JP2005303117A - Air actuator, stage apparatus, aligner, and method for manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air actuator which is used as the driving source of a stage apparatus for the accurate movement and positioning of an electron beam exposure device or the like, and is capable of suppressing the quantity of gas to be used. <P>SOLUTION: The air actuator 10 to be used in a vacuum environment or a prescribed gas environment is provided with a high pressure gas supply source 30 for supplying high pressure gas A, and a high pressure gas circulator 40 for collecting the supplied high pressure gas A and sending the collected high pressure gas A to the high pressure gas supply source 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an air actuator (driving device using compressed gas) used as a driving unit for a precision movement / positioning stage device such as an electron beam exposure apparatus.

In an optical lithography apparatus, a stage apparatus is used in which a 3-degree-of-freedom table capable of driving θ _X , θ _Y, and Z is mounted on a 3-degree-of-freedom stage capable of driving X, Y, and θ _Z. As a drive means for this stage apparatus, a VCM (voice coil motor) or linear motor using electromagnetic force is generally used.
However, in the electron beam exposure apparatus that is attracting attention as an exposure apparatus that realizes a resolution of 100 nm or less, if the above-described stage apparatus is used, the electron beam is affected by the surrounding magnetic field fluctuation accompanying the movement of the stage, and the pattern transfer accuracy is reduced. It will decline.
For this reason, a stage device in which the magnetism of the linear motor is shielded by a magnetic shield, a stage device using an air actuator (see Patent Document 1), and the like have been proposed.
JP 2002-359170 A (FIG. 2)

Since the stage apparatus used in the electron beam exposure apparatus is premised on use in a vacuum atmosphere, the air actuator is provided with a recovery mechanism for recovering the supplied gas.
However, since the recovered gas is exhausted into the atmosphere as it is, there is a problem that the amount of gas used increases and the running cost increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and is an air actuator that can suppress the amount of gas used in an air actuator that is used as a drive unit for a precision movement / positioning stage device such as an electron beam exposure apparatus. It is an object to propose an actuator, a stage device using the same, an exposure device, and the like.

In the air actuator, the stage apparatus, the exposure apparatus, and the device manufacturing method according to the present invention, the following means are employed in order to solve the above problems.
The first invention is a high pressure gas supply section (30) for supplying a high pressure gas (A) and a high pressure supplied thereto in an air actuator (10, 20) used in a vacuum environment or a predetermined gas (G) environment. A high pressure gas circulation section (40) for collecting the gas and sending the collected high pressure gas to the high pressure gas supply section is provided. According to the present invention, since the high-pressure gas supplied to the air actuator is reused, the running cost of the air actuator can be greatly reduced.

Moreover, since the high pressure gas circulation section (40) includes a filter (33, 43) that removes impurities contained in the high pressure gas (A), the cleanliness can always be maintained. Can be used.
In addition, the high-pressure gas circulation unit (40) that includes the temperature adjustment unit (44) that adjusts the temperature of the high-pressure gas (A) can suppress a temperature increase caused by driving of the air actuator.
Moreover, if the high pressure gas circulation section (40) includes the humidity control section (45) that manages the humidity of the high pressure gas (A), it is possible to avoid the occurrence of a malfunction of the air actuator due to condensation.
As the high-pressure gas (G), any of air, nitrogen, helium, oxygen, and argon can be used.
Further, as the predetermined gas (A), any of nitrogen, helium, and oxygen can be used.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stage device having a movable table on which plate-like bodies (R, W) are placed. The drive unit (10, 20) for moving the table is provided with the air actuator ( 10, 20). According to the present invention, the running cost of the stage apparatus can be suppressed, and the fluctuation of the magnetic field accompanying the stage drive can be avoided.

3rd invention has the mask stage (120) holding a mask (R), and the substrate stage (140) holding a board | substrate (W), and exposes the pattern (PA) formed in the mask to a board | substrate. In the exposure apparatus (EX), the stage apparatus (50) of the second invention is used for at least one of the mask stage and the substrate stage. According to the present invention, the running cost of the exposure apparatus can be suppressed, and the fluctuation of the magnetic field around the stage can be avoided.
In addition, since the exposure apparatus (EX) is an electron beam exposure apparatus (EX) that exposes the substrate by projecting the electron beam (EB) onto the mask (R), there is no magnetic field fluctuation around the stage. The electron beam can be accurately guided to a predetermined position on the substrate.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the device manufacturing method including the lithography step, the exposure apparatus (EX) of the third aspect is used in the lithography step. According to the present invention, a device in which a fine pattern is formed can be manufactured at low cost.

