Stage device, exposure apparatus and method

An exposure apparatus that forms a predetermined pattern on a plurality of substrates by exposing the substrates to an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising:

• a base having an alignment area and an exposure area along a first direction;
• a first cantilevered stage that is movably supported by the base;
• a second cantilevered stage that is movably supported by the base;
• a first guide bar disposed on the base along the first direction to guide one of the first cantilevered stage and the second cantilevered stage between the alignment area and the exposure area;
• a second guide bar disposed on the base along the first direction to guide other of the first cantilevered stage and the second cantilevered stage between the alignment area and the exposure area, the second guide bar provided at a predetermined distance from the first guide bar in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
• and
• a controller that moves the second cantilevered stage in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the first cantilevered stage to perform a switching of the positions of the first cantilevered stage and the second cantilevered stage.

A switching-motion twin stage device having a first cantilevered stage and a second cantilevered stage, comprising:

• a first driving device that drives the first cantilevered stage in a first direction;
• a second driving device that drives the second cantilevered stage in the first direction;
• a first guide bar magnetically coupled at one end of the first guide bar to movably support the first cantilevered stage in a second direction;
• a second guide bar magnetically coupled at one end of the second guide bar, opposite to the one end of the first guide bar, to movably support the second cantilevered stage in the second direction, the first guide bar and the second guide bar being capable of traversing each other along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
• an actuator that applies a counteracting torque to prevent movement of a wafer stage disposed on at least one of the first and second cantilevered stages;
• and
• a controller that performs a switching stage configuration sequence wherein the position of the first and the second cantilevered stages are switched in a synchronized manner.

A method for operating a twin stage device, the twin stage device having a first cantilevered stage and a second cantilevered stage, and including:

• a first driving device and a second driving device that drive the first and second cantilevered stages in a first direction;
• and a first guide bar and a second guide bar that movably support the first and second cantilevered stages, respectively, the second guide bar provided at a predetermined minimum distance from the first guide bar in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the method comprising the steps of:
• providing a first table that is disposed on the first cantilevered stage to hold a first substrate;
• providing a second table that is disposed on the second cantilevered stage to hold a second substrate;
• moving at least one of the first and second cantilevered stages which has completed an exposure procedure from an exposure position;
• synchronously moving the other cantilevered stage, which has completed an alignment procedure, from an alignment position to the exposure position;
• and
• switching a position of the first table and the second table without divorcing between the first table and the first cantilevered stage, and between the second table and the second cantilevered stage, the second cantilevered stage moving in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the first cantilevered stage in the switching step.

A stage device having a first stage and a second stage, comprising:

• a first driving device having a first moving member and a first stationary member so as to drive the first stage in a first direction;
• a first table associated with the first stage, the first table having a first reflective portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a second reflective portion parallel to the first reflective portion;
• a first actuator system that is connected to the first stage and the first table to move the first table relative to the first stage in six degrees-of-freedom;
• a second driving device having a second moving member and a second stationary member so as to drive the second stage in the first direction;
• a second table associated with the second stage, the second table having a third reflective portion extending in the second direction and a fourth reflective portion parallel to the third reflective portion;
• a second actuator system that is connected to the second stage and the second table to move the second table relative to the second stage in six degrees-of-freedom;
• a first position detector that is capable of emitting a measurement beam to the first reflective portion and the third reflective portion to detect a position of each of the first and second tables;
• a second position detector that is capable of emitting a measurement beam to the second reflective portion and the fourth reflective portion to detect a position of each of the first and second tables;
• a first guide bar provided with the first stationary member so as to movably support one side of the first stage;
• and
• a second guide bar provided with the second stationary member so as to movably support one side of the second stage, the second guide bar being placed at a predetermined distance from the first guide bar in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

An exposure apparatus for forming a predetermined pattern on a plurality of substrates by exposing the substrates to an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising:

• a base having an alignment area and an exposure area along a first direction;
• a first stage that is movably supported by the base;
• a second stage that is movably supported by the base;
• a first driving device having a first moving member and a first stationary member so as to drive the first stage in the first direction;
• a first table associated with the first stage, the first table having a first reflective portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a second reflective portion parallel to the first reflective portion;
• a first actuator system that is connected to the first stage and the first table to move the first table relative to the first stage in six degrees-of-freedom;
• a second driving device having a second moving member and a second stationary member so as to drive the second stage in the first direction;
• a second table associated with the second stage, the second table having a third reflective portion extending in the second direction and a fourth reflective portion parallel to the third reflective portion;
• a second actuator system that is connected to the second stage and the second table to move the second table relative to the second stage in six degrees-of-freedom;
• a first position detector that is capable of emitting a measurement beam to the first reflective portion and the third reflective portion to detect a position of each of the first and second tables;
• a second position detector that is capable of emitting a measurement beam to the second reflective portion and the fourth reflective portion to detect a position of each of the first and second tables;
• a first guide bar provided with the first stationary member so as to movably support one side of the first stage;
• and
• a second guide bar provided with the second stationary member so as to movably support one side of the second stage, the second stage guide bar being placed at a predetermined distance from the first guide bar in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

A stage device having a first cantilevered stage, comprising:

• a first driving device having a first moving member and a first stationary member that drives the first cantilevered stage in a first direction;
• a first table disposed on the first cantilevered stage to hold a first sample;
• a first minutely driving device connected to the first cantilevered stage that minutely drives the first table in at least one degree-of-freedom;
• a first restraint force generating mechanism that generates a restraint force to restrain a change in an attitude of the first cantilevered stage resulting from a reaction force produced due to the minute driving of the first table;
• and
• a first guide bar provided with the first stationary member that movably supports one side of the first cantilevered stage.