JP2003324053A - Stage device and exposure device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent occurrence of dislocation with a holder even if a movable table is forced and deformed. <P>SOLUTION: A device is provided with the holder WH holding a wafer W and a movable table TB supporting moving the holder WH. A support plate 5 having elastic hinges 7 is inserted between the holder WH and the movable table TB. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stage apparatus in which a stage main body holding a substrate moves in a plurality of directions, and an exposure apparatus which performs an exposure process using a mask and a substrate held by the stage apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a stage apparatus and an exposure apparatus suitable for use in a lithography process when manufacturing devices such as semiconductor integrated circuits and liquid crystal displays.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a lithography process, which is one of manufacturing processes of semiconductor devices, a wafer to which a circuit pattern formed on a mask or a reticle (hereinafter referred to as a reticle) is coated with a resist (photosensitive agent). Alternatively, various exposure apparatuses that transfer onto a substrate such as a glass plate are used. For example, as an exposure apparatus for a semiconductor device, a reticle pattern is formed on a wafer by using a projection optical system according to the miniaturization of the minimum line width (device rule) of the pattern accompanying the recent high integration of integrated circuits. A reduction projection exposure apparatus that performs reduction transfer is mainly used.

This reduction projection exposure apparatus is a step-and-repeat static exposure reduction projection exposure apparatus (so-called stepper) for sequentially transferring a reticle pattern onto a plurality of shot areas (exposure areas) on a wafer.
Or an improved version of this stepper.
No. 043 publication and the like, a reticle and a wafer are synchronously moved in a one-dimensional direction to transfer a reticle pattern to each shot area on the wafer. A step-and-scan type scanning exposure type exposure apparatus (so-called Scanning stepper) is known.

Conventionally, as a stage device for holding and moving a wafer in this type of exposure apparatus, a structure in which a holder for sucking and holding a wafer is directly installed on a moving table by vacuum suction, or a stage device for pre-alignment is used. A configuration is used in which a support plate that supports the alignment system is fixed to a moving table, and a holder is installed on this support plate by vacuum suction.

[0005]

However, the conventional stage device as described above has the following problems. When the wafer is held by the holder and the holder is placed on the moving table, the wafer is deformed depending on the surface accuracy of the back surface of the holder (the surface on the moving table side) and the holder suction surface of the moving table. There is a problem that it becomes an obstacle to improving the flatness. This is a problem that also occurs when the holder is placed on the support plate, depending on the surface accuracy of the back surface of the holder and the holder suction surface of the support plate. As a measure against this problem, it is conceivable to improve the surface accuracy of the back surface of the holder and the holder suction surface, but a new problem arises that the manufacturing cost of the holder and the moving table (or the support plate) increases.

On the other hand, when the moving table receives a force and is deformed when the stage is driven (during acceleration / deceleration), a shift may occur between the holder and the moving table (or the support plate). Usually, the position of the wafer is detected by irradiating a movable beam installed on a movable table with a measurement beam emitted from a measuring device such as a laser interferometer. Therefore, accurate position measurement of the wafer is premised on the fact that the relative positional relationship between the wafer and the moving table is constant, but as described above, the relative positional relationship between the holder (that is, the wafer) and the moving table varies. Then, there arises a problem that the positioning accuracy of the wafer deteriorates.

The above problem is more likely to occur when the area for adsorbing the holder is increased with the acceleration of the stage, which is an obstacle to the acceleration of the stage, that is, the improvement of the throughput.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and provides a stage apparatus and an exposure apparatus which do not cause a displacement with respect to a holder even when a moving table is deformed by receiving a force. With the goal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stage apparatus and an exposure apparatus which can contribute to improving the flatness of a wafer without increasing the cost.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following configurations associated with FIGS. 1 to 9 showing an embodiment. The stage device of the present invention is a stage device (1) having a holder (WH) for holding a substrate (W) and a moving table (TB) for supporting and moving the holder (WH), and comprising the holder (WH )
And the moving table (TB) between the elastic hinge portion (7,
The support plate (5) having the elements 17, 25 to 27) is interposed.

Therefore, in the stage device of the present invention, for example, when the moving table (TB) is deformed by receiving a force when the stage is accelerated or decelerated, the elastic hinge portions (7, 17, 25-2).
The elastic deformation of 7) makes it possible to absorb the deformation of the moving table (TB). Therefore, the moving table (T
It is possible to suppress the transmission of the deformation from B) to the holder (WH) and prevent the displacement between the moving table (TB) and the holder (WH). In this case, vibration may easily occur in the holder (WH), so it is desirable to provide a vibration damping device (8a) for damping the vibration of the holder (WH). The vibration damping device may be a gap (8a) that exhibits a squeeze action between the holder (WH) and the moving table (TB).

The stage device of the present invention is a stage device (1) having a holder (WH) for holding a substrate (W) and a moving table (TB) for supporting and moving the holder (WH). A supporting plate (5) is interposed between the holder (WH) and the moving table (TB), and the bending rigidity ratio between the holder (WH) and the supporting plate (5) is 10: 1 to 1: 1.
It is characterized by being in the range of 00: 1.

Therefore, in the stage device of the present invention, since the bending rigidity of the supporting plate (5) is smaller than the bending rigidity of the holder (WH), the surface (WH) of the holder (WH) on the supporting plate side is the same.
Even if the flatness of a) or the holder mounting surface (suction surface; 5a) of the support plate (5) is poor, the support plate (5) absorbs the deformation and the holder (WH) hardly deforms. This can prevent the flatness of the substrate (W) held by the holder (WH) from being deteriorated. In addition, even when the moving table (TB) is deformed by receiving a force, the support plate (5) moves the moving table (T).
The deformation of B) can be absorbed. Therefore, the transmission of deformation from the moving table (TB) to the holder (WH) can be suppressed, and the moving table (TB) and the holder (W) can be suppressed.
H) can be prevented from being displaced.

If the bending rigidity ratio of the holder (WH) and the supporting plate (5) is smaller than 10: 1, the supporting plate (5) cannot sufficiently absorb the deformation, so that the holder (W
The flatness of the upper surface of (H), that is, the flatness of the substrate (W) may decrease, and the moving table (TB) and the holder (W)
There is a possibility that a gap may occur between the H and H). On the other hand, if the bending rigidity ratio exceeds 100: 1, the supporting plate (5) becomes thin, making it difficult to process and causing damage such as cracks. Further, in order to reduce the total weight while maintaining the accuracy with respect to the holder (WH) and the support plate (5), the bending rigidity ratio needs to be 53: 1 or less. Further, in order to improve the processing accuracy of the mutual contact surfaces, the bending rigidity ratio is set to 1
It is preferably 9: 1 or more.

