Suction device, carry-in method, carrier system and exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

A carrier system that carries in a plate-like object to a holding member provided with an object mounting surface on an upper surface, the system comprising:

• a suction unit having a base member and a plurality of suction members that are provided at the base member and each generate a suction force to suction the object by generating a flow of gas around the object, the suction unit being capable of suctioning a surface of the object, from above in a noncontact manner, that is carried to above the holding member located at a predetermined carry-in position, and the suction unit being vertically movable;
• a gas supply device that supplies gas to the plurality of suction members;
• a support section that is provided at the holding member, is capable of changing a relative position with respect to the object mounting surface in a vertical direction, and is capable of supporting a part of a center section area of an other surface of the object from below, the other surface being on a side opposite to the surface of the object;
• a drive device that is capable of changing a relative position between the suction unit and the support section, and the object mounting surface in at least the vertical direction;
• and
• a controller that controls the gas supply device and the drive device, wherein
• the controller:
• supports from below the part of the center section area of the other surface of the object suctioned by the suction unit, using the support section;
• and
• controls the gas supply device to weaken the suction force by the suction member with respect to a first area of the surface of the object, compared to the suction force with respect to a second area of the surface of the object, the first area corresponding to the center section area that includes a supporting point by the support section, and the second area being on an outer circumference side of the first area, and
• the controller controls the drive device to move downward the suction unit and the support section toward the object mounting surface in a state of maintaining a suctioning state of the object by the suction unit and a supporting state of the object by the support section.

A carrier system that carries in a plate-like object to a holding member provided with an object mounting surface on an upper surface, the system comprising:

• a suction unit having a base member and a plurality of gas flow holes that are provided at the base member and each generate a flow of gas around the object, the suction unit being vertically movable relative to the object mounting surface while supporting the object from above in a noncontact manner by a suction force with respect to the object generated by the flow of gas;
• a support section that is provided at the holding member, and is vertically movable relative to the object mounting surface while supporting the object from below;
• and
• a controller that changes a shape of the object by varying suction forces with respect to the object generated by the flows of gas supplied via the plurality of gas flow holes, according to positions of the plurality of gas flow holes relative to the support section, during a period up until the object is loaded onto the object mounting surface.

A carrier system that carries in a plate-like object to a holding member provided with an object mounting surface on an upper surface, the system comprising:

• a suction unit having a base member and a plurality of gas flow holes that are provided at the base member and each generate a flow of gas around the object, the suction unit being capable of suctioning a surface of the object, from above in a noncontact manner, that is carried to above the holding member located at a predetermined carry-in position, and the suction unit being vertically movable;
• a support section that is provided at the holding member, is vertically movable and is capable of supporting a part of a center section area of an other surface of the object from below, the other surface being on a side opposite to the surface of the object;
• and
• a drive device that moves the suction unit and the support section in at least vertical direction;
• an adjustment device having a gas supply device that supplies gas supplied via the plurality of gas flow holes, the adjustment device changing a shape of the object by adjusting suction forces with respect to the object generated by flows of gas supplied via the plurality of gas flow holes;
• and
• a controller that controls the adjustment device and the drive device, wherein
• the controller changes the shape of the object using the adjustment device, while controlling the drive device to move downward the suction unit and the support section toward the object mounting surface in a state of maintaining a holding state of the object by the flows of gas via the plurality of gas flow holes of the suction unit and a supporting state of the object by the support section.

A carry-in method of carrying in a plate-like object to a holding member provided with an object mounting surface on an upper surface, the method comprising:

• carrying the object to above the object mounting surface of the holding member located at a predetermined carry-in position;
• suctioning a surface of the object from above in a noncontact manner, with a suction member;
• (i) supporting a part of a center section area of an other surface of the object from below, with a support section that is provided at the holding member and vertically movable, the other surface being on a side opposite to the surface of the object suctioned by the suction member, and also (ii) weakening the suction force by the suction member with respect to a first area of the surface of the object, compared to the suction force with respect to a second area of the surface of the object, the first area corresponding to the center section area that includes a supporting point by the support section, and the second area being on an outer circumference side of the first area;
• and
• moving downward the suction member and the support section toward the object mounting surface in a state of maintaining a suctioning state of the object by the suction member and a supporting state of the object by the support section.