Electric motors and positioning devices having moving magnet arrays and six degrees of freedom

A positioning device comprising:

• a frame having a first surface;
• a support having a first surface;
• a magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the first surface of one of the frame and support;
• a coil array disposed on the first surface of the other of the frame and support, the coil array being positioned adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the magnetic fields to provide a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane;
• and
• at least one air bearing attached to at least one of said frame and support, said bearing movably supporting said magnet array and said coil array relative to each other generally in the third direction.

A positioning device comprising:

• a frame having a first surface;
• a support having a first surface;
• a magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the first surface of one of the frame and support;
• and
• a coil array disposed on the first surface of the other of the frame and support, the coil array being positioned adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the magnetic fields to provide a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane;
• wherein said frame and support are magnetically supported relative to each other, and wherein one of the frame and support includes at least one support magnet and at least a portion of the other of the frame and support comprises a magnetically permeable material, the support magnet and the magnetically permeable material interact to support the magnet array relative to the coil array.

A positioning device comprising:

• a frame having a first surface;
• a support having a first surface;
• a magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the first surface of one of the frame and support;
• and
• a coil array disposed on the first surface of the other of the frame and support, the coil array being positioned adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the magnetic fields to provide a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane;
• wherein said frame and support are magnetically supported relative to each other, said support is magnetically suspended from said frame, said support has a second surface opposing the first surface, said second surface of said support being adapted to support a wafer, and wherein said coil array is disposed on said first surface of said support.

A positioning device comprising:

• a frame having first and second surfaces;
• a support having first and second surfaces;
• a first magnet array having first magnets with first magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the first surface of the frame;
• a first coil array disposed on the first surface of the support, the first coil array being positioned adjacent to the first magnet array and operable to interact with the first magnetic fields to provide a force between the first coil array and the first magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane;
• a second magnet array having second magnets with second magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the second frame surface;
• and
• a second coil array disposed on a plane on the second support surface, the second coil array being positioned adjacent to the second magnet array and operable to interact with the second magnetic fields to provide a second force between the second coil array and the second magnet array in the first, second and third directions.

A positioning device comprising:

• a frame having first and second surfaces;
• a support having first and second surfaces;
• a first magnet array having first magnets with first magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the first surface of one of the frame and support;
• a first coil array disposed on the first surface of the other of the frame and support, the first coil array being positioned adjacent to the first magnet array and operable to interact with the first magnetic fields to provide a force between the first coil array and the first magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane;
• a second magnet array having second magnets with second magnetic fields disposed in a plane on one of the second frame surface and the second support surface;
• and
• a second coil array disposed on a plane on the other of the second frame surface and the second support surface, the second coil array being positioned adjacent to the second magnet array and operable to interact with the second magnetic fields to provide a second force between the second coil array and the second magnet array in the first, second and third directions;
• wherein the magnet arrays are disposed on one of the surfaces of the support and one of the surfaces of the frame.

A positioning device comprising:

• a frame having first and second surfaces;
• a support having first and second surfaces;
• a first magnet array having first magnets with first magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the first surface of one of the frame and support;
• a first coil array disposed on the first surface of the other of the frame and support, the first coil array being positioned adjacent to the first magnet array and operable to interact with the first magnetic fields to provide a force between the first coil array and the first magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane;
• a second magnet array having second magnets with second magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the second frame surface;
• and
• a second coil array disposed on a plane on the second support surface, the second coil array being positioned adjacent to the second magnet array and operable to interact with the second magnetic fields to provide a second force between the second coil array and the second magnet array in the first, second and third directions.

An exposure apparatus, comprising:

• an optical system for imaging a pattern onto an article, the optical system comprising a frame;
• a stage device for positioning of the article relative to the optical system for imaging, comprising:
• a stage movable relative to the optical system and having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being adapted for supporting the article;
• a magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields, the magnets being disposed in a plane;
• and
• a planar coil array positioned adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the magnetic fields to provide a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane, one of the magnet array and the coil array being attached to the frame and the other of the magnet array and the coil array being attached to the first surface of the stage, wherein the stage is magnetically supported relative to the optical system, and wherein one of the frame and stage includes at least one support magnet and the other of the frame and stage comprises a magnetically permeable material, the support magnet and the magnetically permeable material interact to support the magnet array relative to the coil array.

An exposure apparatus, comprising:

• an optical system for imaging a pattern onto an article, the optical system comprising a frame;
• a stage device for positioning of the article relative to the optical system for imaging, comprising:
• a stage movable relative to the optical system and having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being adapted for supporting the article;
• a magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields, the magnets being disposed in a plane;
• and
• a planar coil array positioned adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the magnetic fields to provide a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane, one of the magnet array and the coil array being attached to the frame and the other of the magnet array and the coil array being attached to the first surface of the stage, wherein the stage is magnetically supported relative to the optical system, the stage is magnetically suspended from the frame, and the coil array is disposed on the first surface of the stage.