The exposure apparatus of the present invention exposes the pattern of the mask (R) held by the mask stage (RST) onto the photosensitive substrate (W) held by the substrate stage (WS). At the mask stage (R
The stage device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is used as at least one of the ST) and the substrate stage (WS).

Therefore, in the exposure apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the mask (R) and the photosensitive substrate (W) from being displaced with respect to the moving table (TB), and avoid the deterioration of the positioning accuracy. Further, since the deterioration of the flatness can be prevented, it becomes possible to improve the pattern transfer accuracy by suppressing the defocus and the nonuniformity of the line width.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A first embodiment of a stage apparatus and an exposure apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, an example of using a scanning type exposure apparatus (scanning stepper) that transfers a circuit pattern of a semiconductor device formed on a reticle onto a wafer while synchronously moving the reticle and the wafer is used as the exposure apparatus. Will be explained. Further, in this exposure apparatus, the stage device of the present invention is applied to the wafer stage.

FIG. 1 shows an exposure apparatus 10 according to one embodiment.
Is shown. The exposure apparatus 10 is a so-called step-and-scan type scanning exposure type exposure apparatus.

In this projection exposure apparatus 10, wafers W1 and W2 (hereinafter, referred to as "substrate" (photosensitive substrate)) on the surface plate 12 are used as substrates (photosensitive substrates).
A stage device 1 including wafer stages WS1 and WS2 as substrate stages that independently hold (W) (illustrated, collectively referred to) and independently move in a two-dimensional direction, and projection optics arranged above the stage device 1. A stage device provided with a reticle stage (mask stage) RST that drives a reticle R as a mask mainly above a system PL and a projection optical system PL in a predetermined scanning direction, here a Y-axis direction (a direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1). 2. An illumination system 3 for illuminating the reticle R from above and a control system for controlling each of these parts are provided, and these are housed in a chamber 4 under temperature control and humidity control.

The stage device 1 is levitationally supported on a surface plate 12 through a non-contact bearing (not shown) (for example, an air bearing),
Two wafer stages WS1 that can be independently two-dimensionally moved in the X-axis direction (left-right direction of the paper surface in FIG. 1) and the Y-axis direction (direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1) by a linear motor or the like
WS2 (hereinafter, referred to as WS as appropriate and generically), a stage drive system (not shown) for driving these wafer stages WS1 and WS2, and wafer stages WS1 and WS2
And an interferometer system 9 for measuring the positions of the wafers W1 and W2 via the. The stage drive system is the controller 3
Controlled by 8.

More specifically, the wafer stages WS1 and WS2 are provided with a plurality of air pads (not shown) (for example, vacuum preload type air bearings) on the bottom surface of the wafer stages WS1 and WS2. It is floated and supported on the surface plate 12 with a space of, for example, several microns maintained by the balance between the air ejection force and the vacuum preload.

As shown in FIG. 2, the wafer stage WS
1, on WS2, by the Z · θ drive mechanism (not shown)
Moving tables TB1 and TB2 that are finely driven in the Z-axis direction and the θ-direction (rotational direction around the Z-axis) orthogonal to the XY plane and perform movement in the optical axis direction (Z-direction) and leveling adjustment for focus position adjustment. (Hereinafter, referred to as TB as appropriate and generically) are provided. As shown in FIG.
On each moving table TB, a wafer holder (holder) WH (WH1, WH2 in FIGS. 1 and 2) having a circular shape in a plan view, which holds the wafer W by suction, is interposed between the wafer holder WH and the moving table TB. And a support plate 5 are provided.

FIG. 4 is a plan view in which the support plate 5 is provided on the moving table TB. The support plate 5 is screwed and fixed on the moving table TB at fixed portions 6 provided at three locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion. In addition, on the lower surface of the support plate 5 (the surface on the moving table TB side),
Protrusions 8 having a substantially fan-shaped plan view are provided at three locations between the fixed portions 6 in the circumferential direction near the outer peripheral portion. A void (vibration damping device) 8a formed of a minute gap is formed between the protrusion 8 and the moving table TB. The gap 8a is a distance (gap) suitable for expressing a squeeze action between the protrusion 8 and the moving table TB (that is, between the wafer holder WH and the moving table TB), for example, 0.4 to 1.2 μm. The height is set to form a gap.

When the gap is 0.3 μm or less, the squeeze action is too strong and it takes too much time for the relative positional relationship between the wafer holder WH and the moving table TB in the plane direction to return to a predetermined state, and conversely 1.3 μm. If it is above, there is a possibility that a sufficient squeeze action may not be obtained.
The range of 4 to 1.2 μm is preferable, and in the present embodiment, 1.
It was set to 0 μm.

The wafer holder WH is mounted on the support plate 5.
A plurality of annular (ring-shaped) holder suction surfaces 5a for detachably sucking and supporting the back surface WHa of the holder are protruded at intervals in the radial direction, and a vacuum is formed in the concave portion between the holder suction surfaces 5a, 5a. A suction groove 5b for performing (negative pressure) suction is formed. A suction hole (not shown) connected to a negative pressure suction source such as a vacuum pump is formed in the suction groove 5b. Although detailed description is omitted here, the wafer holder W
Similar to the support plate 5, a suction hole (not shown) connected to a negative pressure suction source (not shown) is also formed on the upper surface of the H to hold the wafer W by suction.

Further, the periphery of the fixed portion 6 of the support plate 5 is an elastic hinge portion (thin portion) 7 having a thickness smaller than the entire plate thickness (three places), and the elastic hinge portion 7 is provided. Is deformed within the range of elastic deformation, and the fixing portion 6 and the support plate body 5c excluding the fixing portion 6 and the elastic hinge portion 7 are relatively movable within a minute range. Further, these elastic hinge portions 7 are provided so as to be positioned on the deformation neutral plane of the support plate 5, whereby the wafer holder WH is provided with respect to the fixed portion 6.
That is, the movable table TB is supported in a non-over-restrained state only in the directions of six degrees of freedom so that stress is not transmitted, and the state is close to the kinematic support in which the relative positional relationship is uniquely determined.

