# US 8,786,831 B2 · Positioning apparatus

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- Number: US 8,786,831 B2
- Document ID: US8786831B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/166,573
- Filed: 2011-06-22
- Published: 2011-10-13
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2005-02-09
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Tosiya Asano; Yugo Shibata; Atsushi Kimura
- Inventors: Tosiya Asano; Yugo Shibata; Atsushi Kimura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786831B2

## CPC

- G03F 7/70783: {Handling stress or warp of chucks, masks or workpieces, e.g. to compensate for imaging errors or considerations related to warpage of masks or workpieces due to their own weight}
- G03F 7/70758: {Drive means, e.g. actuators, motors for long- or short-stroke modules or fine or coarse driving}
- G03F 7/70775: {Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position}
- H02K 41/03: Synchronous motors; Motors moving step by step; Reluctance motors (H02K41/035 takes precedence)
- H02K 2201/18: Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})

## Abstract

A positioning apparatus includes a moving member, an actuator, and a controller. The moving member can move in at least a first direction. The actuator is provided along the first direction. The controller controls a current applied to the actuator in order to support the weight of the moving member. The bending rigidity of the moving member in the first direction is greater than the bending rigidity of the moving member in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A positioning apparatus comprising:
a moving member including a magnet unit having a cyclic magnetic-flux-density distribution along a first direction parallel to a predetermined surface;
a coil unit including a plurality of coils arranged in the first direction at a pitch according to the cyclic magnetic-flux-density distribution, the first direction being perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the coils; and
a controller configured to generate a supporting force for supporting a weight of the moving member using the coils and to generate a positioning force for positioning the moving member in the predetermined surface,
wherein the controller is configured to generate curve-correcting forces f1 and f2 for correcting curving deformation caused by the moving member being moved in the first direction, the curve-correcting forces f1 and f2 being different from the positioning force using the coils, and the forces f1 and f2 have same magnitudes and opposite directions, and a force line of the force f1 corresponds to a force line of the force f2 in the predetermined surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An exposure apparatus comprising the positioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning apparatus positions the moving member on which a wafer is mounted.