An exposure apparatus, comprising:

• an optical system for imaging a pattern onto an article, the optical system comprising a frame;
• a stage device for positioning of the article relative to the optical system for imaging, comprising:
• a stage movable relative to the optical system and having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being adapted for supporting the article;
• a magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields, the magnets being disposed in a plane;
• and
• a planar coil array positioned adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the magnetic fields to provide a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane, one of the magnet array and the coil array being attached to the frame and the other of the magnet array and the coil array being attached to the first surface of the stage, wherein the magnet array is disposed on the first surface of the stage, and the frame comprises a magnetically permeable material such that the magnet array and the frame interact to suspend the stage and the magnet array relative to the frame.

An exposure apparatus, comprising:

• an optical system for imaging a pattern onto an article, the optical system comprising a frame having first and second surfaces;
• a stage device for positioning of the article relative to the optical system for imaging, comprising:
• a stage movable relative to the optical system and having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being adapted for supporting the article;
• a first magnet array having first magnets with first magnetic fields, the first magnets being disposed in a plane and attached to the first surface of the frame;
• and
• a first planar coil array positioned adjacent to the first magnet array and operable to interact with the first magnetic fields to provide a force between the first coil array and the first magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane, the first coil array being attached to the first surface of the stage;
• a second planar magnet array having second magnets with second magnetic fields on the second surface of the frame;
• and
• a second planar coil array disposed on the second surface of the stage, the second coil array being positioned adjacent to the second magnet array and operable to interact with the second magnetic fields to provide a second force between the second coil array and the second magnet array in the first, second and third directions.

An exposure apparatus, comprising:

• an optical system for imaging a pattern onto an article, the optical system comprising a frame having first and second surfaces;
• a stage device for positioning of the article relative to the optical system for imaging, comprising:
• a stage movable relative to the optical system and having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being adapted for supporting the article;
• a first magnet array having first magnets with first magnetic fields, the first magnets being disposed in a plane;
• and
• a first planar coil array positioned adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the first magnetic fields to provide a force between the first coil array and the first magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane, one of the first magnet array and the first coil array being attached to the first surface of the frame and the other of the first magnet array and the first coil array being attached to the first surface of the stage;
• a second planar magnet array having second magnets with second magnetic fields on the second surface of one of the frame and stage;
• and
• a second planar coil array disposed on the second surface of the other of the frame and stage, the second coil array being positioned adjacent to the second magnet array and operable to interact with the second magnetic fields to provide a second force between the second coil array and the second magnet array in the first, second and third directions, wherein the magnet arrays are disposed on one of the surfaces of the stage and one of the surfaces of the frame.

An exposure apparatus, comprising:

• an optical system for imaging a pattern onto an article, the optical system comprising a frame having first and second surfaces;
• a stage device for positioning of the article relative to the optical system for imaging, comprising:
• a stage movable relative to the optical system and having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being adapted for supporting the article;
• a first magnet array having first magnets with first magnetic fields, the first magnets being disposed in a plane;
• and
• a first planar coil array positioned adjacent to the first magnet array and operable to interact with the first magnetic fields to provide a force between the first coil array and the first magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane, one of the first magnet array and the first coil array being attached to the first surface of the frame and the other of the first magnet array and the first coil array being attached to the first surface of the stage;
• a second planar magnet array having second magnets with second magnetic fields on the second surface of the frame;
• and
• a second planar coil array disposed on the second surface of the stage, the second coil array being positioned adjacent to the second magnet array and operable to interact with the second magnetic fields to provide a second force between the second coil array and the second magnet array in the first, second and third directions.

A positioning device comprising:

• a frame having a first surface;
• a support having a first surface;
• a moving magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the first surface of the support;
• a stationary coil array disposed on the first surface of the frame, the coil array being positioned adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the magnetic fields to provide a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first and second direction generally parallel to the plane;
• and
• at least one air bearing attached to at least one of said frame and support, said air bearing movably supporting said magnet array and said coil array relative to each other generally in the third direction generally orthogonal to the plane.

A positioning device comprising:

• a frame having a first surface;
• a support having a first surface;
• a moving magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the first surface of the support;
• and
• a stationary coil array disposed on the first surface of the frame, the coil array being positioned adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the magnetic fields to provide a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first and second direction generally parallel to the plane, wherein said frame and support are magnetically supported relative to each other, one of said frame and support including at least one support magnet and at least a portion of the other of the frame and support comprising a magnetically permeable material, the support magnet and the magnetically permeable material interacting to support the magnet array relative to the coil array.

A positioning device comprising:

• a frame having a first surface;
• a support having a first surface;
• a moving magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields disposed in a plane on the first surface of the support, said magnet array including edge magnets disposed on a periphery of the magnet array and interior magnets disposed interior of the edge magnets, each edge magnet having a magnetic flux less than a magnetic flux of each interior magnet;
• and
• a stationary coil array disposed on the first surface of the frame, the coil array being positioned adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the magnetic fields to provide a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first and second direction generally parallel to the plane.

