermasses move in at least one degree of freedom and, under ideal conditions, move to counter the movement of the stages in operation and thus preserve the systems center of gravity to avoid unwanted body motion. However, under actual conditions the countermasses may under travel or over travel their ideal trajectory. To more closely track the ideal trajectory, a controller actuates trim motors to apply small forces to the countermasses to push them towards a reference position in the Y direction. A second embodiment also takes into account the X position the stage(s) to cancel torque.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining a center of gravity for a stage and a countermass system in a fixed location comprising at least one moving stage and at least two countermasses, the method comprising the steps of:

calculating a target position for said at least two countermasses according to a position of said at least one stage; and

pushing said at least two countermasses towards said target position based on said calculating step.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said pushing step includes applying predetermined forces to the at least two countermasses to push the at least two countermasses towards said target position.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the applying of the predetermined forces substantially eliminates residual velocities, and maintains conservation of momentum.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the applying of the predetermined forces does not require advance knowledge of a trajectory of the at least one moving stage.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined forces are equal but opposite forces applied to each of the at least two countermasses.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least two stages and said target position is given as:

$Y_T=-\frac{m_s}{\left(M_{\mathrm{CM1}}+M_{\mathrm{CM2}}\right)}·<br><br>\frac{\left(y_{\mathrm{S1}}+y_{\mathrm{S2}}\right)}{2}$

where

Y_T is the target position,

y_S1 and y_S2 are the y positions of each stage, and

M_CM1 and M_CM2 is the mass of each countermass.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined forces are equal but opposite forces applied to each of the at least two countermasses and further maintain a combined center of gravity of the at least two stages and countermasses constant.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least two countermasses are first and second countermasses which move substantially symmetrically around said target position.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one stage is one stage and said target position is given as:

$Y_T=-\frac{m_s}{\left(M_{\mathrm{CM1}}+M_{\mathrm{CM2}}\right)}·<br><br>y_S$

where

m_s is the mass of the one stage,

Y_S is the y positions of the one stage, and

M_CM1 and M_CM2 is the mass of each countermass.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said target position is an average position of the at least two countermasses at any time.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein any additional motion of said at least two countermasses is substantially symmetrical about the average position maintains conservation of momentum and eliminates substantially all of the center of gravity shift of the stage.

12. A control method for maintaining a center of gravity for a stage and a countermass system comprising a moving stage and at least two countermasses having different target positions, the method comprising the steps of:

calculating the target positions for said at least two countermasses according to a position of said stage, said calculating step allowing for a weight factor to trade off torque cancellation for reduced countermass stroke; and

pushing said at least two countermasses towards said different target positions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said different target positions are given as:

$\begin{array}{c}{y}_1=-\frac{1}{2}<br><br>m_s<br><br>\frac{\left(L+2<br><br>x_{\mathrm{cg}}<br><br>w\right)}{M_{\mathrm{CM1}}<br><br>L}<br><br>y_s\\ y_2=-\frac{1}{2}<br><br>m_s<br><br>\frac{\left(L-2<br><br>x_{\mathrm{cg}}<br><br>w\right)}{M_{\mathrm{CM2}}<br><br>L}<br><br>y_s\end{array}$

where

m_s is the mass of each stage,

L is a distance between motors providing a force for pushing each countermass,

x_cg is the x position of the center of gravity of the stage,

w is an arbitrary weight factor,

y_s is the stage y position,

y₁ and y₂ are the y positions of each countermass; and

M_CM1 and M_CM2 is the mass of each countermass.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the weight factor, w, is between 0 and 1.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

when w=0, y1=y2 and when the stage moves in the Y direction, torque is transferred to ground;

when w=1, the different target positions of the two countermasses are unequal and when the stage moves in the Y direction, there will be no net torque transferred to ground.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein w=0.5.

17. A system for maintaining a center of gravity for a stage and a countermass system in a fixed location comprising at least one moving stage and at least two countermasses, the system comprising:

a controller that calculates a target position for said at least two countermasses according to a position of said at least one stage; and

a motor that pushes said at least two countermasses towards said target position based on said calculating.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said motor applies a predetermined forces to the at least two countermasses to push the at least two countermasses towards said target position.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined forces substantially eliminates residual velocities, and maintains conservation of momentum.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the motors apply equal but opposite forces to each of the at least two countermasses.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein the system comprises at least two stages and said target position is given as:

$Y_T=-\frac{m_s}{\left(M_{\mathrm{CM1}}+M_{\mathrm{CM2}}\right)}·<br><br>\frac{\left(y_{\mathrm{S1}}+y_{\mathrm{S2}}\right)}{2}$

where

Y_T is the target position,

y_S1 and y_S2 are the y positions of each stage, and

M_CM1 and M_CM2 is the mass of each countermass.

