Stage assembly including a damping assembly
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorsKazuya Ono, Andrew J. Hazelton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A stage assembly (10) for moving and positioning a device (30) includes a stage (14), a stage mover assembly (16), a device table (18), a table mover assembly (20) and a damping assembly (22). The table mover assembly (20) moves the device table (18) along a Z axis, about an X axis and about a Y axis relative to the stage (14) and generates reaction forces. The damping assembly (22) is coupled to the table mover assembly (20). Uniquely, the damping assembly (22) reduces the reaction forces created by the table mover assembly (20) that are transferred to the stage (14).
Claims201
A stage assembly that moves a device, the stage assembly comprising:
- a stage that is movable above a guide surface;
- a device table coupled to the stage, the device table retaining the device;
- a mover assembly connected to the device table, the mover assembly moving the device table relative to the stage and generates reaction forces and moves the stage;
- and
- a damping assembly coupled to the mover assembly, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces that are transferred to the stage.
A stage assembly that moves a device relative to a stage base, the stage assembly comprising:
- a stage;
- a device table that retains the device, the device table being coupled to the stage;
- a mover assembly coupled to the device table, the mover assembly moving the stage and the device table with at least one degree of freedom relative to the stage base and generating reaction forces in at least one degree of freedom, the mover assembly moving the device table with at least one degree of freedom relative to the stage and generating reaction forces in at least one degree of freedom;
- and
- a damping assembly coupled to the mover assembly, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces from the mover assembly in at least one degree of freedom that are transferred to the stage base, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces from the mover assembly in at least one degree of freedom that are transferred to the stage.
A stage assembly that moves a device along a Z axis, about an X axis and about a Y axis relative to a stage base, the X axis and the Y axis being substantially orthogonal to the Z axis, the stage assembly comprising:
- a stage that is supported by the stage base;
- a device table that retains the device;
- a mover assembly connected to the device table, the mover assembly moving the device table along the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis and generating reaction forces, the mover assembly moving the device table with at least one degree of freedom relative to the stage and generating reaction forces in at least one degree of freedom;
- and
- a damping assembly coupled to the mover assembly, the damping assembly being adapted to reduce the reaction forces along at least one of the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis that are transferred to the stage base, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces from the mover assembly in at least one degree of freedom that are transferred to the stage.
A method for making a stage assembly that moves a device, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a stage, the stage being movable above a guide surface;
- connecting a stage mover assembly to the stage;
- providing a device table that retains the device;
- connecting a table mover assembly to the device table, the table mover assembly generating reaction forces;
- and
- connecting a damping assembly to the table mover assembly, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces that are transferred to the stage.
A method for making a stage assembly that moves a device relative to a stage base, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a stage that is supported by the stage base;
- providing a device table that retains the device;
- connecting a mover assembly to the device table, the mover assembly moving the device table with at least four degrees of freedom relative to the stage base and generating reaction forces in the four degrees of freedom;
- and
- connecting a damping assembly to the mover assembly, at least a portion of the damping assembly being located substantially directly between the stage and the device table, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces from the mover assembly in at least four degrees of freedom that are transferred to the stage base.
A method for making a stage assembly that moves a device along a Z axis, about an X axis and about a Y axis relative to a stage base, the X axis and the Y axis being substantially orthogonal to the Z axis, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a stage that is supported by the stage base;
- providing a device table that retains the device;
- connecting a mover assembly to the device table, the mover assembly moving the device table along the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis and generating forces along the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis;
- and
- connecting a damping assembly to the mover assembly, at least a portion of the damping assembly being located substantially directly between the stage and the device table, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces along the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis that are transferred to the stage base.
A stage assembly that moves a device relative to a stage base, the stage assembly comprising:
- a device table that retains the device;
- a mover assembly coupled to the device table, the mover assembly moving the device table with at least four degrees of freedom relative to the stage base and generating reaction forces in at least four degrees of freedom, the mover assembly including a vertical assembly mover that moves the device table along a Z axis, about an X axis and about a Y axis relative to the stage base, the Z axis being orthogonal to a guide surface of the stage base, and the X axis and the Y axis being orthogonal to the Z axis;
- and
- a damping assembly coupled to the mover assembly, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces from the mover assembly in at least four degrees of freedom that are transferred to the stage base, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces along the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis that are transferred to the stage base, the vertical mover assembly including a first component secured to the device table and a second component secured to the damping assembly.
