Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080202555 | CLEANING MEMBER, CLEANING METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A cleaning member is smaller than a substrate for exposure where exposure light is irradiated, and at least part of a substrate-holding member that holds a rear face of the substrate for exposure is held by the substrate-holding member in order to clean. | 08-28-2008 |
20080218713 | Movable body drive method and movable body drive system, pattern formation method and apparatus, exposure method and apparatus, and device manufacturing method - A drive unit drives a wafer stage in a Y-axis direction based on a measurement value of an encoder that measures position information of the wafer stage in the Y-axis direction and based on information on the flatness of a scale that is measured by the encoder. In this case, the drive unit can drive the wafer stage in a predetermined direction based on a measurement value after correction in which a measurement error caused by the flatness of the scale included in the measurement value of the encoder is corrected based on the information on the flatness of the scale. Accordingly, the wafer stage can be driven with high accuracy in a predetermined direction using the encoder, without being affected by the unevenness of the scale. | 09-11-2008 |
20080239275 | Substrate holding apparatus, exposure apparatus, exposing method, and device fabricating method - The some aspects of the present invention provides a substrate holding apparatus that comprises: a base part; a support part that is formed on the base part and supports a rear surface of the substrate; a first circumferential wall that: is formed on the base part; has a first upper surface that opposes the rear surface of the substrate, which is supported by the support part; and surrounds a first space that is between the substrate, which is supported by the support part, and the base part; a second circumferential wall that: is formed on the base part; has a second upper surface that opposes the rear surface of the substrate, which is supported by the support part, with a gap interposed therebetween; and surrounds the first circumferential wall; a third circumferential wall that: is formed on the base part; has a third upper sure that opposes the rear surface of the substrate, which is supported by the support part; and surrounds the support part and the second circumferential wall; a fluid flow port that is capable of supplying gas to a second space that is between the first circumferential wall and the second circumferential wall; and a first suction port that suctions fluid from a third space that is between the second circumferential wall and the third circumferential wall. | 10-02-2008 |
20080239276 | Stage apparatus, fixation method, exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device-producing method - A stage apparatus including: a movement member movable with a plate member placed on a placement surface; and a fixing apparatus that fixes said plate member to said placement surface in parallel with said movement member passing through a prescribed first region. | 10-02-2008 |
20080291415 | PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND PATTERN FORMATION APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - In a measurement zone that is spaced apart in a Y-axis direction from an exposure zone that is located immediately below a projection unit, a detection area of an alignment system is moved in the Y-axis direction and a plurality of marks are sequentially detected, and therefore a movement distance of wafer stages in the Y-axis direction when performing the mark detection can be decreased compared with the case where only the wafer stages are moved while fixing the alignment system and mark detection is performed as in the conventional cases. Accordingly, a width of the measurement zone in the Y-axis direction can be reduced, which allows the apparatus to be downsized. | 11-27-2008 |
20080297751 | Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method for producing device - An exposure method includes measuring coordinates of alignment marks before and after exposing a first wafer to determine a fluctuation amount of a parameter of the alignment; measuring coordinates of alignment marks before exposing a second wafer to determine a parameter of the alignment; and aligning and exposing the second wafer based on a parameter obtained by correcting the parameter with the fluctuation amount determined for the first wafer. A high overlay accuracy can be obtained even when the alignment information is gradually changed, for example, due to the linear expansion and contraction of the substrate during the exposure of the substrate. | 12-04-2008 |
20080316446 | Stage apparatus and exposure apparatus - A wafer stage and a measurement stage are configured so that they are movable along an upper surface of a base plate, and water is transferred therebetween by bringing the stages proximate to one another and moving them integrally in the Y directions. An alignment system measures mutually proximate edge parts of the wafer stage and the measurement stage, and a focus leveling detection system measures a step in the Z directions in a state wherein the wafer stage and the measurement stage are proximate to one another. When both stages are brought proximate to one another, the relative position between the wafer stage and the measurement stage is adjusted based on the measurement results. | 12-25-2008 |
20090027640 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, POSITION CONTROL METHOD AND POSITION CONTROL SYSTEM, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Positional information of a movement plane of a wafer stage is measured using an encoder system such as, for example, an X head and a Y head, and the wafer stage is controlled based on the measurement results. At the same time, positional information of the wafer stage is measured using an interferometer system such as, for example, an X interferometer and a Y interferometer. When abnormality of the encoder system is detected or when the wafer stage moves off from a measurement area of the encoder system, drive control is switched to a drive control based on the measurement results of the interferometer system. Accordingly, drive control of the wafer stage can be performed continuously in the entire stroke area, even at the time when abnormality occurs in the encoder system. | 01-29-2009 |
20090040488 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Positional information of a stage within a movement plane is measured, using three encoders which include at least one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder. Based on position measurement values of the stage, the encoder used in position measurement is switched from an encoder (Enc | 02-12-2009 |
20090051892 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD, MEASURING METHOD, AND POSITION MEASUREMENT SYSTEM - By moving a wafer stage while monitoring an XY position of a wafer stage WST using an interferometer system, and scanning a Y scale in an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction using a surface position sensor, an XY setting position of the surface position sensor is measured. Based on information of the setting position obtained, by measuring a position coordinate of the wafer stage in a perpendicular direction with respect to an XY plane and a tilt direction, the wafer stage is driven in a stable manner and with high precision. | 02-26-2009 |
20090051893 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A controller uses two Z heads, which are positioned above a reflection surface installed on the ±X ends of the upper surface of a wafer table, to measure the height and tilt of the wafer table. The Z head to be used is switched according to XY positions of the wafer table. On the switching of the heads, the controller applies a coordinate linkage method to set an initial value of the Z head which is to be newly used. Accordingly, although the Z head to be used is sequentially switched according the XY position of the wafer table, measurement results of the height and the tilt of the wafer table are stored before and after the switching, and it becomes possible to drive the wafer table with high precision. | 02-26-2009 |
20090051894 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND MEASURING METHOD - A wafer stage is moved while monitoring a position using an X interferometer and a Y interferometer, and a Z position of a Y scale arranged on the wafer stage upper surface is measured using a surface position sensor. In this case, for example, from a difference of measurement results of two surface position sensors, tilt of the Y scale in the Y-axis direction is obtained. By measuring the tilt of the entire surface of a pair of Y scales, two-dimensional unevenness data of the scales are made. By correcting the measurement results of the position surface sensor using the unevenness data, and then using the corrected measurement results, it becomes possible to drive wafer stage WST two-dimensionally with high precision. | 02-26-2009 |
20090051895 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND PROCESSING SYSTEM - A position of a stage in a perpendicular direction with respect to a movement plane and a tilt direction is measured, using a surface position sensor and a Z interferometer. And, the stage is driven in a stable manner and also with high precision, by appropriately switching between three control modes; servo control using a measurement result of the surface position sensor (a first control mode), servo control using a measurement result of the Z interferometer (a second control mode), and servo control using measurement results of both measurement systems (a third control mode), or by appropriately switching between two control modes out of the three control modes. | 02-26-2009 |
20090053629 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Positional information of a wafer stage in a Z-axis direction and a tilt direction with respect to the XY plane (for example, a θy direction) is measured, using a surface position measurement system, such as, for example, a Z head and the like, and the wafer stage is driven based on the measurement results. | 02-26-2009 |
20090059198 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A controller uses two Z heads, which are positioned above a reflection surface installed on the ±X ends of the upper surf ace of a table, to measure the height and tilt of the table. According to the XY position of the table, the Z heads to be used are switched from ZsR and ZsL to ZsR′ and ZsL. On the switching of the heads, the controller applies a coordinate linkage method to set an initial value of the Z heads which are to be newly used. Accordingly, although the Z heads to be used are sequentially switched according the XY position of the table, measurement results of the height and the tilt of the table are stored before and after the switching, and it becomes possible to drive the table with high precision. | 03-05-2009 |
20090086178 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS - Electric power is generated by using a generator equipped with: a coil unit that is arranged on a barrel platform and incorporates coils; and a magnet unit that has a magnet section arranged on a protruding section of a column separated from the barrel platform in terms of vibration and generates an electromotive force in a non-contact state with the coils, and a motor that drives the magnet section, and thus a wiring that supplies electric power to the barrel platform does not have to be used. Accordingly, vibration that has been propagated to the barrel platform through the wiring can be precluded. | 04-02-2009 |