Here, as the material of the support plate 5 and the moving table TB, the same material and low thermal expansion alloy such as low thermal expansion ceramics or Invar are used in order to suppress deformation and dimensional change due to thermal fluctuation. However, here, silicon nitride ceramics having a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 2 ppm / K is used in consideration of workability such as polishing and light weight. Further, as the wafer holder WH, SiC ceramics having a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 3 ppm / K is used.

Further, in consideration of the demand for miniaturization of the apparatus and the adaptability to the existing apparatus, the total thickness of the wafer holder WH and the support plate 5 is set to 20 mm or less in this embodiment. Here, the diameter of the wafer W is about 203 mm (8
In the case of inches) or 305 mm (12 inches), the thickness of the wafer holder WH is required to be 13 mm or more due to the need for accuracy to be obtained as a single unit. To 16 mm or less is required.

Here, the thickness of the support plate 5 is required to be 4 mm or more due to the necessity of accuracy in a single body, and conversely 7 mm or less due to weight limitation. The bending rigidity ratio between the wafer holder WH and the support plate 5 is expressed by (thickness ratio) ³ × (Young's modulus ratio).
Therefore, the thickness range of the wafer holder WH is 13 to 16 m.
m, the thickness range of the support plate 5 is 4 to 7 mm, the Young's modulus of the wafer holder WH is 450 GPa, and the Young's modulus of the support plate 5 is 290 GPa. Is 13 mm and the support plate is 7 mm)
˜100: 1 (16 mm for holder, 4 mm for support plate).

That is, if the bending rigidity ratio is smaller than 10: 1, the accuracy of the wafer holder WH cannot be maintained.
In addition to a problem such as the support plate 5 violating the weight limitation, the bending rigidity of the wafer holder WH and the support plate 5 become close to each other, and the deformation of the support plate 5 is transmitted to the wafer holder WH. On the other hand, if the bending rigidity ratio is greater than 100: 1, the precision of the support plate 5 is not maintained, the wafer holder WH conflicts with the weight limit, and other problems occur. In particular, the support plate 5 is too thin. There is an inconvenience that processing becomes difficult and damage such as cracks easily occurs during processing.

Further, in order to reduce the total weight of the wafer holder WH and the supporting plate 5 while maintaining the accuracy of the wafer holder WH and the supporting plate 5 without the assumption that the total thickness of the wafer holder WH and the supporting plate 5 is 20 mm or less, Has a thickness of 13 mm and the support plate 5 has a thickness of 4 mm, and in this case, the bending rigidity ratio thereof is about 53: 1. vice versa,
In order to improve the processing precision of the mutual contact surfaces, the thickness of the wafer holder WH is 16 mm and the thickness of the support plate 5 is 7 mm.
In this case, the bending rigidity ratio of these is about 19: 1. Therefore, by setting the bending rigidity ratio between the wafer holder WH and the support plate 5 in the range of 19: 1 to 53: 1, both improvement in processing accuracy and reduction in total weight can be realized. In the present embodiment, the wafer holder WH is taken into consideration in consideration of a request for downsizing of the device and compatibility with existing devices.
The thickness of 15 mm, the thickness of the support plate 5 is 5 mm,
The bending stiffness ratio was set to about 40: 1.

Next, the operation of the stage device 1 will be described. The wafer holder WH and the support plate 5 are held in a state where the back surface WHa and the holder suction surface 5a are in contact with each other.
When the surface accuracy of the back surface WHa and the holder suction surface 5a is poor,
Since the support plate 5 has a flexural rigidity that is sufficiently smaller than that of the wafer holder WH, the support plate 5 follows the wafer holder WH to absorb the deformation caused by the low surface accuracy. Therefore, the wafer holder WH is hardly deformed, and deterioration of the flatness of the wafer W sucked and held by the wafer holder WH can be suppressed.

When the moving table TB is deformed by receiving a force when the wafer stage WS is driven, since the fixing of the support plate 5 to the moving table TB is not the entire surface but three points, the deformation is transmitted to the wafer holder WH. Is greatly eased. In addition, even if the deformation of the moving table TB is transmitted to the supporting plate 5 via the fixed portion 6, the elastic hinge portion 7 of the supporting plate 5 elastically deforms and absorbs the deformation of the moving table TB. Almost no deformation is transmitted to 5c.
Moreover, as described above, the support plate 5 is used as the wafer holder WH.
Since the bending rigidity is sufficiently small, the support plate 5 absorbs the deformation of the moving table TB. Further, since the wafer holder WH is supported in a state close to kinematic with respect to the moving table TB, the stress transmitted from the moving table TB is significantly reduced. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a deviation from occurring between the wafer holder WH and the support plate 5.

Here, when the support plate 5 is provided with the elastic hinge portion 7, the wafer holder W is moved relative to the moving table TB.
Although it is considered that H easily vibrates, in the present embodiment, since there is a space 8a consisting of an extremely thin gap between the moving table TB and the protrusion 8, when the wafer holder WH vibrates. However, since the squeeze action due to the viscous resistance of air in the void 8a exerts a buffering action, the generated vibration can be smoothly and quickly damped. As described above, the gap 8a between the protrusion 8 and the moving table TB, which are arranged to face each other, acts as a vibration damping device, and therefore is supposed to occur in order to effectively damp vibration. Specifically, it is desirable to dispose it in a portion that is an antinode of vibration based on the vibration characteristics.

Returning to FIG. 1, the movement tables TB1 and TB2 are shown.
The reference mark plates FM1 and FM2 on which various reference marks are formed are installed on the upper surface of the so as to be substantially the same height as the wafers W1 and W2. These fiducial mark plates FM1 and FM2 are used, for example, for each wafer stage WS.
1, used when detecting the reference position of WS2.

The interferometer system 9 includes a wafer holder WH1.
Wafer holder W held by the same moving table TB1 as
Moving mirrors 20, 21 arranged in a predetermined positional relationship with H1
1, the movable mirrors 22 and 23 held by the movable table TB2 common to the wafer holder WH2 and arranged in a predetermined positional relationship with the wafer holder WH2, and as shown in FIG.
Interferometer 16 for irradiating the interferometer beam indicated by I1X
And an interferometer 18 for irradiating the interferometer beam indicated by the length-measuring axis BI2X, and as shown in FIG.
And an interferometer for irradiating the interferometer beam I5Y (not shown) (only the movable mirror 20 is shown in FIG. 3).