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
According to the air actuator of the first aspect of the present invention, the running cost can be greatly reduced, so that the cost of the semiconductor to be manufactured can be reduced when used for a drive source such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
According to the stage apparatus of the second aspect of the invention, the running cost of the drive source can be suppressed, so that the running cost as the stage apparatus can also be suppressed.
According to the exposure apparatus of the third invention, a fine pattern can be formed at low cost. In particular, in the case of an electron beam exposure apparatus, since there is no magnetic field fluctuation around the stage apparatus, the electron beam can be accurately guided to a predetermined position on the substrate.
According to the device manufacturing method of the fourth invention, it is possible to manufacture a device having a fine pattern formed at a low price. Therefore, it is necessary to promote the sales expansion of a large capacity, high speed and large integrated device. Can do.

Hereinafter, embodiments of an air actuator, a stage apparatus, an exposure apparatus, and a device manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the air actuator 10.
The air actuator 10 includes a guide fixing part 11, a fixed guide 12, a slider 13, and the like. The fixed guide 12 is fitted to a slider 13 having a hollow box shape, so that the slider 13 can move along the fixed guide 12.
The inner surfaces of both ends of the slider 13 are sliding surfaces with the fixed guide 12, and air pads 16 are attached to the upper and lower sides and both side surfaces (not shown) of the sliding surface.
A compressed gas (high pressure gas) A is supplied to the air pad 16 from the air pipe 14a. Around the air pad 16, an air release guard ring 17, a low vacuum exhaust guard ring 18, and a high vacuum exhaust guard ring 19 are provided in this order. A passage (not shown) for collecting and exhausting the compressed gas A from these guard rings 17, 18, 19 is also formed in the fixed guide 12.
In the approximate center of the fixed guide 12, squeezing plates 12 e and 12 f are provided. Further, the central portion of the slider 13 is divided into two gas chambers 13a and 13b by the threshold plates 12e and 12f. Further, a passage 12 a for supplying the compressed gas A to the gas chambers 13 a and 13 b of the slider 13 is provided in the fixed guide 12. A pneumatic control valve 15 is provided at both ends of the passage 12a, and the pressure of the compressed gas A supplied to the gas chambers 13a and 13b can be controlled.
The slider 13 can be reciprocated along the fixed guide 12 by applying a pressure difference between the adjacent gas chambers 13a and 13b. For example, by making the pressure of the gas chamber 13a higher than that of the gas chamber 13b, a difference occurs in the pressure applied to the inner walls of the gas chambers 13a and 13b. Then, the left inner wall of the gas chamber 13 a to which a relatively high pressure is applied is pushed, and the slider 13 moves relatively to the left along the fixed guide 12.
The compressed gas A supplied to the air actuator 10 is preferably any one of air, nitrogen, helium, oxygen, and argon.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a gas supply circulation system of the air actuator 10.
The air actuator 10 is supplied with compressed gas (high pressure gas) A by an air supply system 30.
The air supply system (high pressure gas supply unit) 30 includes a compressor 31, a tank 32, a filter 33, a mist separator 34, a regulator 35, an air pipe 14 b, a compressed air control valve 15, and the like. Air is supplied to 13a and 13b.
Then, by controlling the operation of the two pneumatic control valves 15, a pressure difference is generated in the gas chambers 13 a and 13 b of the air actuator 10 to reciprocate the slider 13.
Further, by operating the two compressed air control valves 15, the compressed gas A exhausted from the gas chambers 13 a and 13 b is supplied to the air circulation system 40 via the two compressed air control valves 15.
The air circulation system (high-pressure gas circulation unit) 40 includes an air pipe 41, a tank 42, a filter 43, a temperature controller (temperature controller) 44, a humidity controller (humidity controller) 45, etc., and is recovered from the air actuator 10. The compressed gas A is supplied to the compressor 31. A part of the compressed gas A recovered from the air actuator 10 may be released to the atmosphere.
Thereby, since the compressed gas A used for driving the air actuator 10 circulates through the air actuator 10, the air supply system 30, and the air circulation system 40, the amount of use can be greatly suppressed.