20090109413 | Maintenance method, exposure method and apparatus, and device manufacturing method - A maintenance method for performing maintenance of an exposure apparatus including a liquid immersion space-forming member which forms a liquid-immersion area by supplying liquid in a space between an optical member and a substrate; a liquid supply mechanism which supplies the liquid to the liquid-immersion space; a substrate stage which moves the substrate; and a measuring stage on which a reference mark is formed. To clean the liquid-immersion space-forming member, a cleaning liquid is supplied to a space between the measuring stage and the liquid-immersion space-forming member. The exposure apparatus is provided with various types of cleaning mechanisms for cleaning the liquid-immersion space-forming member. The liquid-immersion exposure can be performed while efficiently performing maintenance of the exposure apparatus. | 04-30-2009 |
20090122293 | Stage device, exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing devices - A stage device includes a stage and a frame-shaped member that move in three degrees of freedom directions in a two-dimensional plane while floating above a surface plate. The stage also holds an object. First fixed elements and second fixed elements are fitted to the frame-shaped member, and cooperate with first movable elements and second movable elements to generate drive forces to drive the stage in the two-dimensional plane. A reaction force generated by the driving of the stage acts on the first and/or second fixed elements, and causes the frame-shaped member to move in the two-dimensional plane. Because the reaction force caused by the movement of the stage is substantially completely cancelled, and because the movement of a center of gravity of a system including the stage and the frame-shaped member does not occur, no unbalanced load acts on the surface plate. | 05-14-2009 |
20090128790 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - When a transition is performed from a state where one wafer stage is positioned in an area including a liquid immersion area to a state where the other wafer stage is positioned in the area including the liquid immersion area, eaves sections arranged in both wafer stages are to be engaged to make a proximity or a contact state in the X-axis direction, and both stages are simultaneously driven in the X-axis direction while maintaining the state. In this manner, the liquid immersion area moves back and forth between the two stages via the eaves sections. This can restrain leakage of the liquid via a gap between both wafer stages, and further, a liquid leakage to the reflection surfaces arranged on the side surface of both wafer stages can be restrained. Further, interference between the reflection surfaces arranged in both wafer stages can be avoided. | 05-21-2009 |
20090153822 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Two X encoder heads (X heads) and one Y head are mounted on one wafer stage, and an X scale and a Y scale corresponding to these heads are arranged on a surface facing the wafer stage so that the scales connect the exposure area and the alignment area. The wafer stage is made to move back and forth between the exposure area and the alignment area along a path where the X scale and the Y scale are set, while performing position measurement using three encoder heads. In this case, a switching process between XZ interferometer will not be necessary. | 06-18-2009 |
20090161086 | MOVABLE BODY SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND MEASUREMENT DEVICE, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A movable body system is equipped with a stage having a stage main section which moves along an XY plane and a stage which is finely movable in a direction (a Z-axis direction) orthogonal to the XY plane and a tilt direction with respect to the XY plane, and a measurement device which measures positional information of the stage within the XY plane. The measurement device has a plurality of encoder heads arranged on the table, and optical fibers whose end sections are arranged facing each head at the stage main section and the optical axes at the end sections are substantially parallel to the Z-axis direction, and the device measures positional information of the stage, based on an output of a head facing a grating section placed substantially parallel to the XY plane. And, air transmission of a signal is performed between each of the heads and the end section of the optical fibers. | 06-25-2009 |
20090190104 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Encoder heads and Z heads are installed in order to measure the position of a stage that moves within a predetermined plane. Measurement beams emitted from these heads are irradiated to scales arranged on the upper surface of the stage. During the idling, for example, the stage continues to be moved by driving and rotating the stage around the stop position of the stage serving as the center, or the stage is withdrawn to an area to which the measurement beams are not irradiated. | 07-30-2009 |
20090190110 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A stage device is equipped with a first scale which is placed with a Y-axis direction serving as its longitudinal direction and in which a first grating whose periodic direction is in an X-axis direction is formed and a second scale which is placed with the X-axis direction serving as its longitudinal direction and in which a second grating whose periodic direction is orthogonal to the periodic direction of the first grating is formed, the first scale and the second scale being placed on a plane which a wafer stage faces. Further, on the upper surface of the wafer stage, a plurality of X heads placed at different positions in the X-axis direction and a plurality of Y heads placed at different positions in the Y-axis direction are arranged. An encoder system that has these heads measures positional information of the stage within an XY plane, based on an output of the X head facing the first scale and an output of the Y head facing the second scale. | 07-30-2009 |
20090201513 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An x linear encoder, which is configured of a pickup placed on a measurement mount and facing an x scale fixed on the lower surface of a barrel that houses a projection optical system, measures the displacement of the barrel with the measurement mount serving as a reference. With the configuration of the x linear encoder, a path of a measurement light that propagates back and forth between the pickup and the scale is significantly shortened, compared with the case of using an interferometer. | 08-13-2009 |
20090207394 | Stage device, exposure apparatus and method of producing device - A stage device is provided with a mobile body retaining a mask illuminated with exposure light and moving along a predetermined plane, and a flow control section moving substantially together with the movement of the mobile body so as to control the flow of gas in proximity to the mask thereby. | 08-20-2009 |
20090231564 | Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method - A lithographic projection apparatus includes a substrate table to hold a substrate, a projection system to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate and a liquid confinement structure to confine a liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate, the substrate, the substrate table, or both, to form a part of a boundary of the space. In addition, a closing plate forms a part of a boundary of the space in place of the substrate, the substrate table, or both, when moved without substantially disturbing the liquid, the liquid confinement structure, or both. | 09-17-2009 |
20090233234 | HOLDING APPARATUS, POSITION DETECTION APPARATUS AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS, MOVING METHOD, POSITION DETECTION METHOD, EXPOSURE METHOD, ADJUSTMENT METHOD OF DETECTION SYSTEM AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - By a force generation device which can generate a magnetic attraction and gas static pressure between a detection system provided on a lower surface side of an FIA surface plate and a surface plate, a predetermined clearance is formed between the detection system and the surface plate, and in a state where the clearance is formed (a floating state), the detection system is driven by a drive device in at least an uniaxial direction within a horizontal plane. Therefore, because the detection system is in a non-contact state to the base platform, movement (positioning) of the detection system with high precision becomes possible. Further, by setting an attraction larger than a repulsion generated by the force generation device, the detection system can be fixed (landed) in a state positioned with high precision. | 09-17-2009 |
20090251679 | Exposure method and exposure apparatus, stage unit, and device manufacturing method having two substrate stages with one stage temporarily positioned below the other stage - By an exposure method including a process where in parallel with an exposure operation performed on a wafer on one of the wafer stages, the other wafer stage is temporarily positioned under the one wafer stage in order to interchange both wafer stages, a part of the interchange operation (exchange operation) of both stages according to a procedure of temporarily positioning the other wafer stage under the one wafer stage can be performed in parallel with the exposure operation of the wafer on the one wafer stage. Accordingly, the interchange can be performed in a shorter period of time than when the interchange operation begins from the point where the exposure operation of the wafer on the one wafer stage has been completed. | 10-08-2009 |
20090268174 | Exposure apparatus, exposure method, cleaning apparatus, and device manufacturing method - An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with exposure light via a liquid. The exposure apparatus includes: an optical member which has an emission surface from which the exposure light is emitted; a movable object which is able to move in a predetermined surface including a position facing the emission surface; and a predetermined component which is able to move between, the optical member and the movable object and which is able to form a space between which and the optical member a liquid is held. | 10-29-2009 |
20090280439 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A light branching unit and a reflecting mirror are fixed to a barrel in a state where the distance between the members is constantly maintained. And, a laser beam from a light source is guided to the light branching unit via an optical fiber, separated to a measurement beam and a reference beam by a beam splitter, and a synthesized light of the measurement beam and the reference beam that reciprocate between the light branching unit and the reflecting mirror in the liquid is then guided to a photodetection system via the optical fiber. And, the measurement beam and the reference beam are made to interfere inside this photodetection system, and a change of an optical path length of the measurement beam is measured based on a photoelectric conversion signal of the interference light. Accordingly, change of a refractive index of the liquid can be optically measured. | 11-12-2009 |
