Geometrical instruments – Gauge – Work support adjustment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-21
2001-08-14
Fulton, Christopher W. (Department: 2859)
Geometrical instruments
Gauge
Work support adjustment
C033S573000, C033S0010MP
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272763
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a staging apparatus having an anti-vibration mechanism which is suitable for use with a stage for positioning a photo-sensitive substrate in a projection exposure apparatus or a stage for moving an object while it carries the object in a measurement instrument. The present invention also relates to a method for controlling movement of a stage which controls a device that suppresses a vibration of the stage, and a method for manufacturing the staging apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
When a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal display device is to be manufactured in a photo-lithography process, a projection exposure apparatus which exposes a pattern image of a photo-mask or a reticle onto a photo-sensitive substrate by a step and repeat process through a projection optical system is used. In such a projection exposure apparatus, since it is required to precisely position the photo-sensitive substrate, a stage which mounts the photo-sensitive substrate and moves it three-dimensionally is used.
In the prior art projection exposure apparatus, in order to prevent an external disturbance from the external of the apparatus and an internal vibration generated in the apparatus from deteriorating performances of the projection exposure apparatus, the entire projection exposure apparatus is mounted on a vibration attenuation apparatus called an anti-vibration table. However, as the size of the photo-sensitive substrate increases, the weight of a moving portion of the stage increases, and as the speed of the stage increases, a counterforce applied to the anti-vibration table (the entire apparatus) from the stage increases more and more. As the counterforce increases more and more, a vibration amplitude generated in the anti-vibration table increases, and the vibration acts to the stage to lead to the deterioration of a settling time of the positioning of the stage (a time required for a positional deviation of the stage from a target position to reach substantially zero) and a stop precision.
In order to improve the settling time of the positioning of the stage and the stop precision, an active anti-vibration mechanism which detects the generated vibration by a gradient sensor or an acceleration sensor and actively controls the detected vibration by an actuator may be used. By the use of such an anti-vibration mechanism, the reduction of the vibration settling time in the anti-vibration table may be expected and the improvement of the stage performance may be expected.
However, even when the active anti-vibration mechanism is adopted, the anti-vibration is still based on a principle that the generated vibration is converted to an electrical signal by a sensor and the detected signal is fed back to the actuator. Accordingly, a response time before the suppression of the generated vibration is not short enough and the tracking property of the anti-vibration operation to the generated vibration is poor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a staging apparatus having a shorter settling time by the adoption of an active anti-vibration mechanism.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a staging apparatus having an improved positioning performance of the stage.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a staging apparatus that achieves the aforementioned objects of the present invention.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling movement of a stage that achieves the aforementioned objects of the present invention.
The positioning staging apparatus of the present invention comprises a base provided on a floor; a stage provided on said base and movable to said base; output means for outputting stage positioning information for moving said stage to a predetermined target position; stage drive means provided on said base for driving said stage and outputting the drive information; stage control means for controlling said stage drive means to accelerate and decelerate said stage in accordance with the stage positioning information to stop said stage at the target position; stage displacement detection means for detecting the displacement of said stage driven by said stage drive means to output the stage displacement information; and anti-vibration means provided between said floor and said base for applying to said base a force to suppress the vibration of said base generated by the movement of said stage. The anti-vibration means generates the suppression force in accordance with one of the stage displacement information and the stage positioning information.
In accordance with the present invention, since the anti-vibration control means controls the operation of the anti-vibration buffer means by using the displacement information of the stage, the vibration settling time for the movement of the stage is shortened and the positioning performance of the stage is improved.
When the stage control means controls the movement of the stage by utilizing the vibration status of the base, the positioning precision of the stage is further improved.
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Abstract of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-1585, Jan. 5, 1990—Kobayashi.
Yamaguchi Atsushi
Yamasaki Shigeru
Fulton Christopher W.
Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
Nikon Corporation
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