Next, the stage apparatus of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the stage apparatus 50 of the present invention. This stage apparatus 50 uses air actuators (drive units) 10 and 20 as drive sources in the X direction and the Y direction.
Two fixed guides 12 extending in parallel with the X direction are fixed to two positions on the upper surface of the surface plate 51 so as to face each other via two guide fixing portions 11. The two fixed guides 12 and their peripheral members basically have the same configuration. A hollow box-shaped slider 13 is fitted to each fixed guide 12 so as to be slidable in the X direction. The fixed guide 12 and the slider 13 constitute the air actuator 10, and the slider 13 can be driven in the X direction. An air pipe 14 for supplying the compressed gas A to the air actuator 10 is provided on the side surface of the slider 13.
A moving guide 21 extending in the Y direction is stretched between the two sliders 13. A hollow box-like slider 22 is fitted to the movement guide 21 so as to be slidable in the Y direction. The movement guide 21 and the slider 22 constitute an air actuator 20, and the slider 22 can be driven in the Y direction. The basic configuration of the air actuator 20 is the same as that of the air actuator 10.
The slider 22 is provided with an air piping 14 for supplying the compressed gas A to the air actuator 20. Further, a flange-like table 52 is projected from the side surface of the slider 22. A 6-degree-of-freedom fine movement table, a movable mirror, and the like can be fixed to the table 52.
As described above, since the stage device 50 includes the air actuators 10 and 20 for driving in the X direction and the Y direction, the table 52 is moved in the X direction and the Y direction with almost no magnetic field fluctuation. And can be positioned.
Further, by providing a 6-degree-of-freedom fine movement table or the like on which a plate-like body such as reticle R or wafer W can be placed on table 52, reticle R or wafer W can be accurately positioned.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the electron beam exposure apparatus EX.
The electron beam exposure apparatus (electron beam exposure apparatus) EX is an electron beam (electron beam) EB while synchronously moving a reticle (plate body, mask) R and a wafer (plate body, substrate) W in a one-dimensional direction. Is used to transfer a pattern (device pattern) PA formed on the reticle R to each shot area on the wafer W via the projection optical system 130, that is, a so-called scanning stepper. It is.
The electron beam exposure apparatus EX includes an electron gun 105 that emits an electron beam EB, and an illumination optical system that irradiates the reticle R by forming the electron beam EB emitted from the electron gun 105 into an electron beam EB having a predetermined shape. 110, a reticle stage 120 that holds the reticle R, a projection optical system 130 that projects and images the electron beam EB that has passed through the reticle R onto the wafer W, a wafer stage 140 that holds the wafer W, and an electron beam exposure apparatus EX. The control device 150 and the like for controlling automatically. Among these, the reticle stage 120 and the wafer stage 140 are accommodated in the chambers 161 and 162, and the illumination optical system 110 and the projection optical system 130 are accommodated in the housing 113 and the lens barrel 135, respectively, and vacuum or a predetermined gas G (for example, , Nitrogen, helium, oxygen, etc.).
In the following description, the direction that coincides with the optical axis AX of the projection optical system 130 is the Z-axis direction, and the synchronous movement direction (scanning direction) between the reticle R and the wafer W in the plane perpendicular to the Z-axis direction is the X-axis. The direction perpendicular to the direction, the Z-axis direction, and the X-axis direction (non-scanning direction) is defined as the Y-axis direction. Further, the directions around the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis are defined as θ _X , θ _Y , and θ _Z directions, respectively.

As the electron gun 105, for example, thermionic emission type lanthanum hexabolite (LaB ₆ ) or tantalum (Ta) is used.
The illumination optical system 110 includes a condenser lens 111 and a field selection deflector 112 including a two-stage electromagnetic deflector or electrostatic deflector in a housing 113. The electron beam EB emitted from the electron gun 105 is converted into a parallel beam by the condenser lens 111, and then deflected mainly in the X direction in the XY plane by the field selection deflector 112, so that predetermined irradiation of the reticle R is performed. Guided to the area. The deflection amount in the visual field selection deflector 112 is controlled by the control device 150 described later.