20090284723 | STAGE DEVICE, PATTERN FORMATION APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, STAGE DRIVE METHOD, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A stage device is equipped with: a wafer stage that has a coarse movement stage that moves along an XY plane and a table that is finely movable in at least a direction parallel to the XY plane; and an encoder system. A plurality of encoder heads are arranged on the coarse movement stage. Each of the heads irradiates a first grating section placed parallel to the XY plane and a second grating section arranged on the table with measurement beams, respectively, and receives diffracted lights from each of the first and second grating sections. The encoder system measures positional information of the table (wafer stage) within the XY plane based on an output of at least one encoder head that faces the first and second grating sections. | 11-19-2009 |
20090296067 | Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method - When a transition from a first state where one stage is positioned at a first area directly below projection optical system to which liquid is supplied to a state where the other stage is positioned at the first area, both stages are simultaneously driven while a state where both stages are close together in the X-axis direction is maintained. Therefore, it becomes possible to make a transition from the first state to the second state in a state where liquid is supplied in the space between the projection optical system and the specific stage directly under the projection optical system. Accordingly, the time from the completion of exposure operation on one stage side until the exposure operation begins on the other stage side can be reduced, which allows processing with high throughput. Further, because the liquid can constantly exist on the image plane side of the projection optical system, generation of water marks on optical members of the projection optical system on the image plane side is prevented. | 12-03-2009 |
20090296069 | Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method - When a transition from a first state where one stage is positioned at a first area directly below projection optical system to which liquid is supplied to a state where the other stage is positioned at the first area, both stages are simultaneously driven while a state where both stages are close together in the X-axis direction is maintained. Therefore, it becomes possible to make a transition from the first state to the second state in a state where liquid is supplied in the space between the projection optical system and the specific stage directly under the projection optical system. Accordingly, the time from the completion of exposure operation on one stage side until the exposure operation begins on the other stage side can be reduced, which allows processing with high throughput. Further, because the liquid can constantly exist on the image plane side of the projection optical system, generation of water marks on optical members of the projection optical system on the image plane side is prevented. | 12-03-2009 |
20090316133 | MOVING BODY APPARATUS AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS - When a wafer stage WST accelerates and decelerates on a base, a torque that acts on a wafer drive system including the base and the like is cancelled out by a torque that acts on the wafer drive system by driving a counter of a coutermass device along a linear guide in the Z-axis direction at a predetermined acceleration. Thereby, the torque that acts upon the wafer drive system is cancelled and the exposure apparatus can expose the wafer with good accuracy. | 12-24-2009 |
20100007865 | Coupling apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device fabricating method - An exposure apparatus fills a space between a projection optical system and a substrate with a liquid and projects a pattern image onto the substrate to expose the substrate. The projection optical system has a first group including an optical member that comes into contact with the liquid, and a second group that differs from the first group. The first group is supported by a first support member via a vibration isolating apparatus. | 01-14-2010 |
20100060877 | Stage unit, exposure apparatus, and exposure method - A power usage supply unit that supplies power usage to a stage which moves on a movement surface has a first axis section, first support sections, a second axis section, and a second support section. The first axis section is movably supported by the first support section in a direction of the first axis and around the first axis, and the second axis section is movably supported by the second support section in a direction of the second axis and around the second axis. And, by employing a mechanism in which the power usage supply unit has at least four degrees of freedom, the power usage supply unit does not interfere with the movement of a stage even when the stage moves in the first and second axis directions and in the rotational direction of each axis, therefore, decrease in position controllability of the stage caused by dragging a tube can be completely avoided. | 03-11-2010 |
20100068660 | Pattern forming method and device production method - A pattern forming method includes coating, on a wafer, a negative resist and a positive resist which has a higher sensitivity; exposing the positive resist and the negative resist on the wafer with an image of a line-and-space pattern; and developing the positive resist and the negative resist in a direction parallel to a normal line of a surface of the wafer. A fine pattern, which exceeds the resolution limit of an exposure apparatus, can be formed by using the lithography process without performing the overlay exposure. | 03-18-2010 |
20100073652 | MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A drive system drives a movable body, based on measurement results of a first measurement system which measures the position of the movable body in an XY plane by irradiating a measurement beam from an arm member on a grating placed on a surface parallel to the XY plane of the movable body. In this case, because a configuration in which the arm member irradiates a measurement beam on the grating is employed, there is no adverse effect due to the drive of the moving body, unlike the case when an encoder system is arranged on a stage surface plate. Accordingly, it becomes possible to drive the movable body with good precision. | 03-25-2010 |
20100073653 | MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - In measurement of a positional information in the XY plane of a fine movement stage held by a coarse movement stage, an encoder system is used including a head which is placed facing a grating placed on a surface substantially parallel to the XY plane of the fine movement stage and irradiates a measurement beam on the grating. Then, the fine movement stage is driven individually or integrally with the coarse movement stage by a drive system, based on the positional information measured by the encoder system. In this case, the head of the encoder system can be placed in proximity to the fine movement stage (the grating), which allows a highly precise measurement of the positional information of the fine movement stage by the encoder system. | 03-25-2010 |
20100073661 | Stage apparatus, exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method - An exposure apparatus comprises a stage main body having a mounting surface, and a correcting mechanism that corrects a shape of the mounting surface. | 03-25-2010 |
20100081095 | MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A drive system drives a movable body, based on measurement results of a first measurement system which measures the position of the movable body in an XY plane by irradiating a measurement beam from an arm member on a grating placed on a surface parallel to the XY plane of the movable body and measurement results of a second measurement system which measures a variance of the arm member using a laser interferometer. In this case, the drive system corrects measurement errors caused due to a variance of the arm member included in the measurement results of the first measurement system, using the measurement results of the second measurement system. | 04-01-2010 |
20100134771 | Coupling apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device fabricating method - A lithographic projection apparatus includes an illumination system arranged to condition a radiation beam, a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern, a substrate table configured to hold a substrate, a projection system arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and the substrate, with a liquid. The projection system includes a first part and a second part that are two separate physical parts that are substantially isolated from each other such that vibrations in the second part are substantially prevented from being transferred to the first part. Each part includes an optical element of the projection system and the first and second parts are not attached to and movable with the substrate. | 06-03-2010 |
20100141924 | Substrate holder, stage apparatus, and exposure apparatus with first support part provided in a suction space and second support part - An object of the invention is to hold a substrate with satisfactory flatness, even at a circumferential edge part that surrounds a suction space. The invention is equipped with a circumferential edge part that surrounds a suction space, and a first support part that is provided in the suction space and that supports a substrate. Furthermore, the invention is equipped with a second support part that extends from the circumferential edge part to the first support part and that supports the substrate. | 06-10-2010 |
20100157274 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An exposure apparatus is equipped with a fine movement stage that can hold a liquid with a projection optical system when the stage is at a position facing an outgoing surface of the projection optical system, and a blade that comes into proximity within a predetermined distance of the fine movement stage when the fine movement stage is holding the liquid with the projection optical system, and moves along with the fine movement stage while maintaining the proximity state, and then holds the liquid with the projection optical system after the movement. Accordingly, a plurality of stages will not have to be placed right under the projection optical system interchangeably, which can suppress an increase in footprint of the exposure apparatus. | 06-24-2010 |
20100157275 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - When a wafer on a fine movement stage supported by a coarse movement stage is exposed via a projection optical system with an illumination light at an exposure station, a position of the fine movement stage within an XY plane is measured with good precision by a measurement system. Further, when an alignment to a wafer on a fine movement stage supported by a coarse movement stage is performed at a measurement station, a position of the fine movement stage within an XY plane is measured with good precision by a measurement system. | 06-24-2010 |
