X-Y table

An X-Y table comprising:

• a base;
• an x-axis bar guide and a y-axis bar guide extending perpendicular to each other over said base;
• two slide blocks slidably supported on said x-axis bar guide and said y-axis bar guide, respectively, by air bearings;
• a y-axis sub-bar guide extending parallel to said y-axis bar guide and having one end thereof fixed to one of said two slide blocks supported on said x-axis bar guide;
• an x-axis sub-bar guide extending parallel to said x-axis bar guide and having one end thereof fixed to the other of said two slide blocks;
• a stage slidably supported on said y-axis sub-bar guide and said x-axis sub-bar guide by respective air bearings;
• an x-axis linear motor and a y-axis linear motor for moving said respective slide blocks along said X-axis bar guide and said Y-axis bar guide, said motors each having a yoke, one of said yokes of said linear motors having a guide surface for guiding movement of said stage, and said stage having a bottom surface opposite to said guide surface;
• and
• a permanent magnet in said bottom surface of said stage for creating a magnetic circuit between said stage and said one of said yokes, said stage further comprising a plurality of nozzles for injecting compressed air into a space between said stage and said guide surface.

An X-Y table comprising:

• a base;
• an x-axis bar guide and a y-axis bar guide extending perpendicular to each other over said base;
• two slide blocks slidably supported on said x-axis bar guide and said y-axis bar guide, respectively, by air bearings;
• a y-axis sub-bar guide extending parallel to said y-axis bar guide and having one end thereof fixed to the one of said two slide blocks supported on said x-axis bar guide;
• an x-axis sub-bar guide extending parallel to said x-axis bar guide and having one end thereof fixed to the other of said two slide blocks;
• a stage slidably supported on one of said y-axis sub-bar guide and said x-axis sub-bar guide by an air bearing and connected to the other of said y-axis sub-bar guide and said x-axis sub-bar guide for movement therewith;
• an x-axis linear motor and a y-axis linear motor connected to said two slide blocks, respectively, for moving said respective slide blocks along said X-axis bar guide and said Y-axis bar guide, said motors each having a yoke, one of said yokes of said linear motors having a guide surface for guiding movement of said stage, and said stage having a bottom surface opposite to said guide surface;
• and
• a permanent magnet in said bottom surface of said stage for creating a magnetic circuit between said stage and said one of said yokes, said stage further comprising a plurality of nozzles for injecting compressed air into a space between said stage and said guide surface.