The moving mirror 20 is placed on the moving table TB1.
It is arranged so as to extend in the Y-axis direction at the X-side edge, and-
On the X side, aluminum is vapor-deposited on the ceramic base material,
It is a reflecting surface that reflects the interferometer beam emitted from the interferometer 16. The movable mirror 22 is arranged so as to extend in the Y-axis direction on the + X side end edge on the movable table TB2, and the + X side surface of the movable table TB2 is also subjected to aluminum vapor deposition on the ceramic base material, and the interferometer 18 It is a reflecting surface that reflects the emitted interferometer beam. Then, the interferometers 16 and 18 measure the relative displacement of each reflecting surface from the reference position by receiving the reflected light from the movable mirrors 20 and 22, respectively, and the wafer stages WS1 and WS2 (and thus the wafer W1,
The position of W2) in the X-axis direction is measured. Here, the interferometers 16 and 18 are three-axis interferometers each having three optical axes as shown in FIG. 2, and in addition to the measurement of the wafer stages WS1 and WS2 in the X-axis direction, tilt measurement and θ measurement is possible. The output value of each optical axis can be measured independently. Wafer stage WS1, W
Since the table movements TB1 and TB2 that perform θ rotation of S2 and minute drive and tilt drive in the Z-axis direction are below the reflecting surface, the drive amounts during the tilt control of the wafer stage are all interferometers 16 and 18. Can be monitored by.

Similarly, the movable mirror 21 includes a movable table TB.
1 is arranged so as to extend in the X-axis direction at the + Y-side end edge, and the movable mirror 23 is arranged so as to extend in the X-axis direction at the + Y-side end edge on the moving table TB2. On the side surface, aluminum is vapor-deposited on the ceramic base material, and the measuring axis BI3Y ~
It is a reflecting surface that reflects the interferometer beam emitted from the interferometer having BI5Y. Here, measuring axis BI3Y
Intersects the X axis perpendicularly at the projection center of the projection optical system PL,
The measuring axes BI4Y and BI5Y are the alignment system 24a,
Each of the detection centers 24b intersects the X axis at right angles.

In the case of this embodiment, the position of the wafer stages WS1 and WS2 in the Y direction at the time of exposure using the projection optical system PL is measured at the projection center of the projection optical system PL, that is, the optical axis A.
The measurement value of the interferometer of the measuring axis BI3Y passing through X is used, and the wafer stage W when the alignment system 24a is used.
For the measurement of the position of S1 in the Y direction, the measurement value of the interferometer of the measuring axis BI4Y passing through the detection center of the alignment system 24a, that is, the optical axis SX is used, and the position of the wafer stage WS2 in the Y direction when the alignment system 24b is used. For the measurement, the detection value of the alignment system 24b, that is, the measurement value of the interferometer of the length measurement axis BI5Y passing through the optical axis SX is used. In addition, the length measurement axes BI3Y, BI4Y, and BI5 for Y measurement described above.
Each Y interferometer is a biaxial interferometer having two optical axes, and can perform tilt measurement in addition to the measurement of the wafer stages WS1 and WS2 in the Y-axis direction. The output value of each optical axis can be measured independently.

Further, in this embodiment, as will be described later,
While one of the wafer stages WS1 and WS2 is executing the exposure sequence, the other is executing the wafer exchange and the wafer alignment sequence. At this time, the output values of the interferometers are set so that the two stages do not interfere with each other. Based on the above, the movement of the wafer stages WS1 and WS2 is managed by the stage control device 38 in response to a command from the main control device 90.

As the projection optical system PL, a refraction optical system which is composed of a plurality of lens elements having a common optical axis in the Z-axis direction and is telecentric on both sides and has a predetermined reduction magnification, for example, 1/4 is used. Has been done. Therefore, the moving speed of the wafer stage in the scanning direction during the step-and-scan scanning exposure is ¼ of the moving speed of the reticle stage.

On both sides of the projection optical system PL in the X-axis direction, as shown in FIG. 1, off-axis type alignment systems 24a and 24b having the same function.
Are installed at positions separated by the same distance from the optical axis center of the projection optical system PL (corresponding to the projection center of the reticle pattern image). These alignment systems 24a, 2
4b is LSA (Laser Step Alignment) system, FIA
(Filed Image Alignment) system, LIA (Laser Interfe)
It has three kinds of alignment sensors (rometric alignment) system, and can measure the position of the reference marks on the reference mark plates FM1 and FM2 and the alignment marks on the wafers W1 and W2 in the X and Y two-dimensional directions. is there.

The information from the alignment sensors constituting the alignment systems 24a and 24b is A / D converted by the alignment controller 80, and the digitized waveform signal is arithmetically processed to detect the mark position.
The result is sent to the main controller 90, and the main controller 90 instructs the stage controller 38 to perform synchronous position correction at the time of exposure according to the result.

Further, in the exposure apparatus 10 of this embodiment,
Although not shown in FIG. 1, an exposure for simultaneously observing a reticle mark (not shown) on the reticle R and marks on the reference mark plates FM1 and FM2 above the reticle R via the projection optical system PL. TTR using wavelength (Throug
h The Reticle) A pair of reticle alignment microscopes consisting of alignment optics is provided. Detection signals of these reticle alignment microscopes are supplied to main controller 90. A configuration equivalent to that of the reticle alignment microscope is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-176468.

Next, the stage device 2 will be described. The stage device 2 includes a reticle stage RST that holds a reticle R on a reticle surface plate 32 and is movable in two-dimensional XY directions, a linear motor (not shown) that drives the reticle stage RST, and a reticle stage RST. And a reticle interferometer system 11 for managing the position of the reticle.

On reticle stage RST, as shown in FIG. 2, two reticles R1 and R2 are installed in series in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction). The reticle stage RST is levitationally supported on the reticle surface plate 32 via an air bearing (not shown) or the like, and is slightly driven in the X-axis direction by a drive mechanism 30 (see FIG. 1) including a linear motor (not shown). Direction minute rotation and scanning drive in the Y-axis direction.

The drive mechanism 30 is a mechanism using a linear motor as a drive source similar to that of the stage device 1 described above, but is shown as a simple block in FIG. 1 for convenience of illustration and description. . Therefore, the reticles R1 and R2 on the reticle stage RST are selectively used, for example, in double exposure, and any of the reticles can be scanned synchronously with the wafer side.