20100157276 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND CARRIER METHOD - An exposure apparatus is equipped with a coarse movement stage which can move along an XY plane and includes a first section and a second section that can come close to and separate from each other, a fine movement stage which holds wafer W and is supported relatively movable at least within the XY plane by the coarse movement stage, and a drive system which drives the fine movement stage supported by the coarse movement stage independently or integrally with the coarse movement stage. Further, the exposure apparatus is equipped with a relay stage which can deliver the fine movement stage to/from the coarse movement stage. | 06-24-2010 |
20100159403 | MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - In an exposure station, positional information of a stage holding a wafer is measured by a first fine movement stage position measurement system including a measurement arm, and in a measurement station, positional information of a stage holding a wafer is measured by a second fine movement stage position measurement system including another measurement arm. An exposure apparatus has a third fine movement stage position measurement system which can measure positional information of a stage when the stage is carried from the measurement station to the exposure station. The third fine movement stage measurement system includes an encoder system including a plurality of Y heads and a laser interferometer system including a laser interferometer. | 06-24-2010 |
20100171941 | Stage apparatus and exposure apparatus - A wafer stage system moves a wafer stage that retains a wafer via a wafer holder along a wafer base. For example, the wafer holder is formed from a material whose density is not uniform, such that the portion that includes the reflecting surface that reflects a measuring beam for position measurement is a high-density portion, and the other portions are low-density portions. Or, the wafer stage is formed from a material whose density is not uniform, such that the portion that includes the surface that constitutes a gas bearing is a high-density portion, and the other portions are low-density portions. | 07-08-2010 |
20100177295 | EXPOSURE METHOD AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS, STAGE UNIT, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD HAVING TWO SUBSTRATE STAGES WITH ONE STAGE TEMPORARILY POSITIONED BELOW OTHER STAGE - By an exposure method including a process where in parallel with an exposure operation performed on a wafer on one of the wafer stages, the other wafer stage is temporarily positioned under the one wafer stage in order to interchange both wafer stages, a part of the interchange operation (exchange operation) of both stages according to a procedure of temporarily positioning the other wafer stage under the one wafer stage can be performed in parallel with the exposure operation of the wafer on the one wafer stage. Accordingly, the interchange can be performed in a shorter period of time than when the interchange operation begins from the point where the exposure operation of the wafer on the one wafer stage has been completed. | 07-15-2010 |
20100182584 | Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method - When a transition from a first state where one stage is positioned at a first area directly below projection optical system to which liquid is supplied to a state where the other stage-is positioned at the first area, both stages are simultaneously driven while a state where both stages are close together in the X-axis direction is maintained. Therefore, it becomes possible to make a transition from the first state to the second state in a state where liquid is supplied in the space between the projection optical system and the specific stage directly under the projection optical system. Accordingly, the time from the completion of exposure operation on one stage side until the exposure operation begins on the other stage side can be reduced, which allows processing with high throughput. Further, because the liquid can constantly exist on the image plane side of the projection optical system, generation of water marks on optical members of the projection optical system on the image plane side is prevented. | 07-22-2010 |
20100195068 | CLEANING MEMBER, CLEANING METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A cleaning member is smaller than a substrate for exposure where exposure light is irradiated, and at least part of a substrate-holding member that holds a rear face of the substrate for exposure is held by the substrate-holding member in order to clean. | 08-05-2010 |
20100296068 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An exposure apparatus exposes an object with exposure light. The exposure apparatus includes: a moving body which holds the object and is movable in a predetermined plane, and in which a scale member including a grating is disposed; a measurement system which measures positional information of the moving body in the predetermined plane using the scale member; a detection system which detects information regarding foreign matter on a surface of the scale member and the size of the foreign matter; and a cleaning apparatus which can clean the scale member. A cleaning operation is performed on the scale member according to a detection result of the detection system. | 11-25-2010 |
20100296070 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - While an exposure processing is performed to a wafer held by a fine movement stage supported by a coarse movement stage in an exposure station, at least a part of a measurement processing to a wafer held by another fine movement stage supported by another coarse movement stage and an exchange of a wafer held by yet another fine movement stage on a center table is concurrently performed. Because of this, exposure with a higher throughput becomes possible, even when compared with a conventional exposure apparatus which concurrently performs an exposure processing to a wafer on a wafer stage, and processing such as wafer exchange and alignment on another stage. | 11-25-2010 |
20100296071 | MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A fine movement stage is driven by a controller, based on positional information of the fine movement stage in a measurement direction measured by a measurement system and correction information of a measurement error caused by a tilt of the fine movement stage included in the positional information. Accordingly, driving the fine movement stage with high precision becomes possible, which is not affected by a measurement error included in the positional information in a measurement direction of the measurement system that occurs due to a tilt of the fine movement stage. | 11-25-2010 |
20100297562 | OBJECT EXCHANGE METHOD, EXPOSURE METHOD, CARRIER SYSTEM, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A carrier apparatus positions a chuck member above a wafer mounted on a fine movement stage, relatively moves the chuck member and the fine movement stage in a vertical direction, makes the chuck member approach a position which is a predetermined distance away from the upper surface of the wafer, makes the chuck member hold the wafer from above in a non-contact manner, and makes the chuck member holding the wafer and the fine movement stage move apart within a predetermined plane after making the chuck member holding the wafer and the fine movement stage move apart in the vertical direction. Further, the carrier apparatus loads the wafer held in a non-contact manner from above by the chuck member on the fine movement stage. | 11-25-2010 |
20100321666 | Movable body system, pattern formation apparatus, exposure apparatus and exposure method, and device manufacturing method - A laser beam emitted by an encoder main body enters a wafer table via a PBS from the outside, and reaches a grating at a point that is located right under exposure area, and is diffracted by the grating. Then, by receiving interference light of a first polarized component that has returned from the grating and a second polarized component reflected by the PBS, positional information of the wafer table is measured. Accordingly, because the first polarized component, which has passed through PBS passes through the wafer table until it is synthesized with the second polarized component again, does not proceed through the atmosphere outside, position measurement of the wafer table can be performed with high precision without the measurement beam being affected by the fluctuation of the atmosphere around the wafer table. | 12-23-2010 |
20110001943 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Of a measurement stage that has a plate on which liquid is supplied, and performs measurement related to exposure via a projection optical system and a liquid, at least a part of the measurement stage including the plate can be exchanged. Therefore, by exchanging at least a part of the measurement stage including the plate before the surface of the plate deteriorates due to contact with the liquid, measurement related to exposure can be performed constantly with high precision, which makes it possible to maintain exposure with high precision. Further, in the case at least one edge surface of the plate is mirror-polished, when at least a part of the measurement section including the plate is exchanged to a new component, the position of the plate can be accurately measured, for instance, by an interferometer or the like via the edge surface of the plate that has been mirror-polished, even if the position of the component that has been exchanged is roughly set. | 01-06-2011 |
20110025998 | Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method - A lithographic projection apparatus includes a substrate table to hold a substrate, a projection system to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate and a liquid confinement structure to confine a liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate, the substrate, the substrate table, or both, to form a part of a boundary of the space. In addition, a closing plate forms a part of a boundary of the space in place of the substrate, the substrate table, or both, when moved without substantially disturbing the liquid, the liquid confinement structure, or both. | 02-03-2011 |
20110026006 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD, PATTERN FORMING APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Positional information of a movable body in a Y-axis direction is measured using an interferometer and an encoder whose short-term stability of measurement values excels when compared with the interferometer, and based on the measurement results, a predetermined calibration operation for obtaining correction information for correcting measurement values of the encoder is performed. Accordingly, by using measurement values of the interferometer, correction information for correcting the measurement values of the encoder whose short-term stability of the measurement values excels the interferometer is obtained. Then, based on the measurement values of the encoder and the correction information, the movable body is driven in the Y-axis direction with good precision. | 02-03-2011 |
