Driving apparatus and exposure apparatus

Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – Step and repeat

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C355S072000, C355S075000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06493062

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving apparatus for moving an object and an exposure apparatus including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as typical exposure apparatuses used to manufacture semiconductor devices or the like, there are step-and-repeat exposure apparatuses (also referred to as steppers) which sequentially transfer the pattern of a master (reticle or mask) onto a plurality of exposure regions on a substrate (wafer or glass substrate) by exposure while moving the substrate stepwise, or step-and-scan exposure apparatuses (also referred to as scanners) which repeat step movement and scanning exposure to repeatedly transfer a pattern onto a plurality of regions on a substrate by exposure. Especially, the step-and-scan exposure apparatuses are expected to be a mainstream in the future because they limit light through a slit and use only a portion relatively close to the optical axis of the projection optical system, and therefore, allow exposure using a precise and wide-angled fine pattern.
Such an exposure apparatus has a stage unit (wafer stage or reticle stage) for moving a wafer or a reticle at a high speed and positioning it. When the stage is driven, the inertial force generates a reaction force in accordance with acceleration/deceleration. This reaction force is transmitted to a platen to swing or vibrate it. This may excite natural vibration of the mechanical system of the exposure apparatus and generate high-frequency vibration to impede high-speed and accurate positioning.
Several proposals have been made to solve the problem of the reaction force. For example, an apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-77126 employs a system for preventing swing of the stage platen due to a reaction force by supporting the stator of a linear motor for driving the stage on the floor independently of the stage platen. An apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-121294 uses a system for decreasing swing of the apparatus due to a reaction force by applying, to a machine frame supporting a wafer stage and a projecting lens, a compensation force equivalent to the reaction force according to drive of the stage by a force actuator which generates a force in the horizontal direction.
In both the prior arts, however, although swing of the stage unit itself can be reduced, the reaction force according to drive of the stage is transmitted to the floor directly or through a member which is substantially integrated with the floor. Since the floor vibrates, apparatuses set around the exposure apparatus also vibrate and are adversely affected. Normally, a floor on which an exposure apparatus is set has a natural frequency of about 20 to 40 Hz. When natural vibration of the floor is excited according to the operation of the exposure apparatus, the peripheral apparatuses are considerably adversely affected.
Recently, the stage acceleration is constantly increasing along with improvement of the process speed (throughput). For example, in a step-and-scan exposure apparatus, the maximum acceleration of the reticle stage is 4 G, and that of the wafer stage is 1 G. In addition, the stage mass also increases as the reticle or substrate size increases. For this reason, the driving force defined by <mass of moving body>×<acceleration> is very large, and the reaction force thereof is enormous. Hence, the problem of vibration of the setting floor due to an increase in acceleration and weight is unnegligible.
In addition to the problem of vibration, the apparatuses which are becoming bulky also pose the problem of an increase in occupation area in a manufacturing factory where many manufacturing apparatuses are set.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to realize highly accurate stage positioning control by decreasing the influence of vibration or swing according to movement of a stage.
It is another object of the present invention to minimize the influence of a reaction force generated upon acceleration/deceleration of a stage on a floor and prevent vibration from being transmitted to another apparatus set on the same floor.
It is still another object of the present invention to reduce the setting area of a driving apparatus and an exposure apparatus.
A driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a stage which moves with the object mounted thereon, a base member supporting the stage, a reaction force reception structure for receiving a reaction force generated upon driving the stage, and a damp member for damping transmission of vibration with a predetermined frequency range from the reaction force reception structure to a floor.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, preferably, the damp member has an elastic support between the floor or a member substantially equivalent to the floor and the reaction force reception structure, and the reaction force reception structure is supported by the floor or the member substantially equivalent to the floor through the elastic support.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the elastic support preferably elastically supports the reaction force reception structure from a lower side and/or from one side.
The driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention preferably further comprises an application section for applying a force between the base member and the reaction force reception structure.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the application section preferably has an actuator for generating a force in a horizontal direction and/or in a vertical direction.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, preferably, the stage moves in a horizontal plane, and the application section comprises an actuator for generating a force in an X direction in the horizontal plane and an actuator for generating a force in a Y direction in the horizontal plane.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the application section preferably comprises a linear motor.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, a level of a barycenter of the stage preferably substantially equals a level at which the application section applies the force to the reaction force reception structure.
Preferably, the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention further comprises a mount between the floor or a member substantially equivalent to the floor and the base member, and the base member is supported by the floor or the member substantially equivalent to the floor through the mount.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the mount preferably comprises an air spring.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the reaction force reception structure is preferably arranged under the base member.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the damp member preferably damps transmission of vibration having a frequency containing a natural frequency of the floor from the reaction force reception structure to the floor.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the damp member preferably damps vibration having a frequency not less than 10 Hz from the reaction force reception structure to the floor.
In the driving apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, preferably, the stage moves in a horizontal plane, the damp member has an elastic support between a member fixed to the floor and the reaction force reception structure, and the reaction force reception structure is supported from one side by the member fixed to the floor through the elastic support.
In the driving apparatus according to the

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