Stage system, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

A stage system, comprising:

• a first fixed guide having a first guide surface being parallel to a first direction and a second direction being orthogonal to the first direction;
• a first movable guide to be guided by said first fixed guide and extending in the second direction;
• a second fixed guide having a second guide surface being parallel to the first and second directions;
• a second movable guide to be guided by said second fixed guide and having a second guide extending in the first direction;
• a third fixed guide having a third guide surface being parallel to said first and second guide surfaces;
• and
• a movable member to be guided in the first and second directions by means of said first and second movable guides, and also to be guided by said third fixed guide in a third direction being orthogonal to the first and second directions,
• wherein said movable member is attracted to said third fixed guide by means of a permanent magnet unit having a magnetic shield.

A stage system, comprising:

• a base table made of a magnetic material and having a plane parallel to a first direction and a second direction being orthogonal to the first direction;
• a first movable guide to be guided by the plane of said base table and extending in the second direction;
• a second movable guide to be guided by the plane of said base table and having a second guide extending in the first direction;
• a movable member to be guided in the first and second directions by means of said first and second movable guides, and also to be guided by the plane of said base table in a third direction being orthogonal to the first and second directions;
• first, second and third static pressure bearings for supporting said first and second movable guides and said central movable member, while maintaining a clearance between each of them and the plane of said base table;
• first and second magnetic material bases each having a plane parallel to the first and second directions, said first and second magnetic material bases being disposed adjacent to one of said first and said second movable guide while being magnetically isolated from said base table;
• first and second permanent magnets fixed to said first and second movable guides, respectively, and disposed opposed to planes of said first and second magnetic material bases, respectively, while a clearance is maintained between opposed surfaces;
• a third permanent magnet fixedly provided adjacent to said third static pressure bearing of said movable member, while a clearance is maintained between said third permanent magnet and the plane of said base table;
• and
• magnetic shields for shielding said first, second and third permanent magnets, respectively.

A device manufacturing method comprising:

• providing a stage system including:
• (i) a first fixed guide having a first guide surface being parallel to a first direction and a second direction being orthogonal to the first direction;
• (ii) a first movable guide to be guided by the first fixed guide and having three freedoms of straight motions in the first and second directions and a motion in a rotational direction about a third direction being orthogonal to the first and second directions, the first movable guide extending in the second direction;
• (iii) a second fixed guide having a second guide surface being parallel to the first and second directions;
• (iv) a second movable guide to be guided by the second fixed guide and having three freedoms of straight motions in the first and second directions and a motion in a rotational direction about the third direction, the second movable guide having a second guide extending in the first direction;
• and
• (v) a movable member to be guided in the first and second directions by means of the first and second movable guides;
• positioning at least one of a substrate and an original on the stage system;
• and
• manufacturing a device by exposing at least one of the substrate and the original positioned on the stage system.