22. The system according to claim 17, wherein said at least one stage is one stage and said target position is given as:

$Y_T=-\frac{m_s}{\left(M_{\mathrm{CM1}}+M_{\mathrm{CM2}}\right)}·<br><br>y_S$

where

m_s is the mass of the one stage,

y_S is the y positions of the one stage, and

M_CM1 and M_CM2 is the mass of each countermass.

23. A control system for maintaining a center of gravity for a stage and a countermass system comprising a moving stage and at least two countermasses having different target positions, the system comprising:

a controller that calculates the target positions for said at least two countermasses according to a position of said stage, said calculating step allowing for a weight factor to trade off torque cancellation for reduced countermass stroke; and

a motor that pushes said at least two countermasses towards said two different target positions.

24. The control system of claim 23, wherein said different target positions are given as:

$\begin{array}{c}{y}_1=-\frac{1}{2}<br><br>m_s<br><br>\frac{\left(L+2<br><br>x_{\mathrm{cg}}<br><br>w\right)}{M_{\mathrm{CM1}}<br><br>L}<br><br>y_s\\ y_2=-\frac{1}{2}<br><br>m_s<br><br>\frac{\left(L-2<br><br>x_{\mathrm{cg}}<br><br>w\right)}{M_{\mathrm{CM2}}<br><br>L}<br><br>y_s\end{array}$

where

m_s is the mass of each stage,

L is a distance between motors providing a force for pushing each countermass,

x_cg is the x position of the center of gravity of the stage,

w is an arbitrary weight factor,

y_s is the stage y position,

y₁ and y₂ are the y positions of each countermass; and

M_CM1 and M_CM2 is the mass of each countermass.

25. The control system according to claim 24, wherein the weight factor, w, is between 0 and 1.

26. The control system according to claim 23, wherein the stage includes a stage assembly comprising:

a wafer stage supported by a base;

a wafer table supported by the wafer stage;

an interferometer mirror IM mounted to the wafer table; and

a wafer chuck mounted on the wafer table, the wafer chuck adapted to hold a wafer.

27. A system for maintaining a center of gravity for a stage and a countermass system in a fixed location comprising at least one moving stage and at least two countermasses, the system comprising:

means for calculating a target position for said at least two countermasses according to a position of said at least one stage; and

means for pushing said at least two countermasses towards said target position based on said calculating step.

28. A system for maintaining a center of gravity for a stage and a countermass system in a fixed location, comprising:

at least two countermasses;

at least one guide bar having at least one stage disposed thereon, respectively, said at least one guide bar being mounted to the at least two countermasses;

a controller that calculates a target position for said at least two countermasses according to a position of said at least one stage; and

a motor that pushes said at least two countermasses toward said target positions.

29. An exposure apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system that projects radiant energy through a mask pattern on a reticle R; and

a system that reduces a stroke of at least two countermasses in an assembly comprising at least one moving stage and the at least two countermasses, the radiant energy being projected on a wafer positioned on the at least one moving stage, the system comprising;

a controller that calculates a target position for said at least two countermasses according to a position of said at least one stage; and

a motor that pushes said at least two countermasses towards said target position based on said calculating.

30. A device manufactured by a lithographic process using the exposure apparatus of claim 29.

31. A wafer on which an image has been formed by the exposure apparatus of claim 29.

32. A new system comprising;

at least one bar member, the at least one bar member being movable in at least one direction;

at least one moving stage, the at least one moving stage being provided to its respective bar member of the at least one bar member and being movable along the respective bar member;

at least two countermasses, the at least two countermasses being movable in accordance with movement of the at least one bar member;

a detector that detects a position of the at least one moving stage;

a controller connected to the detector, the controller deciding a target position for the at least two countermasses according to the position of the at least one moving stage; and

a drive device connected to the at least two countermasses and the controller, the drive device moving the at least two countermasses toward the target position.

33. The stage system according to claim 32, wherein a center of gravity for the at least one moving stage, the at least one bar member, and the at least two countermasses is maintained in a fixed location when the at least one bar member is moving in the at least one direction.

34. The stage system according to claim 32, wherein the at least one moving stage is movable along its respective bar member in a first direction, and movable with the respective bar member in a second direction that differs form the first direction.

35. The stage system according to claim 33, wherein the at least two countermasses are movable in the second direction by the drive device.

36. The stage system according to claim 32, wherein the at least one moving stage is one moving stage and the target position is given as:

Y_T=−

(m_s-y_s)/(M_cm1+M_cm2)

where m_s is the mass of the one moving stage, y_s is the position along the at least one direction of the one moving stage, and M_CM1 and M_CM2 is the mass of each countermass.

37. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an illumination system that irradiates radiant energy; and

the stage system according to the claim 32, the stage system disposes an object on a path of the radiant energy.

38. A process for manufacturing a device including the step of utilizing

the exposure apparatus according to claim 37.

39. A process for making a wafer on which an image has been formed including the step of utilizing the exposure apparatus according to claim 37.