Positioning system and method and apparatus for device manufacture
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsYukio Yamane, Eiji Osanai, Kotaro Akutsu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A positioning system wherein a holding surface for holding a substrate is movable relative to a base in directions of X, Y and Z axes and in rotational directions about the X, Y and Z axes, wherein there are plural guiding devices associated respectively with motions in the directions of X, Y and Z axes and in the rotational directions about the X, Y and Z axes, respectively, and wherein each guiding device comprises a non-contact static bearing device.
Claims12
A positioning system for moving a holding surface for holding a substrate relative to a base, comprising:
- an X-Y stage disposed on the base and being movable in directions of X and Y axes;
- and
- a .theta.-Z-T stage having said holding surface and disposed on said X-Y stage, said .theta.-Z-T stage being movable in a direction of a Z axis and in rotational directions about the X, Y and Z axes, respectively,
- wherein said X-Y stage includes a plurality of non-contact static bearings for providing guiding in the directions of X and Y axes, and a plurality of linear motors for moving said .theta.-Z-T stage in the directions of X and Y axes, and
- wherein said .theta.-Z-T stage includes a plurality of non-contact static bearings for providing guiding in the direction of the Z axis and in the rotational directions about the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively, and a plurality of linear motors for moving the holding surface in the direction of the Z axis and in the rotational directions about the X, Y, and Z axes, such that positioning along all the six axes can be performed in non-contact positioning.
A device manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a device by moving a holding surface for holding a substrate relative to a base, comprising:
- an X-Y stage disposed on the base and being movable in directions of X and Y axes;
- and
- a .theta.-Z-T stage having said holding surface and disposed on said X-Y stage, said .theta.-Z-T stage being movable in a direction of a Z axis and in rotational directions about the X, Y and Z axes, respectively;
- wherein said X-Y stage includes a plurality of non-contact static bearings for providing guiding the directions of X and Y axes, and a plurality of linear motors for moving said .theta.-Z-T stage in the directions of X and Y axes, and
- wherein said .theta.-Z-T stage includes a plurality of non-contact static bearings for providing guiding in the direction of the Z axis and in the rotational directions about the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively, and a plurality of linear motors for moving the holding surface in the direction of the Z axis and in the rotational directions about the X, Y, and Z axes, such that positioning along all the six axes can be performed in non-contact positioning;
- and
- means for performing a device manufacturing process on the substrate held on the holding surface, guided by said plurality of non-contact static bearings, and moved by the plurality of linear motors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.