20110032495 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A purge cover is equipped whose upper end is connected to an illumination unit and the lower end has a pair of plate sections facing an upper surface of a reticle stage and a reticle via a predetermined clearance. Therefore, gaseous circulation can be substantially blocked via the clearance between reticle stage RST and the plate sections. This allows a space which is almost airtight surrounded by the purge cover, the reticle stage and/or the reticle to be formed on the optical path of the illumination light that reaches the projection optical system from the illumination unit. Further, the space above which is almost airtight serves as a purge space that is purged with CDA and the like. | 02-10-2011 |
20110032496 | MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - One pair each of a Y linear motor (a total of four) on the +X side and the −X side that drive a reticle stage include one pair each of a stator section (a total of four) and three each of a mover section (a total of six) on the +X side and the −X side. In this case, the three each of the mover sections on the +X side and the −X side configure one each of a mover. The mover section located in the center in the Z-axis direction of each of the movers is used in common by each pair of the Y linear motors. Therefore, the weight of the mover section (reticle stage) of the reticle stage device is reduced, which allows a higher acceleration. Further, the mover section located in the center in the Z-axis direction of each of the movers coincides with a neutral plane of the reticle stage. | 02-10-2011 |
20110051104 | Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method - When a transition from a first state where one stage is positioned at a first area directly below projection optical system to which liquid is supplied to a state where the other stage-is positioned at the first area, both stages are simultaneously driven while a state where both stages are close together in the X-axis direction is maintained. Therefore, it becomes possible to make a transition from the first state to the second state in a state where liquid is supplied in the space between the projection optical system and the specific stage directly under the projection optical system. Accordingly, the time from the completion of exposure operation on one stage side until the exposure operation begins on the other stage side can be reduced, which allows processing with high throughput. Further, because the liquid can constantly exist on the image plane side of the projection optical system, generation of water marks on optical members of the projection optical system on the image plane side is prevented. | 03-03-2011 |
20110051105 | Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method - A lithographic projection apparatus includes a substrate table to hold a substrate, a projection system to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate and a liquid confinement structure to confine a liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate, the substrate, the substrate table, or both, to form a part of a boundary of the space. In addition, a closing plate forms a part of a boundary of the space in place of the substrate, the substrate table, or both, when moved without substantially disturbing the liquid, the liquid confinement structure, or both. | 03-03-2011 |
20110051108 | EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Positional information of a stage is obtained using an interferometer system only during an exposure time when a constant speed drive of the stage is performed to form a pattern. Therefore, the linear measurement of the positional information is secured enough, which makes it possible to linearly drive the stage with high accuracy. Meanwhile, between an acceleration time and a deceleration time in which a step drive is performed, the positional information of the stage is obtained using an encoder system and a surface position measurement system. Therefore, measurement reproducibility of the positional information is sufficiently secured by the mechanical stability of a diffraction grating, which makes it possible to drive the stage precisely to the starting position of the constant speed drive. | 03-03-2011 |
20110053061 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An exposure apparatus is equipped with an encoder system which measures positional information of a wafer stage by irradiating a measurement beam using four heads installed on the wafer stage on a scale plate which covers the movement range of the wafer stage except for the area right under a projection optical system. Placement distances of the heads here are each set to be larger than width of the opening of the scale plates, respectively. This allows the positional information of the wafer stage to be measured, by switching and using the three heads facing the scale plate out of the four heads according to the position of the wafer stage. | 03-03-2011 |
20110053062 | EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Within area where of four heads installed on a wafer stage, heads included in the first head group and the second head group to which three heads each belong that include one head different from each other face the corresponding areas on a scale plate, the wafer stage is driven based on positional information which is obtained using the first head group, as well as obtain the displacement (displacement of position, rotation, and scaling) between the first and second reference coordinate systems corresponding to the first and second head groups using the positional information obtained using the first and second head groups. By using the results and correcting measurement results obtained using the second head group, the displacement between the first and second reference coordinate systems is calibrated, which allows the measurement errors that come with the displacement between areas on scale plates where each of the four heads face. | 03-03-2011 |
20110058149 | Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method - When a transition from a first state where one stage is positioned at a first area directly below projection optical system to which liquid is supplied to a state where the other stage-is positioned at the first area, both stages are simultaneously driven while a state where both stages are close together in the X-axis direction is maintained. Therefore, it becomes possible to make a transition from the first state to the second state in a state where liquid is supplied in the space between the projection optical system and the specific stage directly under the projection optical system. Accordingly, the time from the completion of exposure operation on one stage side until the exposure operation begins on the other stage side can be reduced, which allows processing with high throughput. Further, because the liquid can constantly exist on the image plane side of the projection optical system, generation of water marks on optical members of the projection optical system on the image plane side is prevented. | 03-10-2011 |
20110102756 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD, PATTERN FORMING APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Positional information of a movable body in a Y-axis direction is measured using an interferometer and an encoder whose short-term stability of measurement values excels when compared with the interferometer, and based on the measurement results, a predetermined calibration operation for obtaining correction information for correcting measurement values of the encoder is performed. Accordingly, by using measurement values of the interferometer, correction information for correcting the measurement values of the encoder whose short-term stability of the measurement values excels the interferometer is obtained. Then, based on the measurement values of the encoder and the correction information, the movable body is driven in the Y-axis direction with good precision. | 05-05-2011 |
20110134400 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, LIQUID IMMERSION MEMBER, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Liquid is held between a tip lens of a projection optical system and a wafer on a wafer stage, using a nozzle member which has shape enclosing an optical path of an illumination light, and a bottom surface to which wafer W is placed facing via a predetermined clearance that has an annular recess section formed having multiple projecting sections. This prevents adhesion of contamination and liquid from remaining that become factors of defects of a pattern formed on a wafer. The nozzle member preferably has an annular shaped inclined surface whose gap with the wafer surface becomes smaller from the inner side to the outer side, formed on an inner bottom surface facing the wafer of an outer recess section formed on the bottom surface of the nozzle member. | 06-09-2011 |
20110177461 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A stage is driven (position control) using a hybrid signal which is obtained by synthesizing an output signal of an interferometer (an interferometer system) and an output signal of an encoder (an encoder system) that are made to pass through a high pass filter and a low pass filter, respectively. A cutoff frequency is set to a frequency corresponding to a speed slightly smaller than the speed of the stage at the time of scanning exposure. This allows the stage to be driven using an interferometer whose linear measurement is high at the time of scanning exposure, and using an encoder whose measurement reproducibility is high at the time of stepping. | 07-21-2011 |
20110279807 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRIVING MOVABLE BODY BASED ON MEASUREMENT VALUE OF ENCODER AND INFORMATION ON FLATNESS OF SCALE, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A drive unit drives a wafer stage in a Y-axis direction based on a measurement value of an encoder that measures position information of the wafer stage in the Y-axis direction and based on information on the flatness of a scale that is measured by the encoder. In this case, the drive unit can drive the wafer stage in a predetermined direction based on a measurement value after correction in which a measurement error caused by the flatness of the scale included in the measurement value of the encoder is corrected based on the information on the flatness of the scale. Accordingly, the wafer stage can be driven with high accuracy in a predetermined direction using the encoder, without being affected by the unevenness of the scale. | 11-17-2011 |
20110299052 | Measuring apparatus and method, processing apparatus and method, pattern forming apparatus and method, exposure apparatus and method, and device manufacturing method - Position information of a movable body within an XY plane is measured with high accuracy by an encoder system whose measurement values have favorable short-term stability, without being affected by air fluctuations, and also position information of the movable body in a Z-axis direction orthogonal to the XY plane is measured with high accuracy by a surface position measuring system, without being affected by air fluctuations. In this case, since both of the encoder system and the surface position measuring system directly measure the upper surface of the movable body, simple and direct position control of the movable body can be performed. | 12-08-2011 |