Reticle stage (stage apparatus, mask stage) 120 moves a reticle fine movement stage that holds reticle R, a reticle coarse movement stage that moves together with reticle fine movement stage with a predetermined stroke in the Y-axis direction, which is the scanning direction, and the like. Air actuators (both not shown) are provided. The reticle fine movement stage has a circular opening, and the reticle R is held by vacuum suction or the like by a reticle suction mechanism provided around the opening.
As the reticle stage 120, the stage device 50 described above is used.
Then, the two-dimensional position and rotation angle of the reticle stage 120 are measured in real time by the laser interferometer 127 at a predetermined resolution with respect to a change in the position of the movable mirror 126 fixed to the end of the reticle stage 120. The position of reticle stage 120 in the Y direction is measured by a moving mirror 126 and a laser interferometer (not shown) arranged so as to be substantially orthogonal to moving mirror 126 and laser interferometer 127.

  The projection optical system 130 uses a reduction system that reduces at a predetermined projection magnification β (β is, for example, ¼). A deflector 131, projection lenses 132 and 133, a contrast aperture 134, and the like are provided. The electron beam EB that has passed through the reticle R is guided by the deflector 131 to the first projection lens 132 after being deflected by a predetermined amount. Thereafter, the first projection lens 132 forms an image with a crossover at a point that internally divides the reticle R and the wafer W by the reduction ratio, and then passes the second projection lens 133 to a predetermined position on the wafer W. An image is formed at a projection magnification β. These optical system members are accommodated in the lens barrel 135.

A wafer stage (stage apparatus, the substrate stage) 140, wafer holder 141 for holding the wafer W, Z-axis direction a wafer holder 141 in order to perform the leveling and focusing the wafer W, theta 3 degrees of freedom in the _X direction, and theta _Y directions The wafer table 142 that is finely driven, the wafer table 142 that continuously moves in the Y-axis direction, and the XY table 143 that moves stepwise in the X-axis direction, and the wafer that supports the XY table 143 so as to be movable in a two-dimensional direction along the XY plane. A surface plate 144 and an air actuator (not shown) for driving them are provided.
The stage device 50 described above is used for the wafer stage 140.
The position of the wafer table 142 in the X direction is measured in real time with a predetermined resolution by a laser interferometer 147 that measures a change in the position of the movable mirror 146 fixed to the end of the wafer table 142 in the X direction. Further, the position of the wafer table 142 in the Y direction is measured by a movable mirror (not shown) and a laser interferometer arranged so as to be substantially orthogonal to the movable mirror 146 and the laser interferometer 147. At least one of the laser interferometers 147 is a multi-axis interferometer having two or more measurement axes, and the θ _Z direction of the wafer table 142 (and thus the wafer W) is based on the measurement values of the laser interferometers 147. Rotation amount and leveling amount can also be obtained.

The control device 150 comprehensively controls the electron beam exposure apparatus EX, and includes a storage unit, an input / output unit, and the like for recording various information in addition to a calculation unit that performs various calculations and controls.
Then, for example, the positions of the reticle R and the wafer W are controlled based on the detection results of the laser interferometers 127 and 147 provided on the reticle stage 120 and the wafer stage 140, and the pattern image formed on the reticle R is converted into a wafer. The exposure operation for transferring to the shot area on W is repeated.
Further, based on the exposure data input from the input / output unit and the position information of the reticle stage 120 and the wafer stage 140 detected by the laser interferometers 127 and 147, the electron beam EB by the field selection deflector 112 and the deflector 131 is used. The deflection amount of the electron beam EB by the visual field selection deflector 112 and the deflector 131 is controlled based on the obtained deflection amount.
As an input device of the input / output unit, there are a device that reads magnetic information created by a device for creating exposure data, a device that reads exposure information registered in the reticle R and wafer W, and the like.

