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AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsSven Antoin Johan Hol, Jan Van Eijk, Antonius Franciscus Johannes De Groot, Johannes Petrus Martinus Bernardus Vermeulen, Geert-Jan Petrus Naaijkens, Marijn Kessels, Daniël Godfried Emma Hobbelen
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A method for positioning a substage, supported by a main stage, relative to a reference object, the substage moveable in a direction between a first and second position relative to the main stage. The method includes positioning the first stage using a passive force system that is activated by positioning the main stage. The passive force system includes two magnet systems, each magnet system being configured to apply a force in the direction to the first stage with respect to the second stage in a non-contact manner, the forces resulting in a resultant force applied to the first stage in the direction by the passive force system. A magnitude and/or a direction of the resultant force depends on the position of the first stage relative to the second stage, and the first stage has a zero-force position between the first and second position in which the resultant force is zero.
A method for positioning a first stage with respect to a reference object, the first stage moveable relative to a second stage, the second stage moveable with respect to a frame in a moving direction using a main actuator arranged between the second stage and the frame for applying a force to the second stage with respect to the frame in the moving direction, the first stage being moveable in the moving direction between a first and a second position relative to the second stage, the method comprising:
A positioning system comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.