An exposure apparatus, comprising:

• an optical system for imaging a pattern onto an article, the optical system comprising a frame;
• a stage device for positioning of the article relative to the optical system for imaging, comprising:
• a stage movable relative to the optical system and having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being adapted for supporting the article;
• a magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields, the magnets being disposed in a plane on the first stage surface, wherein the magnet array includes edge magnets disposed on a periphery of the magnet array and interior magnets disposed interior of the edge magnets, each edge magnet having a magnetic flux less than a magnetic flux of each interior magnet;
• and
• a planar coil array positioned on the frame adjacent to the magnet array and operable to interact with the magnetic fields to provide a force between the coil array and the magnet array in first and second directions generally parallel to the plane.

A method for positioning an object, comprising:

• providing a planar magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields and disposing the magnets in a plane;
• providing a planar coil array adjacent to the magnet array and with a first coil period in a first direction generally parallel to the plane and a second coil period in a second direction generally parallel to the plane and wherein providing the planar magnet array includes providing the magnet array with a first magnet period in the first direction greater than the first coil period and a second magnet period in the second direction greater than the second coil period;
• and
• applying one or more currents to one or more coils of the coil array to interact with the magnetic fields to generate a force between the coil array and the magnet array in the first, second and a third direction, the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane.

A method for positioning an object, comprising:

• providing a planar magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields and disposing the magnets in a plane;
• providing a planar coil array adjacent to the magnet array, such that the planar coil array has a first dimension in a first direction and a second dimension in a second direction and the magnet array includes a first dimension in the first direction less than the first coil dimension and a second dimension in the second direction less than the second coil dimension;
• and
• applying one or more currents to one or more coils of the coil array to interact with the magnetic fields to generate a force between the coil array and the magnet array in the first, second and a third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane.

A method for positioning an object, comprising:

• providing a planar magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields and disposing the magnets in a plane, wherein the magnets include edge magnets disposed on a periphery of the magnet array and interior magnets disposed interior of the edge magnets and having a magnetic flux greater than a magnetic flux of each edge magnet;
• providing a planar coil array adjacent to the magnet array;
• and
• applying one or more currents to one or more coils of the coil array to interact with the magnetic fields to generate a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane.

A method for positioning an object, comprising:

• providing a planar magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields and disposing the magnets in a plane, wherein the magnet array includes edge magnets and at least one corner, and providing a corner magnet at each corner of the magnet array having a magnetic flux less the magnetic flux of the edge magnets;
• providing a planar coil array adjacent to the magnet array;
• and
• applying one or more currents to one or more coils of the coil array to interact with the magnetic fields to generate a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane.

A method for positioning a wafer in a lithography system, comprising:

• providing a frame;
• providing a stage for supporting the wafer and movable to position the wafer relative to the frame;
• providing a planar magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields disposed in a plane and attached to one of the frame and stage;
• providing a planar coil array adjacent to the magnet array and attached to the other of the frame and stage;
• providing one of the frame and stage with at least one support magnet;
• providing at least a portion of the other of the frame and stage with a magnetically permeable material such that the support magnet and the magnetically permeable material interact to support the magnet array relative to the coil array;
• and
• applying one or more currents to one or more coils of the coil array to interact with the magnetic fields to generate a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane.

A method for positioning a wafer in a lithography system, comprising:

• providing a frame;
• providing a stage for supporting the wafer and movable to position the wafer relative to the frame;
• providing a planar magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields disposed in a plane and attached to one of the frame and stage;
• providing a planar coil array adjacent to the magnet array and attached to the other of the frame and stage;
• providing an air bearing on the stage to suspend the stage relative to the frame;
• and
• applying one or more currents to one or more coils of the coil array to interact with the magnetic fields to generate a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane.

A method for positioning a wafer in a lithography system, comprising:

• providing a frame, including providing at least a portion of the frame with a magnetically permeable material such that the magnet array and the magnetically permeable material interact to support the magnet array and the stage relative to the frame;
• providing a stage for supporting the wafer and movable to position the wafer relative to the frame, including providing a first stage surface and a second stage surface, the second stage surface being adapted for supporting the wafer and;
• providing a planar magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields disposed in a plane and attached to one of the frame and stage;
• providing a planar coil array adjacent to the magnet array and attached to the other of the frame and stage;
• and
• applying one or more currents to one or more coils of the coil array to interact with the magnetic fields to generate a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane;
• wherein one of the providing the magnet array and providing the coil array includes providing one of the magnet array and the coil array on the first surface of the stage.

A method for positioning a wafer in a lithography system, comprising:

• providing a frame;
• providing a stage for supporting the wafer and movable to position the wafer relative to the frame, including providing a first stage surface and a second stage surface, the second stage surface being adapted for supporting the wafer and;
• providing a planar magnet array having magnets with magnetic fields disposed in a plane and attached to one of the frame and stage;
• providing a planar coil array adjacent to the magnet array and attached to the other of the frame and stage, including providing the coil array on the first stage surface;
• and
• applying one or more currents to one or more coils of the coil array to interact with the magnetic fields to generate a force between the coil array and the magnet array in a first, second and third direction, the first and second directions being generally parallel to the plane and the third direction being generally orthogonal to the plane;
• wherein one of the providing the magnet array and providing the coil array includes providing one of the magnet array and the coil array on the first surface of the stage.