Active anti-vibration apparatus and exposure apparatus

• US 6,684,132 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Maeda, Takashi, Wakui, Shinji, Iwai, Isao
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWINDELL, WALTER R
• Application Number:
  US09/777,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20010011697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 700/280, 700/56-61, 700/275, 700/302, 248/550, 248/638, 318/651
• US Class Current: 700/280
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/027 comprising control arrangements F16F15/0237 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70725 control
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation

Abstract

This invention relates to an active anti-vibration apparatus having an anti-vibration table on which a stage is mounted. This anti-vibration apparatus includes a pneumatic spring actuator for supporting and driving the anti-vibration table, a PI compensator for PI-compensating a target velocity signal determined by a velocity profile concerning the stage and necessary for driving the stage, and a motion mode distributing operation unit for controlling the pneumatic spring actuator in accordance with an output signal from the PI compensator.

Claims

1. An active anti-vibration apparatus comprising:

an anti-vibration table on which a stage is mounted;

an actuator which drives said anti-vibration table utilizing a fluid;

a compensator which PI-compensates or PID-compensates a target velocity signal for driving said stage; and

a controller which controls said actuator based on an output signal from said compensator.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compensator includes

a first P compensator which P-compensates a target velocity signal for driving said stage:

a second P compensator which P-compensates a target position signal for driving said stage; and

an adder which adds output signals from said first and second P compensators.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compensator includes

a first P compensator which P-compensates a target velocity signal for driving said stage:

a second P compensator which P-compensates a target position signal for driving said stage;

a third P compensator which P-compensates a target acceleration signal for driving said stage; and

an adder which adds output signals from said first, second, and third P compensators.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actuator includes a pneumatic spring actuator.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls said actuator such that inclination of said anti-vibration table which occurs when said stage is driven is corrected.

6. A method of correcting inclination of an anti-vibration table on which a stage is mounted, using an actuator which drives said anti-vibration table utilizing a fluid, the method comprising steps of:

PI-compensating or PID-compensating a target velocity signal for driving said stage; and

controlling said actuator based on the compensated signal.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said compensating step includes steps of:

P-compensating a target velocity signal for driving said stage;

P-compensating a target position signal for driving said stage; and

adding the compensated target velocity signal and the compensated target position signal.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said compensating step includes steps of:

P-compensation a target velocity signal for driving said stage;

P-compensating a target position signal for driving said stage;

P-compensating a target acceleration signal for driving said stage; and

adding the compensated target velocity signal, the compensated target position signal and the compensated target acceleration signal.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said actuator includes a pneumatic spring actuator.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein said controlling step includes controlling said actuator such that inclination of said anti-vibration table which occurs when said stage is driven is corrected.

11. An exposure apparatus having an original stage on which an original is to be placed, and a substrate stage on which a substrate where a pattern of the original is to be transferred is placed, at least one of said stages being mounted on an active anti-vibration unit, said unit comprising:

an anti-vibration table on which one of said stages is mounted;

an actuator which drives said anti-vibration table utilizing a fluid;

a compensator which PI-compensates or PID-compensates a target velocity signal for driving said one of said stages; and

a controller which controls said actuator based on an output signal from said compensator.

12. A device manufacturing method comprising steps of:

providing an exposure apparatus having an original stage on which an original is to be placed, and a substrate stage on which a substrate where a pattern of the original is to be transferred is placed, at least one of the stages being mounted on an active anti-vibration unit, said unit including an anti-vibration table on which one of the stages is mounted, an actuator which drives the anti-vibration table utilizing a fluid, a compensator which PI-compensates or PID-compensates a target velocity signal for driving the one of the stages and a controller which controls the actuator based on an output signal from the compensator;

coating a substrate with a photosensitive material;

transferring by the exposure apparatus a pattern of an original to the substrate coated with the photosensitive material; and

developing the substrate to which the pattern has been transferred.