20110299058 | Movable body drive method and movable body drive system, pattern formation method and apparatus, exposure method and apparatus, and device manufacturing method - Positional information of a wafer stage in a Z-axis direction and a tilt direction with respect to the XY plane (for example, a θy direction) is measured, using a surface position measurement system, such as, for example, a Z head and the like, and the wafer stage is driven based on the measurement results. At the same time, positional information of the wafer stage is measured using an interferometer system such as, for example, a Z interferometer. When abnormality of the surface position measurement system is detected or when the wafer stage moves off from a measurement area of the surface position measurement system, drive control is switched to a drive control based on the measurement results of the interferometer system. Accordingly, the wafer stage can be driven continuously even at the time of abnormality generation in the surface position measurement system. | 12-08-2011 |
20120055786 | Holding unit, assembly system, sputtering unit, and processing method and processing unit - Because an electromagnetic chuck supplies current to a specific microcoil among a plurality of microcoils and makes an object exert an electromagnetic force working together with a magnet of the object, the object can be held in a state where the object is set at a desired position (a position that corresponds to the microcoil to which current has been supplied) on a base surface. Further, by gas that blows out from a gas supply passage, a levitation force is given to the object, which can reduce effects of a friction force that acts between the object and an upper surface of the electromagnetic chuck when the position of the object is set. | 03-08-2012 |
20120127453 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND CALIBRATION METHOD - A controller measures positional information of a stage within an XY plane using three encoders which at least include one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder of an encoder system, and the stage is driven in the XY plane, based on measurement results of the positional information and positional information (p | 05-24-2012 |
20120127478 | REFLECTOR, OPTICAL ELEMENT, INTERFEROMETER SYSTEM, STAGE DEVICE, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE FABRICATING METHOD - A reflecting member has: a first reflecting surface, which extends in a second direction that includes a first direction component; a second reflecting surface, which extends in a third direction that includes the first direction component, that is substantially symmetric to the first reflecting surface; and a third reflecting surface, which extends in a fourth direction, that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction. | 05-24-2012 |
20120127479 | Pattern forming apparatus, mark detecting apparatus, exposure apparatus, pattern forming method, exposure method, and device manufacturing method - While a wafer stage linearly moves in a Y-axis direction, a multipoint AF system detects surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points that are set at a predetermined distance in an X-axis direction and also a plurality of alignment systems that are arrayed in a line along the X-axis direction detect each of marks at positions different from one another on the wafer. That is, detection of surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points and detection of the marks at positions different from one another on the wafer are finished, only by the wafer stage (wafer) linearly passing through the array of the plurality of detection points of the multipoint AF system and the plurality of alignment systems, and therefore, the throughput can be improved. | 05-24-2012 |
20120212713 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND METHOD HAVING SUBSTRATE AND SENSOR TABLES - A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table capable of holding a substrate, a projection system that projects a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate held by the substrate table, and a sensor table that is not capable of holding a substrate but that includes a sensor capable of sensing a property of the patterned beam of radiation. In addition, a first positioning system is connected to the substrate table and displaces the substrate table into and out of a path of the patterned beam of radiation, and a second positioning system is capable of positioning the sensor table into the path of the patterned beam of radiation when the substrate table is displaced out of the path of the patterned beam of radiation. | 08-23-2012 |
20120212726 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, POSITION CONTROL METHOD AND POSITION CONTROL SYSTEM, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Positional information of a movement plane of a wafer stage is measured using an encoder system such as, for example, an X head and a Y head, and the wafer stage is controlled based on the measurement results. At the same time, positional information of the wafer stage is measured using an interferometer system such as, for example, an X interferometer and a Y interferometer. When abnormality of the encoder system is detected or when the wafer stage moves off from a measurement area of the encoder system, drive control is switched to a drive control based on the measurement results of the interferometer system. Accordingly, drive control of the wafer stage can be performed continuously in the entire stroke area, even at the time when abnormality occurs in the encoder system. | 08-23-2012 |
20120224158 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRIVING MOVABLE BODY BASED ON MEASUREMENT VALUE OF ENCODER AND INFORMATION ON FLATNESS OF SCALE, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A drive unit drives a wafer stage in a Y-axis direction based on a measurement value of an encoder that measures position information of the wafer stage in the Y-axis direction and based on information on the flatness of a scale that is measured by the encoder. In this case, the drive unit can drive the wafer stage in a predetermined direction based on a measurement value after correction in which a measurement error caused by the flatness of the scale included in the measurement value of the encoder is corrected based on the information on the flatness of the scale. Accordingly, the wafer stage can be driven with high accuracy in a predetermined direction using the encoder, without being affected by the unevenness of the scale. | 09-06-2012 |
20120262691 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A stage device is equipped with a first scale which is placed with a Y-axis direction serving as its longitudinal direction and in which a first grating whose periodic direction is in an X-axis direction is formed and a second scale which is placed with the X-axis direction serving as its longitudinal direction and in which a second grating whose periodic direction is orthogonal to the periodic direction of the first grating is formed, the first scale and the second scale being placed on a plane which a wafer stage faces. Further, on the upper surface of the wafer stage, a plurality of X heads placed at different positions in the X-axis direction and a plurality of Y heads placed at different positions in the Y-axis direction are arranged. An encoder system that has these heads measures positional information of the stage within an XY plane, based on an output of the X head facing the first scale and an output of the Y head facing the second scale. | 10-18-2012 |
20120293788 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR CONTINUOUS POSITION MEASUREMENT OF MOVEABLE BODY BEFORE AND AFTER SWITCHING BETWEEN SENSOR HEADS - A controller uses two Z heads, which are positioned above a reflection surface installed on the ±X ends of the upper surface of a table, to measure the height and tilt of the table. According to the XY position of the table, the Z heads to be used are switched from ZsR and ZsL to ZsR′ and ZsL. On the switching of the heads, the controller applies a coordinate linkage method to set an initial value of the Z heads which are to be newly used. Accordingly, although the Z heads to be used are sequentially switched according to the XY position of the table, measurement results of the height and the tilt of the table are stored before and after the switching, and it becomes possible to drive the table with high precision. | 11-22-2012 |
20120307227 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR MAINTAINING POSITION COORDINATE BEFORE AND AFTER SWITCHING ENCODER HEAD - Positional information of a stage within a movement plane is measured, using three encoders which include at least one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder. Based on position measurement values of the stage, the encoder used in position measurement is switched from an encoder (Enc | 12-06-2012 |
20130033693 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD, PATTERN FORMING APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Positional information of a movable body in a Y-axis direction is measured using an interferometer and an encoder whose short-term stability of measurement values excels when compared with the interferometer, and based on the measurement results, a predetermined calibration operation for obtaining correction information for correcting measurement values of the encoder is performed. Accordingly, by using measurement values of the interferometer, correction information for correcting the measurement values of the encoder whose short-term stability of the measurement values excels the interferometer is obtained. Then, based on the measurement values of the encoder and the correction information, the movable body is driven in the Y-axis direction with good precision. | 02-07-2013 |
20130044307 | Movable Body Apparatus, Movable Body Drive Method, Exposure Apparatus, Exposure Method, and Device Manufacturing Method - A drive system drives a movable body, based on measurement results of a first measurement system which measures the position of the movable body in an XY plane by irradiating a measurement beam from an arm member on a grating placed on a surface parallel to the XY plane of the movable body. In this case, because a configuration in which the arm member irradiates a measurement beam on the grating is employed, there is no adverse effect due to the drive of the moving body, unlike the case when an encoder system is arranged on a stage surface plate. Accordingly, it becomes possible to drive the movable body with good precision. | 02-21-2013 |
20130057837 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, DEVICE-MANUFACTURING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An exposure apparatus capable of suppressing the occurrence of exposure defects is provided. The exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with exposure light via a liquid. The exposure apparatus includes an optical member having an emission surface from which exposure light is emitted; a substrate holding apparatus including a first holding portion that releasably holds the lower surface of the substrate, a first surface that defines an aperture in which the substrate can be disposed and that is disposed around the upper surface of the substrate in a state where the substrate is held on the first holding portion, and a first space portion that is in communication with a gap between the upper surface of the substrate and the first surface; a drive apparatus that moves the substrate holding apparatus in a state where an immersion space is formed with the liquid between the optical member and at least one of the upper surface of the substrate and the first surface; a suction port through which fluid in the first space portion is suctioned; and a control apparatus that sets a suction force of the suction port in at least a part of a first period in which exposure of the substrate is executed so as to be smaller than a suction force of the suction port in a second period in which exposure of the substrate is not executed. | 03-07-2013 |
