JP2007192547A - Xy stage - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an XY stage which does not require changeover between a plurality of laser interferometers even in the case that a slider part moves over a platen beyond the size of a mounted mirror. <P>SOLUTION: The XY stage for two-dimensionally positioning and controlling the slider part to which the mirror is mounted over the platen is provided with a mother stage for moving along one side of the platen; a measuring means for measuring a first position, the position of the mother stage, with respect to a prescribed position of the platen as a reference point; and the laser interferometers mounted to the mother stage for receiving reflected light of a laser beam irradiated to the mirror of the slider part and measuring a second position, the position of the slider part, with respect to the mother stage as a reference point. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an XY stage that two-dimensionally controls a slider portion on which a mirror is mounted on a platen.

  An XY stage that detects the position of a slider unit whose position is controlled in a two-dimensional direction on a platen using a laser interferometer fixedly arranged and a bar mirror mounted on a lidar unit that reflects an irradiation beam of the laser interferometer is Patent Document 1 discloses this.

  FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional XY stage. Reference numeral 1 denotes a quadrilateral platen, and 2 denotes a quadrilateral slider portion whose position is controlled in a two-dimensional direction on the platen. The figure shows a state in which the position of the slider portion 2 indicated by a solid line is controlled at the lower left portion of the platen.

  Reference numerals 2a and 2b denote bar mirrors mounted on two sides adjacent to each other in the Y-axis direction and the X-axis direction of the slider unit 2. Reference numeral 31 denotes a laser interferometer fixedly arranged on the side 1a side in the Y-axis direction of the platen 1 facing the bar mirror 2a. Reference numerals 41 and 42 denote a pair of laser interferometers fixedly arranged on the side 1b side in the X-axis direction of the platen 1 facing the bar mirror 2b.

  The laser interferometer 31 irradiates the bar mirror 2a in the Y-axis direction with the laser beam Bx in the X-axis direction, inputs the reflected beam, and determines the X-axis direction position (distance from the reference point) of the slider unit 2. taking measurement.

  The laser interferometers 41 and 51 irradiate laser beams By1 and By2 in the Y-axis direction with a predetermined distance from the bar mirror 2b in the X-axis direction, and input the reflected beams in the Y-axis direction of the slider unit 2 Measure the position (distance from the reference point) and the Z-axis rotation angle. Details of the measurement principle and correction control of the Z-axis rotation angle are disclosed in Patent Document 2.

  In the position control of the slider unit using a laser interferometer, it is necessary to input one reflected beam from the bar mirror in the X axis (or Y axis) direction and two in the Y axis (or X axis) direction to the laser interferometer. Even when the slider part 2 moves in the arrow Q direction to the upper right part of the platen 1 as indicated by the dotted line 2 ', it is necessary to satisfy this condition.

  Accordingly, the slider unit 2 has a limit of movement control up to a position immediately before the reflected beam from the mounted bar mirror is released, and the moving range of the slider unit 2 is limited by the size of the mounted bar mirrors 2a and 2b.

  In order to control the position of the slider unit 2 on the platen 1 beyond the size of the mounted bar mirror, a plurality of laser interferometers 31, 32, 33 are arranged at predetermined intervals on one side 1 a side in the Y-axis direction of the platen 1. Are fixedly arranged, and a plurality of pairs of laser interferometers 41 and 42, 43 and 44, 45 and 46 are fixedly arranged on one side 1b side in the X-axis direction of the platen 1 facing the bar mirror 2b, and a slider It is necessary to sequentially switch these laser interferometers according to the moving position of the unit 2.

  Reference numeral 5 denotes an XY stage control device having functions of a synchronization position detection means 51, a slider position control means 52, a switching means 53, and a preprocessing calculation means 54. The synchronization position detection means 51 performs synchronous measurement of the X-axis and Y-axis position of the slider unit 2 by all the laser interferometers at a constant cycle, and the measurement data D is transferred to the slider unit position control unit 52 and the switching unit. 53 to the correction calculation means 54.

  The switching means 53 holds in advance information on the laser interferometer to be used corresponding to the position information of the slider portion, acquires the measurement data D from the synchronous position detection means 51, and issues a laser interferometer switching command E. This is transferred to the slider position control means 52.

  The pre-processing calculation means 54, in a transient state where one laser interferometer is switched to another laser interferometer as the slider unit 2 moves, converts the measurement data immediately before the laser interferometer before switching to the laser interferometer to be switched to. The calculation data F is passed to the slider position control means 52.

Patent Document 1 describes an XY stage that minimizes the heat generation factor of the slider and simplifies cable processing.
Patent Document 2 describes an XY stage for positioning a two-dimensional position of an object.