Although not shown, a reticle holder (holder) for sucking and holding the outside of the pattern area of the reticle R is supported on the reticle stage RST.
The movable mirror 34 is provided at the end on the + X side and extends in the Y-axis direction, and the two movable mirrors 35 and 37 are disposed at the end on the -Y side. The + X-axis side surface of the movable mirror 34 and the −Y side surface of the movable mirrors 35 and 37 have a reflective surface formed by aluminum vapor deposition. The interferometer beam from the interferometer 36, which is indicated by the length measurement axis BI6X, is emitted toward the reflecting surface of the movable mirror 34, and the interferometer 36 receives the reflected light and the same with the wafer stage side with respect to the reference surface. By measuring the relative displacement, the position of the reticle stage RST in the X direction is measured. Here, the interferometer having this length measurement axis BI6X actually has two interferometer optical axes that can be independently measured, and measures the position of the reticle stage RST in the X axis direction and the yaw amount. It is possible to measure.

The movable mirrors 35 and 37 are irradiated with interferometer beams indicated by measuring axes BI7Y and BI8Y from a pair of double-pass interferometers (not shown), and the respective reflected lights reflected there are reflected by the respective double-pass interferometers. Received light. Then, the measured values of these double-pass interferometers are supplied to the stage controller 38 of FIG. 1, and the position of the reticle stage RST in the Y-axis direction is measured based on the average value thereof.
The information on the position in the Y-axis direction is the measurement axis BI3Y on the wafer side.
Reticle stage RS based on interferometer measurements with
It is used for calculation of the relative position between T and the wafer stage WS1 or WS2, and synchronization control of the reticle and wafer in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction) during scanning exposure based on this. That is, in the present embodiment, the reticle interferometer system 11 includes the movable mirrors 34, 35, 37, the interferometer 36, and the pair of double-pass interferometers indicated by the measuring axes BI7Y, BI8Y.
Is configured.

Next, the illumination system 3 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the illumination system 3 includes a light source unit 40, a shutter 42, a mirror 44, beam expanders 46 and 48, a first fly-eye lens 50, and a lens 5.
2, a vibrating mirror 54, a lens 56, a second fly-eye lens 58, a lens 60, a fixed blind 62, a movable blind 64, relay lenses 66, 68 and the like.

Here, each of the above-mentioned components of the illumination system will be described together with its operation. A laser beam emitted from a light source unit 40 including a KrF excimer laser as a light source and a light reduction system (a light reduction plate, an aperture stop, etc.) emits a laser beam from a shutter 42.
After passing through, the beam is deflected by the mirror 44, shaped into an appropriate beam diameter by the beam expanders 46 and 48, and is incident on the first fly-eye lens 50. This first
The light flux incident on the fly-eye lens 50 is divided into a plurality of light fluxes by the elements of the fly-eye lens arranged two-dimensionally, and the light fluxes are divided by the lens 52, the oscillating mirror 54, and the lens 56 from different angles. It is incident on the two-fly-eye lens 58. The light flux emitted from the second fly-eye lens 58 reaches a fixed blind 62 installed at a position conjugate with the reticle R by the lens 60, and after the cross-sectional shape thereof is regulated to a predetermined shape here, the reticle R A predetermined shape defined by the fixed blind 62 on the reticle R as uniform illumination light that passes through the movable blind 64 disposed at a position slightly defocused from the conjugate plane of, and passes through the relay lenses 66 and 68.
Here, the rectangular slit-shaped illumination area IA (see FIG. 2) is illuminated.

Next, the control system will be described with reference to FIG. This control system is mainly composed of a main controller 90 that controls the entire apparatus, and an exposure amount controller 70 and a stage controller 38 under the control of the main controller 90.

Here, the operation of the projection exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment during exposure will be described focusing on the operation of each of the above-mentioned components of the control system. The exposure amount control device 70 instructs the shutter drive device 72 to drive the shutter drive unit 74 to open the shutter 42 before the synchronous scanning of the reticle R and the wafer (W1 or W2) is started. .

Thereafter, the stage controller 38 responds to the instruction from the main controller 90 and the reticle R and wafer (W1).
Or W2), that is, the synchronous scanning (scan control) of the reticle stage RST and the wafer stage WS (WS1 or WS2) is started. This synchronous scanning is performed by the measuring axis BI3Y and the measuring axis BI1X or BI of the interferometer system described above.
2X and reticle interferometer system measuring axes BI7Y, B
The measurement is performed by controlling the linear motors constituting the drive system of the reticle drive unit 30 and the wafer stage by the stage controller 38 while monitoring the measurement values of I8Y and the length measurement axis BI6X.

Then, when both stages are controlled at a constant speed within a predetermined tolerance, the exposure amount control device 70
The laser control device 76 is instructed to start pulse emission. Thus, the illumination light from the illumination system 3 illuminates the rectangular illumination area IA of the reticle R whose pattern is chrome-deposited on its lower surface, and the image of the pattern in the illumination area is 1 / A wafer (W1 or W1) that has been reduced by a factor of 4 and whose surface is coated with photoresist.
2) It is projected and exposed on. As is clear from FIG. 2, the illumination area IA is larger than the pattern area on the reticle.
Has a narrow slit width in the scanning direction, and by synchronously scanning the reticle R and the wafer (W1 or W2) as described above,
Images of the entire surface of the pattern are sequentially formed in the shot area on the wafer.

Even when the moving table TB is deformed during the synchronous scanning of the reticle stage RST and the wafer stage WS, as described above, the wafer holder WH and the support plate 5 are used.
The position of the wafer W can be controlled with high accuracy by using the interferometer system 9 without causing a deviation between
The pattern image of the reticle R can be accurately formed at a predetermined position on the wafer W.

Subsequently, the two wafer stages WS1 and W
The parallel processing by S2 will be described. In the present embodiment, while the wafer W2 on the wafer stage WS2 is being exposed through the projection optical system PL, the wafer is exchanged on the wafer stage WS1, and the alignment operation and the autofocus are performed following the wafer exchange. / Auto leveling is performed. The position control of the wafer stage WS2 during the exposure operation is performed based on the measurement values of the length measurement axes BI2X and BI3Y of the interferometer system, and the wafer stage WS in which the wafer exchange and the alignment operation are performed.
The position control of No. 1 is the measuring axes BI1X, B of the interferometer system.
It is performed based on the measured value of I4Y.