Next, the operation of the electron beam exposure apparatus EX having the above configuration will be described.
First, the reticle R and the wafer W are placed on the reticle stage 120 or the wafer stage 140 with high accuracy through various alignment processes. Then, based on the alignment result, the wafer stage 140 is moved, and the exposure process for the first shot (first shot area) of the wafer W is started.
In the exposure processing, the electron beam EB emitted from the electron gun 105 and shaped into a square cross section (for example, 1 mm square) is deflected by the visual field selection deflector 112 from the optical axis AX of the optical system by a predetermined distance, and the reticle R. To the irradiation area. Along with the irradiation of the electron beam EB to the irradiation region, a pattern image having a shape corresponding to the pattern formed in the region is given to the corresponding portion of the wafer W via the first projection lens 132 and the second projection lens 133. The image is projected at a reduction ratio (for example, 1/4). For each shot (irradiation), an area (area) of 250 μm square is transferred on the wafer W at a time. During projection, irradiation with the electron beam EB is repeated in units of subfields, and pattern images in each subfield are sequentially projected onto different transferred subfields on the wafer W.
These series of operations are performed by moving the reticle R and the wafer W at a speed of 4: 1 while synchronizing them so that the electron beam EB is 20 mm wide on the reticle R (5 mm width that is 1/4 times on the wafer W). The circuit pattern is exposed while swinging (scanning) with electromagnetic deflection.
Thus, in the electron beam exposure apparatus EX, coupled with the deflection width of the electron beam EB, the exposure time can be significantly shortened and the throughput can be dramatically improved.

By the way, in the exposure process using the electron beam EB, in order to accurately guide the electron beam EB to a predetermined position on the wafer W, the surrounding magnetic field is not changed when the reticle stage 120 and the wafer stage 140 are moved. It is necessary to.
According to the electron beam exposure apparatus EX of the present invention, since the air actuators 10 and 20 are used in the driving devices for the reticle stage 120 and the wafer stage 140 (stage apparatus 50), fluctuations in the surrounding magnetic field do not occur. . In addition, since the air circulation system 40 is provided in the air actuators 10 and 20, the exhaust amount of the compressed gas A can be suppressed, and the running cost of the electron beam exposure apparatus EX can be suppressed.
Further, since the air circulation system 40 includes the filters 43 and 33 that remove impurities contained in the compressed gas A, it is possible to always maintain the cleanliness. Therefore, it is suitably used for the electron beam exposure apparatus EX or the like.
In addition, since the air circulation system 40 includes the temperature controller 44 that adjusts the temperature of the compressed gas A, the temperature increase of the air actuators 10 and 20 accompanying the driving of the air actuators 10 and 20 can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the humidity controller 45 is provided, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of problems in the air actuators 10 and 20 due to condensation.

  Note that the operation procedures shown in the above-described embodiment, or the shapes and combinations of the components are examples, and can be variously changed based on process conditions, design requirements, and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. is there. For example, the present invention includes the following modifications.

  For example, the case where only the compressed gas A exhausted from the gas chambers 13a and 13b in the air actuator 10 is recovered has been described. However, the air release guard ring 17, the low vacuum exhaust guard ring 18 provided on the inner surface of the slider 13, and the high The compressed gas A exhausted from the vacuum exhaust guard ring 19 may be collected and returned to the air supply system 30.

Further, the exposure apparatus to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a configuration using a mask. A pattern may be formed directly on the substrate without using a mask.
The electron beam exposure apparatus is not limited. Instead of the electron beam, g-line (436 nm), i-line (365 nm), KrF excimer laser (248 nm), ArF excimer laser (193 nm), F ₂ laser (157 nm) or X-ray can be used.
Further, the magnification of the projection optical system may be not only a reduction system but also an equal magnification or an enlargement system.

Alternatively, a step-and-repeat type exposure apparatus that exposes the mask pattern while the mask and the substrate are stationary and sequentially moves the substrate stepwise may be used.
Further, as an exposure apparatus to which the present invention is applied, a proximity exposure apparatus that exposes a mask pattern by bringing a mask and a substrate into close contact without using a projection optical system may be used.

  Further, the use of the exposure apparatus is not limited to the exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device. For example, an exposure apparatus for liquid crystal that exposes a liquid crystal display element pattern on a square glass plate and a thin film magnetic head are manufactured. Therefore, the present invention can be widely applied to an exposure apparatus.

