Movable stage apparatus

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• a reticle stage that moves while holding a reflection reticle such that a reflection surface of the reflection reticle faces downward, said reticle stage including a coarse movement stage which is driven in a scanning direction and a fine movement stage which is arranged at vertically lower position relative to the coarse movement stage and moves in six-axial directions;
• a wafer stage that moves while holding a wafer such that a wafer holding surface faces vertically upward;
• a first linear motor that drives the coarse movement stage including a stator;
• a second linear motor that drives the fine movement stage;
• an alignment section, arranged between the coarse movement stage and the fine movement stage, for positioning the fine movement stage relative to the coarse movement stage;
• a first guide member including a first guide surface for guiding movement of the coarse movement stage;
• a second guide member including a second guide surface for guiding movement of the stator of said first linear motor;
• a first hydrostatic bearing arranged at a position on the coarse movement stage and opposed to the first guide surface;
• a permanent magnet, arranged at a position on the coarse movement stage and opposing to the first guide surface, that generates a magnetic attraction force to the first guide surface;
• a second hydrostatic bearing arranged at a position on the stator of said first linear motor and opposed to the second guide surface;
• and
• a support mechanism, arranged between the coarse movement stage and the fine movement stage, that supports a weight of the fine movement stage by a magnetic attraction force,
• wherein the first guide surface of said first guide member faces vertically downward and said first guide member is arranged vertically above the coarse movement stage so that said first guide member does not block light which irradiates the reflection reticle and is reflected by the reflection reticle,
• wherein the second guide surface of said second guide member faces vertically downward and said second guide member is arranged vertically above the stator of said first linear motor so that said second guide member does not block light which irradiates the reflection reticle and is reflected by the reflection reticle, and
• wherein said support mechanism is configured such that the fine movement stage contacts the coarse movement stage in a state that the fine movement stage is positioned via the alignment section by the magnetic attraction force of said support mechanism.