While the wafer exchange and alignment operations described above are being performed on the wafer stage WS1 side, two reticle R1 and R2 are used on the wafer stage WS2 side to continuously perform steps while changing exposure conditions. and·
Double exposure is performed by the scanning method. Regarding the exposure sequence and the wafer exchange / alignment sequence which are performed in parallel on the two wafer stages WS1 and WS2, the wafer stage which has completed first is in a standby state, and when both operations are completed, the wafer stage WS1 and WS2
Is controlled to move. The wafer W2 on the wafer stage WS2 for which the exposure sequence has been completed is subjected to wafer exchange at the loading position, and the wafer W1 on the wafer stage WS1 for which the alignment sequence has been completed.
The exposure sequence is performed under the projection optical system PL.

As described above, while the wafer exchange and the alignment operation are performed on one wafer stage, the exposure operation is performed on the other wafer stage, and when the both operations are completed, the operations are switched to each other. By doing so, the throughput can be significantly improved.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the bending rigidity of the support plate 5 is made smaller than the bending rigidity of the wafer holder WH, so that the back surface W of the holder is expensive to manufacture.
It is possible to prevent the flatness of the wafer W from being deteriorated without improving the surface accuracy of Ha and the suction surface 5a of the support plate 5. In particular, in the present embodiment, by setting the bending rigidity ratio of the wafer holder WH and the support plate 5 to about 40: 1, it is possible to meet the demand for downsizing of the device, and to adapt to existing devices and process it. It is also possible to contribute to the improvement of accuracy.

Further, in this embodiment, the wafer holder W
Since the supporting plate 5 having the elastic hinge portion 7 is interposed between the H and the moving table TB, the wafer holder WH and the supporting plate 5 (that is, the moving table T) are driven when the stage is driven.
It is also possible to avoid a decrease in the positioning accuracy of the wafer W without causing a deviation from the position B). Since the relative displacement between the wafer holder WH and the support plate 5 can be suppressed in this way, the area of the holder suction surface 5a can be increased to increase the acceleration of the wafer stage WS, thereby improving throughput and productivity. Can also contribute to Further, in the present embodiment, by using the low thermal expansion ceramic, the thermal deformation can be suppressed to the minimum, and the deformation due to the temperature change is not absorbed by the support plate 5 and transmitted to the wafer holder WH. The wafer holder WH does not necessarily have to be made of the same material, and it is possible to use materials that are optimal for the functions required for each and have different coefficients of thermal expansion, thus improving versatility.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, even when the elastic hinge portion 7 is provided, the vibration of the wafer holder WH with respect to the moving table TB can be suppressed by the squeeze action, so that the deterioration of the positioning accuracy due to the vibration can be suppressed. Is possible.

5 to 9 are views showing a second embodiment of the stage apparatus and the exposure apparatus of the present invention. In these drawings, the same components as those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is the configuration of the elastic hinge portion.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, fixing portions 6 are provided in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion of the support plate 5 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. An elastic member 17 forming an elastic hinge portion is fixed to each fixing portion 6 by screwing or the like. In this embodiment as well, the support plate 5 has a bending rigidity that is sufficiently small with respect to the wafer holder WH (for example, 1/4 of the wafer holder WH).
It is set to 0). On the moving table TB, a concave portion 13 that opens toward the support plate 5 side is formed at a position facing the fixed portion 6, and an elastic member 17 is installed in each concave portion 13.

As shown in FIG. 7, the elastic member 17 is fixed to the support plate 5 at the position of the apex of an equilateral triangle centering on the optical axis AX. In reality, the optical axes AX and Z coincide with each other, but in FIG. 7, the optical axes AX and Z are illustrated separated for convenience. Each elastic member 17 has a shape in which disk-shaped support portions 17b, 17b sandwich the substantially columnar notch portion 17a and have their axes aligned with each other, and substantially the center of the notch portion 17a (referred to as the notch center). With the center of rotation as the support 17
b and 17b are configured to be rotatable (swingable) with respect to each other within an elastic deformation range. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the elastic member 17 installed in the concave portion 13 of the moving table TB is set such that the height (position) of the notch portion 17a is positioned on the deformation neutral surface TBa of the moving table TB. Has been done.
Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment.

In the above structure, each elastic member 17 restrains the relative movement along the surfaces of the support portions 17b, 17b which are in contact with each other and which are parallel to each other. Also, the three elastic members 1
Since the support plate 5 is supported from below by 7, the support plate 5 is supported while being restrained in the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction. Further, since the notch portion 17a of the elastic member 17 is located on the deformation neutral plane TBa of the moving table TB, the support plate 5, that is, the wafer holder WH, is restricted to the moving holder TB only in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom. Supported by ticks.

Therefore, also in the present embodiment, when the moving table TB is deformed by receiving a force, the elastic member 17 elastically deforms to absorb the deformation of the moving table TB, and therefore the wafer holder WH is hardly deformed. It is not transmitted and the support plate 5 is supported on the moving table TB in a state close to kinematics.
The stress transmitted from can be significantly reduced.
As described above, also in the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same actions and effects as those in the first embodiment. In addition, in the present embodiment, the shape of the support plate 5 can be simplified, and the elastic member 17 can be easily replaced and adjusted.

Another form of the elastic member provided on the support plate 5 is shown in FIG. In this figure, elastic members 25, 26, 27 having different shapes are shown.
Like the elastic member 17, the elastic member 25 has disc-shaped support portions 25b and 25b with a columnar notch portion 25a interposed therebetween.
Has a shape in which the axes coincide with each other, and the notch portion 25a
The support portions 25b, 25b are configured to be rotatable (swingable) with respect to each other within the elastic deformation range with the center of the notch as the center of rotation.

The elastic member 26 is provided with columnar notch portions 26a, 26a on both sides of the disc-shaped intermediate portion 26c, and a disc-shaped support portion is provided outside (upper side) these notch portions 26a, 26a. 26b and 26b have a shape in which their axes are aligned with each other, and the support portions 26b and 26b rotate with respect to the intermediate portion 26c within the elastic deformation range with the notch center of each notch portion 26a as the center of rotation. (Rotating) It has a flexible structure.

