Precision motion stage with single guide beam and follower stage

A movable apparatus comprising:

• (a) a base structure having a flat principal surface;
• (b) first and second linear guide members mounted on said base structure,
• said first and second guide members being parallel to each other in an X direction and separated in a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction;
• (c) a movable guide member located between said first and second linear guide members,
• wherein said movable guide member is restricted by said first linear guide member and said flat principal surface of said base structure to move in the X direction;
• d) a movable follower member located between said first and second linear guide members independently of said movable guide member,
• wherein said follower member is restricted by said second linear guide member and said flat principal surface of said base structure to move in the X direction;
• (e) a main stage member restricted by the movable guide member and said flat principal surface of said base structure to move in the Y direction without contacting said follower member;
• and
• (f) an electro-magnetic force generator including a coil unit and a magnet unit to move said main stage member in the Y direction,
• wherein one of said units is mounted on said main stage member and the other is mounted on said follower member, thereby maintaining a predetermined gap between said units in the X direction.

A movable apparatus comprising:

• (a) a base structure having a base surface;
• (b) a first linear guide member mounted on said base structure and elongated in an X direction;
• (c) a second linear guide member mounted on said base structure and elongated in the X direction and separated from said first linear guide member in a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction;
• (d) a first movable assembly located between said first and second linear guide members and having a guide surface elongated in the Y direction,
• wherein said first movable assembly is guided by said first linear guide member and said base surface to move in the X direction;
• (e) a main stage assembly guided by said first movable assembly and said base surface to move in the Y direction;
• (f) a second movable assembly located between said first and second linear guide members and moving independently of said first movable assembly and said main stage assembly;
• and driven to maintain a predetermined space from said main stage assembly in the X direction by synchronous movement with said first movable assembly,
• wherein said second movable assembly is guided by said second linear guide member and said base surface;
• and
• (g) a linear motor assembly disposed between said main stage assembly and said second movable assembly to move said main stage assembly in the Y direction.

A movable apparatus comprising:

• a base structure having a flat principal surface;
• a main stage assembly movable in a first and a second direction on said flat principal surface,
• wherein said second direction is perpendicular to said first direction;
• a cable bundle attached at one end to said main stage assembly and including at least a wire, an optical fiber, and a tube;
• a cable follower stage assembly movable in the first and second directions on said flat principal surface, wherein a portion of said cable bundle is attached to said cable follower stage assembly;
• and
• a control system operatively connected to an actuator of said first stage assembly and to an actuator of said cable follower stage assembly for moving said cable follower stage assembly synchronously to said main stage assembly in the first and second directions.

A movable assembly having a fluid cooling system, and comprising:

• a base structure;
• a main stage assembly movable on said base structure and having a motor coil mounted on a portion of said first assembly;
• a follower stage assembly also movable on said base structure to maintain a predetermined spacing from said main stage assembly and having a magnetic track mounted on a portion of said follower stage assembly, wherein said motor coil and magnetic track cooperatively are a linear drive motor;
• an enclosure mounted on said main stage assembly and at least partially surrounding said magnetic track, thereby to retain fluid inside said enclosure;
• and
• a duct extending along said main stage assembly adjacent said motor coil, and defining at least one opening adjacent said motor coil, thereby to receive fluid in the opening from a vicinity of said motor coil and vent the fluid from a distal end of said duct.

A mechanism comprising:

• a base structure;
• at least one guide member mounted on said base structure;
• a movable beam of a ceramic material and in slidable engagement with said at least one guide member;
• a main stage adjacent to said beam and moveable along said beam;
• a follower assembly in slidable engagement with said at least one guide member, and located adjacent said main stage and spaced apart from said main stage and said movable beam;
• a stage drive motor having a first portion mounted on said main stage and a second portion mounted on said follower assembly, for moving said main stage relative to said follower assembly;
• and
• a first portion of a follower drive motor on said follower stage for moving said follower assembly relative to a second portion of said follower drive motor and oriented at an angle to said stage drive motor.

A mechanism comprising:

• a base structure;
• at least one guide member mounted on said base structure;
• a movable beam in slidable engagement with said at least one guide member;
• a main stage at least partly of ceramic material and adjacent to said beam and movable along said beam;
• a follower assembly in slidable engagement with said at least one guide member, and located adjacent said main stage and spaced apart from said main stage and said movable beam;
• a stage drive motor having a first portion mounted on said main stage and a second portion mounted on said follower assembly, for moving said main stage relative to said follower assembly;
• and
• a first portion of a follower drive motor on said follower assembly for moving said follower assembly relative to a second portion of said follower drive motor and oriented at an angle to said stage drive motor.

A mechanism comprising:

• a base structure;
• at least one guide member mounted on said base structure;
• a movable beam in slidable engagement with said at least one guide member;
• a main stage adjacent to said beam and movable along said beam, wherein said main stage includes a chuck of a ceramic material;
• a follower assembly in slidable engagement with said at least one guide member, and located adjacent said main stage and spaced apart from said main stage and said movable beam;
• a stage drive motor having a first portion mounted on said main stage and a second portion mounted on said follower assembly, for moving said main stage relative to said follower assembly;
• and
• a first portion of a follower drive motor on said follower stage for moving said follower stage relative to a second portion of said follower drive motor and oriented at an angle to said stage drive motor.

A scanning exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate by moving the reticle and substrate simultaneously in a predetermined scanning direction during an exposure sequence, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a base structure having a Z direction guide surface;
• (b) at least one fixed guide member provided on said base structure and having an X direction guide surface extending in an X direction perpendicular to the Z direction;
• (c) a movable guide member having a Y direction guide surface extending in a Y direction perpendicular to the X and Z directions, to move in the X direction on said Z direction guide surface by restriction of the X direction guide surface of said fixed guide member;
• (d) a movable main stage supported on said Z direction guide surface and holding the substrate, for moving in the Y direction by restriction of the Y direction guide surface of said movable guide member and moving in the X direction by the movement of said movable guide member;
• (e) a movable follower stage system having at least one frame portion elongated in the Y direction and located adjacent to said main stage, for moving in the X direction on said Z direction guide surface so as to maintain a predetermined spacing in the X direction from said main stage when said main stage is moved in the X direction;
• and
• (f) at least one linear motor provided between said main stage and the frame portion of said follower stage system, for moving said main stage in the Y direction;
• wherein the scanning direction of said exposure sequence coincides with the Y direction and a cross scan direction coincides with the X direction.