A stage assembly that moves a device relative to a stage base, the stage assembly comprising:
- a device table that retains the device;
- a mover assembly coupled to the device table, the mover assembly moving the device table with at least four degrees of freedom relative to the stage base and generating reaction forces in at least four degrees of freedom, the mover assembly moving the device table along a Z axis, about an X axis and about a Y axis relative to the stage base, the Z axis being orthogonal to a guide surface of the stage base, and the X axis and the Y axis being orthogonal to the Z axis;
- and
- a damping assembly coupled to the mover assembly, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces from the mover assembly in at least four degrees of freedom that are transferred to the stage base, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces along the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis that are transferred to the stage base, the damping assembly including a Z reaction mass that moves along the Z axis and an X reaction mass that moves along the X axis.
A stage assembly that moves a device along a Z axis, about an X axis and about a Y axis relative to a stage base, the X axis and the Y axis being substantially orthogonal to the Z axis, the stage assembly comprising:
- a device table that retains the device;
- a mover assembly connected to the device table, the mover assembly moving the device table along the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis and generating reaction forces;
- and
- a damping assembly coupled to the mover assembly, the damping assembly being adapted to reduce the reaction forces along the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis that are transferred to the stage base, the damping assembly including a Z reaction mass that moves along the Z axis and an X reaction mass that moves along the X axis.
A method for making a stage assembly that moves a device along a Z axis, about an X axis and about a Y axis relative to a stage base, the X axis and the Y axis being substantially orthogonal to the Z axis, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a device table that retains the device;
- connecting a mover assembly to the device table, the mover assembly moving the device table along the Z axis, along the X axis, along the Y axis, about the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis and generating forces along the Z axis, along the X axis, along the Y axis, about the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis;
- and
- connecting a damping assembly to the mover assembly, the damping assembly including a Z reaction mass that moves along the Z axis, an X reaction mass that moves along the X axis and a Y reaction mass that moves along the Y axis, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces along the Z axis, along the X axis, along the Y axis, about the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis that are transferred to the stage base.
A stage assembly that moves a device along a Z axis, about an X axis and about a Y axis relative to a stage base, the X axis and the Y axis being substantially orthogonal to the Z axis, the stage assembly comprising:
- a device table that retains the device;
- a mover assembly connected to the device table, the mover assembly including a vertical mover assembly that moves the device table along the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis relative to the stage base and generates reaction forces;
- and
- a damping assembly coupled to the mover assembly, the damping assembly being adapted to reduce the reaction forces along the Z axis, about the X axis and about the Y axis that are transferred to the stage base, the vertical mover assembly including a first component coupled to the device table and a second component coupled to the damping assembly.
A stage assembly that moves a device relative to a stage base that includes a guide surface, the stage assembly comprising:
- a device table retaining the device;
- a mover assembly connected to the device table, the mover assembly moving the device table along a first axis and along a second axis relative to the stage base and generating reaction forces along the first axis and along the second axis, the second axis being orthogonal to the first axis and the guide surface;
- and
- a damping assembly coupled to the mover assembly, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces transferred to the stage base, the damping assembly including a X reaction mass and a Z reaction mass, the X reaction mass moving along the first axis and being inhibited from moving along second axis relative to the stage base.
A stage assembly that moves a device along a first axis, along a second axis, and along a third axis relative to a stage base, the stage assembly comprising:
- a stage;
- a device table that retains the device;
- a mover assembly that moves the stage relative to the stage base along the first axis and the second axis and the device table relative to the stage along the third axis and generating reaction forces along the third axis;
- and
- a damping assembly coupled to the mover assembly, the damping assembly reducing the reaction forces along the third axis that are transferred to the stage base, the damping assembly including a Z reaction mass and a mass trim motor that adjusts the position of the Z reaction mass relative to the stage base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.