Driving apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

• US 7,508,099 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2007
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Korenaga, Nobushige
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarroli; Michael C
• Application Number:
  US11/746,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20070267920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 310/12, 355/53, 355/72
• US Class Current: 310/12.06
• 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: H02K 2201/18 Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/03 Synchronous motors; Motors moving step by step; Reluctance motors H02K41/035 takes precedence

Abstract

A driving apparatus which comprises a stator and two movable elements. The stator includes a first area and a second area. The movable elements can move on the stator. The movable elements include magnets, while the stator includes a coil unit. The coil unit includes a driving coil which independently drives the two movable elements within the first area and the second area, and a swap coil which swaps the two movable elements between the first area and the second area. The coil unit is configured such that the swap coil and at least part of the driving coil are superimposed on each other.

Claims

1. A driving apparatus which comprises a stator and two movable elements, said stator including a first area and a second area, and said movable elements being capable of moving on said stator,

said movable elements including magnets,

said stator including a coil unit,

said coil unit including a driving coil configured to independently drive said two movable elements when said two movable elements are situated within the first area and the second area, respectively, and a swap coil configured to swap said two movable elements between the first area and the second area, and said coil unit being configured such that said swap coil and at least part of said driving coil are superimposed on each other.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said swap coil can drive said two movable elements in opposite directions parallel to a first direction in which the first area and the second area align themselves.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said swap coil includes two coil arrays divided in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and each coil array is formed by juxtaposing, in the first direction, a plurality of coils including straight portions along the second direction.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said swap coil is arranged at a position farther from said movable element than said driving coil.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first area is an area to execute an alignment measurement process for a substrate supported on said movable element, and the second area is an area to execute an exposure process for the substrate while aligning the substrate on the basis of the alignment measurement result.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said driving coil is used for a swap process for swapping said two movable elements, in addition to the measurement process and the exposure process.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said driving coil is used for a swap process for swapping said two movable elements, in addition to the measurement process and the exposure process.

8. An exposure apparatus which executes an alignment measurement process and an exposure process in parallel, comprising:

a stage device which comprises a stator and two movable elements, said stator including a measurement area and an exposure area, and said movable elements being capable of moving on said stator and each including a chuck configured to hold a substrate;

a measurement unit configured to execute the measurement process within the measurement area; and

an exposure unit configured to execute the exposure process for the substrate within the exposure area while aligning the substrate on the basis of the measurement result obtained by said measurement unit,

said movable elements including magnets,

said stator including a coil unit,

said coil unit including a driving coil configured to independently drive said two movable elements within the measurement area and the exposure area, and a swap coil configured to swap said two movable elements between the measurement area and the exposure area, and said coil unit being configured such that said swap coil and at least part of said driving coil are superimposed on each other.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said swap coil can drive said two movable elements in opposite directions parallel to a first direction in which the alignment area and the exposure area align themselves.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said swap coil includes two coil arrays divided in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and each coil array is formed by juxtaposing, in the first direction, a plurality of coils including straight portions along the second direction.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said swap coil is arranged at a position farther from said movable element than said driving coil.

12. A method of manufacturing a device, comprising steps of:

exposing a photosensitive agent applied to a substrate using an exposure apparatus defined in claim 8;

developing the photosensitive agent; and

processing the substrate.