Following stage planar motor
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorsMichael Binnard, Bausan Yuan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In electric motor assemblies, separating the x and y coils may achieve significant advantages. An advantageous design includes pairs of interacting magnet array/coil arrays. Separated coil arrays are provided, with a coil array on an arm connected to a following stage, and another coil array on a stage base (the stage being one to which is attached magnet arrays). Positioning devices, moving magnet motor assemblies, moving coil motor assemblies, and methods of driving a stage are provided. By differential driving and creation of torques about the x and y axes, a stage may be driven in six independent degrees of freedom.
Claims26
A stage assembly comprising:
- a first motor that includes a first part and a second part, the first motor producing a first force;
- a second motor that includes a first part and a second part, the second motor producing a second force;
- a base to which the first part of the first motor is attached;
- a stage to which is attached the second part of the first motor and the second part of the second motor, the stage moving relative to the base by at least one of the first force and the second force;
- and
- a second stage to which the first part of the second motor is attached;
- wherein the base and the second stage are different respective bodies.
A stage assembly comprising:
- a first motor that includes a first part and a second part, the first motor producing a first force;
- a second motor that includes a first part and a second part, the second motor producing a second force;
- a base to which the first part of the first motor is attached;
- a stage to which is attached the second part of the first motor and the second part of the second motor, the stage moving relative to the base by at least one of the first force and the second force;
- and
- the first part of the second motor being attached to a second body that is different from the base.
A method for driving a stage, comprising
- driving the stage by (a) a first force produced by a first motor including a first part and a second part that interacts with the first part;
- and (b) a second force produced by a second motor including a first part and a second part that interacts with the first part of the second motor,
- with the first part of the first motor and the first part of the second motor being separate,
- wherein the first part of the first motor is attached to a base that supports the stage and the first part of the second motor is attached to a different body from the base.
An exposure apparatus comprising:
- an illumination system that irradiates radiant energy;
- and
- an apparatus comprising:
- a first motor that includes a first part and a second part, the first motor producing a first force;
- a second motor that includes a first part and a second part, the second motor producing a second force;
- a base to which the first part of the first motor is attached;
- a stage to which is attached the second part of the first motor and the second part of the second motor, the stage moving relative to the base by at least one of the first force and the second force;
- and
- a second stage to which the first part of the second motor is attached,
- wherein the base and the second stage are different respective bodies;
- the apparatus disposing an object on a path of the radiant energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.