Further, the elastic member 27 is provided with a cylindrical notch portion 27a and a prismatic notch portion 27d on both sides sandwiching a rectangular parallelepiped intermediate portion 27c, respectively.
A disc-shaped support portion 27b is provided on the outer side (upper side) of a,
A rectangular parallelepiped support portion 27 is provided on the outer side (lower side) of the notch portion 27d.
e has a shape provided. The intermediate portion 27c, the notch portion 27d, and the support portion 27e extend in the tangential direction of an arc whose center is located on the optical axis AX, and the tangential cross section is rectangular and the radial cross section is H-shaped. Is formed in. Then, these elastic members 25 to 27 have the optical axis AX.
It is fixed to the support plate 5 at the position of the apex of an equilateral triangle centered at. Although the optical axes AX and Z coincide with each other in reality,
In FIG. 9, for convenience, the optical axes AX and Z are shown separated from each other.

In the above structure, the elastic member 25 supports the movement of the support plate 5 at that position while restraining the movement of the support plate 5 in the X, Y and Z directions at that position. Further, the elastic member 26 has the notch portion 26.
By rotating the intermediate portion 26c around the center of the notch of a, 26a and tilting with respect to the XY plane, the supporting portions 26b, 26
Relative movement in a direction along the surfaces, which are in contact with each other and are parallel to each other, is possible. Therefore, the elastic member 26 supports the support plate 5 at that position in a state of being restrained only with respect to the movement in the Z direction.

In the elastic member 27, in the radial direction, the intermediate portions 27c rotate around the notch centers of the notch portions 27a and 27d and are inclined with respect to the XY plane, so that the supporting portions 27b and 27e contact each other. Relative movement in a direction along the plane is possible with respect to the parallel plane. Further, the elastic member 27 restrains the movement of the support plate 5 because the intermediate portion 27c, the notch portion 27d and the support portion 27e can be regarded as rigid bodies in the tangential direction. Therefore, the elastic member 27 restrains the support plate 5 at that position with respect to the movement in the Z direction and around the optical axis AX.

As a result, the elastic member 25 is restrained in the X, Y, Z directions with respect to the movement of the support plate 5, and the elastic member 2
6 constrains in the Z direction, and the elastic member 27 constrains in the Z direction and around the optical axis AX (Z axis). In other words, the elastic members 25 to 27 kinematically support the wafer holder WH with respect to the moving table TB only in the six-degree-of-freedom direction in a state where the combinations of the restraining directions for the movement of the wafer holder WH are different from each other. Thus, the same action and effect as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. Also,
In the present embodiment, since the wafer holder WH can be kinematically supported regardless of the relative positional relationship between the elastic members 25 to 27 and the moving table TB, the elastic members 25 to 2
It is not necessary to position 7 with respect to the deformed neutral surface of the moving table TB, and the time required for installation can be shortened.

In the second embodiment, the moving table, the support plate and the elastic member are separate components, but the present invention is not limited to this. The elastic hinge portion and the wafer holder suction surface may be integrally provided on itself.

Further, in the above embodiment, the example of the double stage type in which two wafer stages are provided is used, but the present invention is not limited to this, and one or three or more wafer stages are provided. It may be configured. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the stage device of the present invention is applied to the wafer stage WS, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to the reticle stage RST.

Further, in the above embodiment, the stage device of the present invention is applied to the wafer stage of the exposure apparatus. However, in addition to the exposure apparatus, a transfer mask drawing apparatus, a mask pattern position coordinate measuring apparatus, etc. It can also be applied to precision measuring equipment.

As the substrate of the present embodiment, not only the semiconductor wafer W for semiconductor devices but also a glass substrate for liquid crystal display devices, a ceramic wafer for thin film magnetic heads, a mask used in an exposure apparatus or Original reticle (synthetic quartz, silicon wafer)
Etc. apply.

As the exposure apparatus 10, a step-and-scan type scanning exposure apparatus (scanning stepper; USP 5,473,410) for synchronously moving the reticle R and the wafer W to scan and expose the pattern of the reticle R is used. To
The present invention can also be applied to a step-and-repeat type projection exposure apparatus (stepper) that exposes the pattern of the reticle R while the reticle R and the wafer W are stationary and sequentially moves the wafer W.

The type of the exposure apparatus 10 is not limited to the exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device that exposes a semiconductor device pattern on the wafer W, but an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element, a thin film magnetic head, an image sensor (CCD). Alternatively, it can be widely applied to an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a reticle and the like. Further, the diaphragm device of the present invention can be applied not only to the projection exposure apparatus but also to an optical device (for example, a camera) including various diaphragm devices.

As an exposure light source, bright lines (g line (436 nm), h line (4
04. nm), i-line (365 nm)), KrF excimer laser (248 nm), ArF excimer laser (193
nm), F ₂ laser (157 nm), Ar ₂ laser (12
6 nm) and charged particle beams such as electron beams and ion beams can be used. For example, when an electron beam is used, thermionic emission type lanthanum hexaboride (LaB ₆ ) or tantalum (Ta) can be used as the electron gun. Further, a harmonic such as a YAG laser or a semiconductor laser may be used.

For example, a single-wavelength laser in the infrared region or the visible region emitted from a DFB semiconductor laser or a fiber laser is amplified by a fiber amplifier doped with erbium (or both erbium and ytterbium), and the nonlinear optical A harmonic wave whose wavelength is converted into ultraviolet light using a crystal may be used as the exposure light. If the oscillation wavelength of the single-wavelength laser is within the range of 1.544 to 1.553 μm, the 8th harmonic within the range of 193 to 194 nm,
That is, ultraviolet light having substantially the same wavelength as the ArF excimer laser can be obtained, and assuming that the oscillation wavelength is within the range of 1.57 to 1.58 μm, the 10th harmonic within the range of 157 to 158 nm, that is, almost the same as the F2 laser. Ultraviolet light having a wavelength is obtained.

Further, a soft X-ray region having a wavelength of about 5 to 50 nm generated from a laser plasma light source or SOR, for example, an EUV (Extreme) having a wavelength of 13.4 nm or 11.5 nm.
Ultra Violet) light may be used as exposure light, and EUV
The exposure apparatus uses a reflective reticle, and the projection optical system is a reduction system including only a plurality of (for example, about 3 to 6) reflective optical elements (mirrors).

The magnification of the projection optical system PL may be not only a reduction system but also a unity magnification system or an enlargement system. As the projection optical system PL, a material that transmits far ultraviolet rays such as quartz or fluorite is used as a glass material when using deep ultraviolet rays such as an excimer laser, and a catadioptric system when using F ₂ laser or X-rays. A refraction-type optical system is used (a reticle R also uses a reflection type), and when an electron beam is used, an electron optical system including an electron lens and a deflector may be used as the optical system. Needless to say, the optical path through which the electron beam passes is in a vacuum state.