JP 2005-9952 A

JP 2000-65970 A

  In the method of switching a plurality of laser interferometers, an error occurs in the position detection value. Although this error can be reduced by a correction calculation or the like, it becomes a large error because it is accumulated every time the switching operation is performed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and there is no need to switch a plurality of laser interferometers even when the slider portion moves on the platen beyond the size of the mounted mirror. The purpose is to realize the stage.

In order to achieve such a subject, the present invention has the following configuration.
(1) In an XY stage that controls the two-dimensional positioning of the slider portion on which the mirror is mounted on the platen,
A mother stage that moves along one side of the platen;
Measuring means for measuring a first position which is a position of the mother stage with a predetermined position of the platen as a reference point;
A laser interferometer mounted on the mother stage, receiving reflected light of the laser beam irradiated on the mirror of the slider unit, and measuring a second position, which is the position of the slider unit with the mother stage as a reference point;
An XY stage characterized by comprising:

(2) The measuring apparatus according to (1), further including an adding unit that adds the measurement value of the first position and the measurement value of the second position to calculate the position of the slider portion on the platen. XY stage.

(3) The platen has a shape with opposite sides,
The XY stage according to (1) or (2), wherein a pair of the mother stages are arranged to face each other along the facing sides.

(4) The mother stage includes a mirror, and the first position is measured by reflected light of a laser beam emitted from a fixedly arranged laser interferometer. XY stage described in crab.

(5) Equipped with an emergency stop means for switching the air pressure supplied for the air bearing to the slider portion floating by the air bearing against the attractive force of the bias magnet of the platen to vacuum ( The XY stage according to any one of 1) to (4).

  As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, even when the slider part moves on the platen beyond the size of the mounted mirror, it is not necessary to switch between a plurality of laser interferometers. Thus, it is possible to realize an XY stage in which the accumulation of position detection errors caused by is essentially not generated.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of an XY stage to which the present invention is applied. Reference numeral 100 denotes a mother stage, which is a mother stage that moves along one side of a platen (not shown), and is a first position that is a position of the mother stage with a predetermined position of the platen as a reference point by appropriate measuring means. Is measured.

  Reference numeral 200 denotes a slider portion, and a laser interferometer provided in the mother stage 100 measures a second position that is the position of the slider portion 200 with the mother stage 100 as a reference point.

  The mother stage 100 includes a bar mirror 100a arranged in parallel to the Y-axis direction of the platen and a bar mirror 100b arranged in parallel to the X-axis direction. Reference numerals 301 and 302 denote fixedly arranged laser interferometers that receive the reflected light of the laser light applied to the bar mirror 100a, and the position of the mother stage 100 in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis with a predetermined position of the platen as a reference point Measure the rotation angle.

  Similarly, 400 is a laser interferometer that is fixedly arranged and receives the reflected light of the laser beam irradiated on the bar mirror 100b, and measures the position of the mother stage 100 in the Y-axis direction with a predetermined position of the platen as a reference point.

  The measurement values obtained by the laser interferometers 301, 302, and 400 are input to the first position measuring unit 701, and the first position P1 of the mother stage 100 with the predetermined position of the platen as a reference point is measured.

  The slider unit 200 includes a bar mirror 200a disposed parallel to the Y-axis direction of the platen and a bar mirror 200b disposed parallel to the X-axis direction. Reference numerals 501 and 502 denote laser interferometers fixedly disposed on the mother stage 100. The laser interferometers 501 and 502 receive the reflected light of the laser light applied to the bar mirror 200a, and the position of the slider unit 200 in the X-axis direction with the mother stage 100 as a reference point. And the Z-axis rotation angle is measured.

  Reference numeral 600 denotes a laser interferometer that is also fixedly arranged, and receives the reflected light of the laser light applied to the bar mirror 200b, and measures the position of the slider unit 200 in the Y-axis direction with the mother stage 100 as a reference point.

  The measurement values obtained by these laser interferometers 501, 502, and 600 are input to the second position measuring means 702, and the second position P2 of the slider unit 200 with the mother stage 100 as a reference point is measured.

  Reference numeral 703 denotes an adding means which inputs the first position measurement value P1 of the first position measurement means 701 and the first position measurement value P2 of the second position measurement means 702, and calculates the platen calculated by adding them together. A position measurement value P3 of the slider unit 200 with the predetermined position as a reference point is output.

  For simplicity, the movement of the mother stage 100 moving the X axis in the arrow Q direction to the position indicated by the dotted line 100 'will be described with reference to FIG. The bar mirror 100b of the mother stage 100 has a predetermined length in the X-axis direction, and reflects the laser light from the laser interferometer 400 until it moves from the left end position indicated by the solid line to the right end position 100b ′ indicated by the chain line. Without switching, the first position in the Y-axis direction is measured.

  Even when the mother stage 100 moves in the Y-axis direction, the laser interferometer 301 and the barometer 100a of the mother stage 100 are designed to have a predetermined length until the mother stage 100 moves from the lower end position to the upper end position. The laser beam from 302 is reflected, and the first position in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis rotation angle are measured without switching.