20130070229 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD, PATTERN FORMING APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Positional information of a movable body in a Y-axis direction is measured using an interferometer and an encoder whose short-term stability of measurement values excels when compared with the interferometer, and based on the measurement results, a predetermined calibration operation for obtaining correction information for correcting measurement values of the encoder is performed. Accordingly, by using measurement values of the interferometer, correction information for correcting the measurement values of the encoder whose short-term stability of the measurement values excels the interferometer is obtained. Then, based on the measurement values of the encoder and the correction information, the movable body is driven in the Y-axis direction with good precision. | 03-21-2013 |
20130177857 | CARRIER METHOD, EXPOSURE METHOD, CARRIER SYSTEM AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A carrier system equipped with a fine movement stage holding a mounted wafer and can move along a predetermined plane, a chuck main section which holds the wafer above a predetermined position and can move vertically, and vertical movement pins supporting the wafer held by the chuck main section on the fine movement stage from below when the fine movement stage is positioned at the predetermined position and are vertically movable. A controller drives the chuck main section and the vertical movement pins downward until a lower surface of the wafer comes into contact with the fine movement stage while maintaining a hold state by the chuck main section to the wafer and a support state by the vertical movement pins to the wafer, and when the lower surface of the wafer comes into contact with the fine movement stage, the hold state and the support state are released. | 07-11-2013 |
20130183623 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An exposure apparatus is equipped with a table which holds a wafer and is movable along an XY plane and has a grating provided on its rear surface, an encoder which irradiates a first measurement beam on the grating from below, receives a return light, and measures a first position information of the table when the table moves in a predetermined range, and another encoder which has a head section provided in a frame and irradiates a second measurement beam on a different grating on the table from the head section, receives a return light, and can measure a second position information of the table, concurrently with measurement of the first position information by the encoder when the table moves in predetermined range. A controller drives the table, based on position information having a higher reliability of the first and the second position information. | 07-18-2013 |
20130183627 | EXPOSURE METHOD AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Exposure apparatus is equipped with an illumination optical device which illuminates a mask with an exposure beam, a mask table which holds a periphery of a pattern area of the mask from above so that a pattern surface of the mask becomes substantially parallel to an XY plane and makes a force at least parallel to an XY plane and on the mask, and a wafer stage which moves along the XY plane, holding a wafer substantially parallel to the XY plane. Therefore, an overlay with high precision of a pattern of a mask and an underlying pattern on the substrate can be realized, even though the exposure apparatus employs a proximity method, that is, the exposure apparatus does not use a projection optical system. | 07-18-2013 |
20130188159 | LIQUID IMMERSION MEMBER, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A liquid immersion member forms a liquid immersion space between the member and a movable object such that an optical path of exposure light is filled with liquid. The liquid immersion member includes: a first plate that is disposed at least partially around the optical path; a second plate that is disposed at least partially around the optical path, and has an upper surface, opposed to at least a part of a lower surface of the first plate, and a lower surface which can be opposed to the object; and a collection port that is disposed outside the first plate with respect to the optical path, can be at least partially opposed to the object, and collects at least some of the liquid from a first space, which the upper surface of the second plate faces, and a second space which the lower surface of the second plate faces. | 07-25-2013 |
20130265555 | LIQUID IMMERSION MEMBER, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, DEVICE FABRICATING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - A liquid immersion member forms a liquid immersion space on an object movable below an optical member so that the light path of exposure light emitted from an emission surface of an optical member is filled with liquid. The liquid immersion member includes a first member disposed in at least a portion of the periphery of the optical member, and a second member which is movable at the outside of at least a portion of the first member and which includes a recovery port that recovers at least a portion of the liquid in the liquid immersion space. | 10-10-2013 |
20130293863 | MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A drive system drives a movable body, based on measurement results of a first measurement system which measures the position of the movable body in an XY plane by irradiating a measurement beam from an arm member on a grating placed on a surface parallel to the XY plane of the movable body and measurement results of a second measurement system which measures a variance of the arm member using a laser interferometer. In this case, the drive system corrects measurement errors caused due to a variance of the arm member included in the measurement results of the first measurement system, using the measurement results of the second measurement system. | 11-07-2013 |
20130301027 | EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Within area where of four heads installed on a wafer stage, heads included in the first head group and the second head group to which three heads each belong that include one head different from each other face the corresponding areas on a scale plate, the wafer stage is driven based on positional information which is obtained using the first head group, as well as obtain the displacement (displacement of position, rotation, and scaling) between the first and second reference coordinate systems corresponding to the first and second head groups using the positional information obtained using the first and second head groups. By using the results and correcting measurement results obtained using the second head group, the displacement between the first and second reference coordinate systems is calibrated, which allows the measurement errors that come with the displacement between areas on scale plates where each of the four heads face. | 11-14-2013 |
20130321785 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND DEVICE FABRICATING METHOD - An exposure apparatus can suppress the occurrence of residual liquid. An exposure apparatus includes: a first stage that holds the substrate and is movable; a second stage that is movable independently of the first stage; and a liquid immersion mechanism that forms a liquid immersion region of a liquid on an upper surface of at least one stage of the first stage and the second stage; wherein, a recovery port that is capable of recovering the liquid is provided to the upper surface of the second stage. | 12-05-2013 |
20130329206 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An exposure apparatus is equipped with an encoder system which measures positional information of a wafer stage by irradiating a measurement beam using four heads installed on the wafer stage on a scale plate which covers the movement range of the wafer stage except for the area right under a projection optical system. Placement distances of the heads here are each set to be larger than width of the opening of the scale plates, respectively. This allows the positional information of the wafer stage to be measured, by switching and using the three heads facing the scale plate out of the four heads according to the position of the wafer stage. | 12-12-2013 |
20130329209 | MASK, EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A circular cylinder-shaped mask is used to form an image of a pattern on a substrate via a projection optical system. The mask has a pattern formation surface on which the pattern is formed and that is placed around a predetermined axis, and the mask is able to rotate, with the predetermined axis taken as an axis of rotation, in synchronization with a movement of the substrate in at least a predetermined one-dimensional direction. When a diameter of the mask on the pattern formation surface is taken as D, and a maximum length of the substrate in the one-dimensional direction is taken as L, and a projection ratio of the projection optical system is taken as β, and circumference ratio is taken as π, then the conditions for D≧(β×L)/π are satisfied. | 12-12-2013 |
20130335723 | MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A fine movement stage is driven by a controller, based on positional information of the fine movement stage in a measurement direction measured by a measurement system and correction information of a measurement error caused by a tilt of the fine movement stage included in the positional information. Accordingly, driving the fine movement stage with high precision becomes possible, which is not affected by a measurement error included in the positional information in a measurement direction of the measurement system that occurs due to a tilt of the fine movement stage. | 12-19-2013 |
20140049758 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - During the drive of a stage, positional information in a movement plane of a stage is measured by three encoders that include at least one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder of an encoder system, and a controller switches an encoder used for a measurement of positional information of a stage in the movement plane from an encoder to an encoder so that the position of the stage in the movement plane is maintained before and after the switching. Therefore, although the switching of the encoder used for controlling the position of the stage is performed, the position of the stage in the movement plane is maintained before and after the switching, and a correct linkage becomes possible. | 02-20-2014 |
