Frictionless supporting apparatus

A frictionless supporting apparatus used in a vacuum chamber of an electron beam exposure installation, said apparatus comprising:

• a horizontally plane working table on which is placed a sample to be exposed by an electron beam, having magnetized horizontal portions on peripheries thereof;
• first pairs of stationary magnetized members defining therebetween a vertical space into which said magnetized portions of the working table are inserted, such that magnetic repulsion between said magnetized horizontal portions of the working table and said first pairs of stationary magnetized members, frictionlessly hold said working table between said first pairs of stationary magnetized members;
• said working table also having first magnetized vertical guide portions extending along a predetermined one horizontal direction;
• a plane auxiliary table arranged substantially in parallel to said working table;
• a means mounted on said auxiliary table for moving said working table in said predetermined one horizontal direction with respect to said auxiliary table;
• second pairs of magnetized members provided on said auxiliary table and defining therebetween a horizontal space into which said first magnetized vertical guide portions of the working table are inserted, such that magnetic repulsion between said first magnetized vertical guide portions of the working table and said second pairs of magnetized members of the auxiliary member frictionlessly guide said working table along said second pairs of magnetized members, when the working table is moved in said predetermined one horizontal direction with respect to said auxiliary table;
• said auxiliary table having second magnetized vertical guide portions extending along in another horizontal direction perpendicular to said predetermined one horizontal direction;
• a means mounted on a stationary base for moving said auxiliary table in said other horizontal direction;
• third pairs of stationary magnetized members defining a horizontal space into which said second magnetized vertical guide portions of the auxiliary table are inserted, such that magnetic repulsion between said second magnetized vertical guide portions of the auxiliary table and said third pairs of stationary magnetized members frictionlessly guide said auxiliary table along said third pairs of stationary magnetized members, when the auxiliary table is moved in said other horizontal direction.