Wafer stage WS and reticle stage R
Linear motor (USP5,623,853 or USP5,528,118) on ST
(See), either an air levitation type using an air bearing or a magnetic levitation type using Lorentz force or reactance force may be used. Further, each of the stages WS and RST may be a type that moves along a guide, or may be a guideless type that does not have a guide.

As a drive mechanism for each stage RST, WS, a magnet unit (permanent magnet) in which magnets are two-dimensionally arranged
It is also possible to use a planar motor that drives the stages RST and WST by electromagnetic force by facing the armature unit in which the coils are arranged two-dimensionally. In this case, one of the magnet unit and the armature unit is connected to the stage RST, W
The magnet unit and the armature unit may be connected to S and the other of the magnet unit and the armature unit may be provided on the moving surface side (base) of the stages RST and WS.

The reaction force generated by the movement of the wafer stage WS is prevented from being transmitted to the projection optical system PL.
As described in US Pat. No. 6,166,475 (USP 5,528,118), a frame member may be used to mechanically escape to the floor (ground). The present invention can be applied to an exposure apparatus having such a structure. Reticle stage RS
To prevent the reaction force generated by the movement of T from being transmitted to the projection optical system PL, JP-A-8-330224 (US S / N
08 / 416,558), a frame member may be used to mechanically escape to the floor (ground). The present invention can be applied to an exposure apparatus having such a structure.

As described above, the exposure apparatus 1 of the present embodiment
0 is manufactured by assembling various subsystems including the constituent elements recited in the claims of the present application so as to maintain predetermined mechanical accuracy, electrical accuracy, and optical accuracy. Before and after this assembly, adjustments to achieve optical precision for various optical systems, adjustments to achieve mechanical precision for various mechanical systems, and various electrical systems to ensure these various types of precision are made. Are adjusted to achieve electrical accuracy. The process of assembly from various subsystems to the exposure apparatus is
This includes mechanical connections, electrical circuit wiring connections, and pneumatic circuit piping connections. It goes without saying that there is an individual assembly process for each subsystem before the assembly process from these various subsystems to the exposure apparatus. When the process of assembling the various subsystems into the exposure apparatus is completed, comprehensive adjustment is performed to ensure various accuracies of the exposure apparatus as a whole. It is desirable that the exposure apparatus be manufactured in a clean room where the temperature and cleanliness are controlled.

Microdevices such as semiconductor devices are
As shown in FIG. 10, step 201 of designing the function / performance of the microdevice, step 202 of manufacturing a mask (reticle) based on this design step, step 203 of manufacturing a wafer from a silicon material, and the step of the above-described embodiment. It is manufactured through an exposure processing step 204 of exposing a reticle pattern onto a wafer by an exposure apparatus, a device assembly step (including a dicing step, a bonding step, a packaging step) 205, an inspection step 206, and the like.

[0089]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the flatness of the substrate from being deteriorated without increasing the surface accuracy of the holder and the supporting plate at a high manufacturing cost, and at the same time, between the holder and the moving table. There is an effect that a deviation does not occur and a reduction in the positioning accuracy of the substrate can be avoided. Further, according to the present invention, by suppressing the displacement between the holder and the moving table, the stage can be accelerated, and the throughput and the productivity can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, which is a schematic configuration diagram of a projection exposure apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the positional relationship between two wafer stages, a reticle stage, a projection optical system, and an alignment system.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the first embodiment of the present invention and is a cross-sectional view in which a support plate having an elastic hinge portion is interposed between a wafer holder and a moving table.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a second embodiment of the present invention and is a cross-sectional view in which a support plate having an elastic member fixed is interposed between a wafer holder and a moving table.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of an elastic member according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view in which an elastic member is positioned on the deformation neutral surface of the moving table.

FIG. 9 is an external perspective view showing another form of an elastic member constituting the elastic hinge portion of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device.

[Explanation of symbols]

R, R1, R2 reticle (mask) RST reticle stage (mask stage) W, W1, W2 Wafer (substrate, photosensitive substrate) WH, WH1, WH2 Wafer holder (holder) WS, WS1, WS2 Wafer stage (substrate stage) 1 stage Device 7 Elastic hinge part (thin wall part) 8a Void part (vibration damping device) 10 Exposure device 17, 25, 26, 27 Elastic member (elastic hinge part)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 5F031 CA02 CA07 HA02 HA03 HA13                       HA53 HA55 JA02 JA06 JA14                       JA17 JA27 JA28 JA30 JA32                       JA38 KA05 KA20 LA03 LA08                       MA27 PA14                 5F046 BA05 CC01 CC03 CC08 CC10                       CC11 DA08

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A stage device having a holder for holding a substrate and a moving table for moving the holder while supporting the holder, the supporting plate having an elastic hinge portion between the holder and the moving table. A stage device characterized in that 2. The stage device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic hinge portion is a thin portion provided on the support plate. 3. The stage device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic hinge portion is composed of an elastic member provided on the support plate. 4. The stage device according to claim 3, wherein the elastic member kinematically supports the holder. 5. The stage device according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of the elastic members are provided with different combinations of restraining directions with respect to the movement of the holder. 6. The stage apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of the elastic members are provided with a center of deformation located on a neutral plane of bending deformation of the moving table. 7. The stage device according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration damping device that damps vibration of the holder due to movement of the moving table. 8. The stage device according to claim 7, wherein the vibration damping device is a gap portion that exhibits a squeeze action between the holder and the moving table. 9. A stage device having a holder for holding a substrate and a moving table for supporting and moving the holder, wherein a support plate is interposed between the holder and the moving table, The bending rigidity ratio between the holder and the support plate is 10: 1 to 1
A stage device having a range of 00: 1. 10. The stage apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the bending rigidity ratio between the holder and the support plate is 19: 1 to 5.
A stage device characterized by being in a range of 3: 1. 11. The stage device according to claim 1, wherein the support plate is made of a low thermal expansion material. 12. The stage device according to claim 1, wherein the holder is made of a low thermal expansion material. 13. The stage device according to claim 11, wherein the low thermal expansion material is ceramics. 14. An exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern of a mask held by a mask stage onto a photosensitive substrate held by a substrate stage, wherein at least one of the mask stage and the substrate stage is used. Item 12. An exposure apparatus using the stage device described in any one of items 13.