20140049759 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - During the drive of a stage, positional information in a movement plane of a stage is measured by three encoders that include at least one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder of an encoder system, and a controller switches an encoder used for a measurement of positional information of a stage in the movement plane from an encoder to an encoder so that the position of the stage in the movement plane is maintained before and after the switching. Therefore, although the switching of the encoder used for controlling the position of the stage is performed, the position of the stage in the movement plane is maintained before and after the switching, and a correct linkage becomes possible. | 02-20-2014 |
20140049764 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND CARRIER METHOD - An exposure apparatus is equipped with a coarse movement stage which can move along an XY plane and includes a first section and a second section that can come close to and separate from each other, a fine movement stage which holds wafer W and is supported relatively movable at least within the XY plane by the coarse movement stage, and a drive system which drives the fine movement stage supported by the coarse movement stage independently or integrally with the coarse movement stage. Further, the exposure apparatus is equipped with a relay stage which can deliver the fine movement stage to/from the coarse movement stage. | 02-20-2014 |
20140218707 | EXPOSURE METHOD AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern formed on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate placed in proximity to the mask, the apparatus including an illumination optical device which illuminates the mask with an energy beam, a mask holding device which holds a periphery area of a pattern area of the mask from above, and makes a force at least within a plane parallel to a predetermined plane act on the mask and a substrate holding device which moves along the predetermined plane holding the substrate. | 08-07-2014 |
20140247436 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An exposure apparatus is equipped with a fine movement stage that can hold a liquid with a projection optical system when the stage is at a position facing an outgoing surface of the projection optical system, and a blade that comes into proximity within a predetermined distance of the fine movement stage when the fine movement stage is holding the liquid with the projection optical system, and moves along with the fine movement stage while maintaining the proximity state, and then holds the liquid with the projection optical system after the movement. Accordingly, a plurality of stages will not have to be placed right under the projection optical system interchangeably, which can suppress an increase in footprint of the exposure apparatus. | 09-04-2014 |
20140268089 | PATTERN FORMING APPARATUS, MARK DETECTING APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, PATTERN FORMING METHOD, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - While a wafer stage linearly moves in a Y-axis direction, a multipoint AF system detects surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points that are set at a predetermined distance in an X-axis direction and also a plurality of alignment systems that are arrayed in a line along the X-axis direction detect each of marks at positions different from one another on the wafer. That is, detection of surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points and detection of the marks at positions different from one another on the wafer are finished, only by the wafer stage (wafer) linearly passing through the array of the plurality of detection points of the multipoint AF system and the plurality of alignment systems, and therefore, the throughput can be improved. | 09-18-2014 |
20140340667 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An exposure apparatus is equipped with an encoder system which measures positional information of a wafer stage by irradiating a measurement beam using four heads installed on the wafer stage on a scale plate which covers the movement range of the wafer stage except for the area right under a projection optical system. Placement distances of the heads here are each set to be larger than width of the opening of the scale plates, respectively. This allows the positional information of the wafer stage to be measured, by switching and using the three heads facing the scale plate out of the four heads according to the position of the wafer stage. | 11-20-2014 |
20140354966 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND CALIBRATION METHOD - A controller measures positional information of a stage within an XY plane using three encoders which at least include one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder of an encoder system, and the stage is driven in the XY plane, based on measurement results of the positional information and positional information (p | 12-04-2014 |
20140354971 | EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Within area where of four heads installed on a wafer stage, heads included in the first head group and the second head group to which three heads each belong that include one head different from each other face the corresponding areas on a scale plate, the wafer stage is driven based on positional information which is obtained using the first head group, as well as obtain the displacement (displacement of position, rotation, and scaling) between the first and second reference coordinate systems corresponding to the first and second head groups using the positional information obtained using the first and second head groups. By using the results and correcting measurement results obtained using the second head group, the displacement between the first and second reference coordinate systems is calibrated, which allows the measurement errors that come with the displacement between areas on scale plates where each of the four heads face. | 12-04-2014 |
20140354972 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A controller inclines a movable body with respect to an XY plane at an angle α in a periodic direction of a grating, based on a measurement value of an interferometer which measures an angle of inclination of the movable body to the XY plane, and based on a measurement value of an encoder system and information of angle α before and after inclination, and computes an Abbe offset quantity of the grating surface with respect to a reference surface which serves as a reference for position control of the movable body in the XY plane. The controller drives the movable body, based on positional information of the movable body in the XY plane measured by the encoder system and a measurement error of the encoder system corresponding to an angle of inclination of the movable body to the XY plane due to Abbe offset quantity of the grating surface. | 12-04-2014 |
20140362356 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - While a wafer stage moves linearly in a Y-axis direction, surface position information of a wafer surface at a plurality of detection points set at a predetermined interval in an X-axis direction is detected by a multipoint AF system, and by a plurality of alignment systems arranged in a line along the X-axis direction, marks at different positions on the wafer are each detected, and a part of a chipped shot of the wafer is exposed by a periphery edge exposure system. This allows throughput to be improved when compared with the case when detection operation of the marks, detection operation of the surface position information (focus information), and periphery edge exposure operation are performed independently. | 12-11-2014 |
20140375976 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRIVING MOVABLE BODY BASED ON MEASUREMENT VALUE OF ENCODER AND INFORMATION ON FLATNESS OF SCALE, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A drive unit drives a wafer stage in a Y-axis direction based on a measurement value of an encoder that measures position information of the wafer stage in the Y-axis direction and based on information on the flatness of a scale that is measured by the encoder. In this case, the drive unit can drive the wafer stage in a predetermined direction based on a measurement value after correction in which a measurement error caused by the flatness of the scale included in the measurement value of the encoder is corrected based on the information on the flatness of the scale. Accordingly, the wafer stage can be driven with high accuracy in a predetermined direction using the encoder, without being affected by the unevenness of the scale. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376933 | MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRIVING MOVABLE BODY BASED ON MEASUREMENT VALUE OF ENCODER AND INFORMATION ON FLATNESS OF SCALE, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A drive unit drives a wafer stage in a Y-axis direction based on a measurement value of an encoder that measures position information of the wafer stage in the Y-axis direction and based on information on the flatness of a scale that is measured by the encoder. In this case, the drive unit can drive the wafer stage in a predetermined direction based on a measurement value after correction in which a measurement error caused by the flatness of the scale included in the measurement value of the encoder is corrected based on the information on the flatness of the scale. Accordingly, the wafer stage can be driven with high accuracy in a predetermined direction using the encoder, without being affected by the unevenness of the scale. | 12-25-2014 |
20150036111 | MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - In an exposure station, positional information of a holding member that holds a wafer is measured by a first measurement system including a measurement member, and in a measurement station positional information of the holding member that holds a wafer is measured by a second measurement system including another measurement member. An exposure apparatus has a third measurement system which can measure positional information of the holding member when the holding member is carried from the measurement station to the exposure station. A controller, coupled to the first and the second measurement systems, controls a movement of the holding member based on the positional information measured by the first measurement system in the exposure station and also controls a movement of the holding member based on the positional information measured by the second measurement system in the measurement station. | 02-05-2015 |
20150036118 | PATTERN FORMING APPARATUS AND PATTERN FORMING METHOD, MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND EXPOSURE METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A partial section of an aerial image measuring unit is arranged at a wafer stage and part of the remaining section is arranged at a measurement stage, and the aerial image measuring unit measures an aerial image of a mark formed by a projection optical system. Therefore, for example, when the aerial image measuring unit measures a best focus position of the projection optical system, the measurement can be performed using the position of the wafer stage, at which a partial section of the aerial image measuring unit is arranged, in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the projection optical system as a datum for the best focus position. Accordingly, when exposing an object with illumination light, the position of the wafer stage in the direction parallel to the optical axis is adjusted with high accuracy based on the measurement result of the best focus position. | 02-05-2015 |