In addition to using an electron optical system consisting of an electron lens and a deflector as the projection optical system, when using far ultraviolet rays such as an excimer laser, a material that transmits far ultraviolet rays such as quartz or fluorite is used as a glass material. When an F ₂ laser or X-ray is used, a catadioptric system or a reflective optical system is used (at this time, the reticle is also of a reflective type).

The reaction force generated by the movement of the wafer stage may be released mechanically to the floor (ground) using a frame member as described in JP-A-8-166475.
The reaction force generated by the movement of the wafer stage may be canceled by moving the counter mass in the direction opposite to the movement direction of the wafer stage.

  The reaction force generated by the movement of the reticle stage may be mechanically released to the floor (ground) using a frame member as described in JP-A-8-330224.

  An exposure apparatus to which the present invention is applied assembles 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. It is manufactured by. In order to ensure these various accuracies, before and after assembly, various optical systems are adjusted to achieve optical accuracy, various mechanical systems are adjusted to achieve mechanical accuracy, and various electrical systems are Adjustments are made to achieve electrical accuracy. The assembly process from the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus includes mechanical connection, electrical circuit wiring connection, pneumatic circuit piping connection and the like between the various subsystems. Needless to say, there is an assembly process for each subsystem before the assembly process from the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus. When the assembly process of the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus is completed, comprehensive adjustment is performed to ensure various accuracies as the entire exposure apparatus. The exposure apparatus is preferably manufactured in a clean room where the temperature, cleanliness, etc. are controlled.

  In addition, in the semiconductor device, the process of designing the function and performance of the device, the process of manufacturing a mask (reticle) based on this design step, the process of manufacturing a wafer from a silicon material, and the exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment It is manufactured through a wafer processing process for exposing a pattern to a wafer, a device assembly process (including a dicing process, a bonding process, and a packaging process), an inspection process, and the like.

Side sectional view showing the configuration of the air actuator 10 The figure which shows the gas supply circulation system of the air actuator 10 The perspective view which shows the stage apparatus 50 Schematic diagram showing the configuration of the electron beam exposure apparatus EX

Explanation of symbols

10, 20 Air actuator (drive unit)
30 Air supply system (high pressure gas supply part)
33, 43 Filter 40 Air circulation system (high pressure gas circulation section)
44 Temperature controller (temperature control section)
45 Humidifier (humidity control section)
50 stage device 52 table 120 reticle stage (stage device, mask stage)
140 Wafer stage (stage device, substrate stage)
A Compressed gas (high pressure gas)
G Predetermined gas R Reticle (plate, mask)
W wafer (plate, substrate)
PA pattern EB Electron beam (electron beam)
EX Electron beam exposure system (electron beam exposure system)

Claims (10)

In an air actuator used in a vacuum environment or a predetermined gas environment,
A high pressure gas supply section for supplying high pressure gas;
A high-pressure gas circulation unit that collects the supplied high-pressure gas and supplies the collected high-pressure gas to the high-pressure gas supply unit;
An air actuator comprising:   The air actuator according to claim 1, wherein the high-pressure gas circulation unit includes a filter that removes impurities contained in the high-pressure gas.   The air actuator according to claim 1, wherein the high-pressure gas circulation unit includes a temperature adjustment unit that adjusts a temperature of the high-pressure gas.   The air actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the high-pressure gas circulation unit includes a humidity control unit that manages the humidity of the high-pressure gas.   The air actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the high-pressure gas is any one of air, nitrogen, helium, oxygen, and argon.   The air actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the predetermined gas is any one of nitrogen, helium, and oxygen. In a stage apparatus having a table portion that is movable by placing a plate-like body,
A stage apparatus using the air actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 6 as a driving unit for moving the table unit. In an exposure apparatus having a mask stage for holding a mask and a substrate stage for holding a substrate, and exposing the pattern formed on the mask to the substrate,
An exposure apparatus using the stage apparatus according to claim 7 for at least one of the mask stage and the substrate stage.   The exposure apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the exposure apparatus is an electron beam exposure apparatus that projects an electron beam onto the mask to expose the substrate. 10. A device manufacturing method including a lithography process, wherein the exposure apparatus according to claim 8 or 9 is used in the lithography process.

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