  The relative position relationship between the mother stage 100 and the slider unit 200 is determined by the laser interferometers 501, 502, and 600 within the range of the size of the bar mirrors 200a and 200b of the slider unit 200, as indicated by 100 'and 200'. Since it is measured, there is no switching of the laser interferometer.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment has a two-slider configuration in which a pair of opposed mother stages move along opposite sides of a common platen, and a slider unit is arranged on each mother stage.

  The platen 800 has a polygonal (hexagonal) shape in which diagonal points of a quadrilateral are cut out at a predetermined angle (45 degrees), and the mother stages 110 and 120 are formed along the cut-out opposite sides 800a and 800b. Opposing and movably arranged.

  In the mother stages 110 and 120, 110a and 120a are bar mirrors installed in a direction orthogonal to the sides 800a and 800b, and reflect the laser beams from the laser interferometers 311, 312 and 321, 322, respectively. A first position parallel to 800b is measured.

  In the mother stages 110 and 120, 110b and 120b are bar mirrors installed in parallel to the sides 800a and 800b, and reflect the laser beams from the laser interferometers 410 and 420, respectively, and are orthogonal to the sides 800a and 800b. The first position is measured.

  The mother stage 110 includes a support member 110c parallel to the Y-axis direction of the platen 800 and a support member 110d parallel to the X-axis direction. The laser interferometers 511 and 512 disposed on the support member 110c irradiate the bar mirror 210a parallel to the Y-axis direction of the slider unit 210 with the laser beam to receive the reflected light, and the second position of the slider unit 210 in the X direction. And measure the Z-axis rotation angle.

  The laser interferometer 610 disposed on the support member 110d irradiates the bar mirror 210b parallel to the X-axis direction of the slider unit 210 with the laser beam, receives the reflected light, and measures the second position of the slider unit 210 in the Y direction. To do.

  The mother stage 120 includes a support member 120c parallel to the Y-axis direction of the platen 800 and a support member 120d parallel to the X-axis direction. The laser interferometers 521 and 522 arranged on the support member 120c irradiate the bar mirror 220a parallel to the Y-axis direction of the slider unit 220 with the laser beam to receive the reflected light, and the second position of the slider unit 220 in the X direction. And measure the Z-axis rotation angle.

  The laser interferometer 620 disposed on the support member 120d irradiates the bar mirror 220b parallel to the X-axis direction of the slider unit 220 with the laser beam, receives the reflected light, and measures the second position of the slider unit 220 in the Y direction. To do.

  Although not shown, the measured values of the first position of the mother stage 110 and the second position of the slider unit 210 are added by the adding means as shown in FIG. 1, and the position of the slider unit 210 on the platen 800 is measured. The Similarly, the measured values of the first position of the mother stage 120 and the second position of the slider unit 220 are also added by the adding means, and the position of the slider unit 220 on the platen 800 is measured.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the mother stage 110 is disposed on the upper side of the side 800 a, and the position of the slider unit 210 is controlled in the X-axis direction on the upper part of the platen 800 to perform a predetermined operation. The state shown in the figure shows a state in which the slider unit 210 is closest to the mother stage 110.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the mother stage 120 is disposed below the side 800 b, and the position of the slider 220 is controlled in the X-axis direction below the platen 800. The state shown in the figure shows a state in which the slider unit 220 is farthest from the mother stage 120.

  FIG. 3 is a transition diagram in the middle of a moving operation in the case of performing a swap operation in which the work positions of the mother stage and the slider unit are switched. During the swap operation, the slider unit 210 and the slider unit 220 are position-controlled so as to be closest to the mother stages 110 and 120, respectively, to avoid a collision at the time of passing.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the laser interferometer is illustrated as a means for measuring the first positions of the mother stages 110 and 120, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various distance meters and position detectors may be used. it can.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view showing still another embodiment of the present invention. The feature of this embodiment is that the first position measuring means is realized by combining a linear scale and a capacitive distance sensor. A triangulation type distance meter or the like can also be used in combination.

  The mother stage 110 engages and moves with a linear scale 910 arranged in parallel to the side 800a, and the first position during the movement is measured by the linear scale 910. When the mother stage 110 moves to the lower end of the linear scale 910, the first position of the lower end and the rotation angle in the Z-axis direction are measured with high accuracy by the capacitance sensors C11, C12, C13.

  When the mother stage 110 moves to the upper end of the linear scale 910, the first position of the upper end and the rotation angle in the Z-axis direction are measured with high accuracy by the capacitance sensors C13, C14, C15.

  Similarly, the mother stage 120 engages and moves with the linear scale 920 arranged in parallel with the side 800b, and the first position during the movement is measured with the linear scale 920. When the mother stage 120 moves to the lower end of the linear scale 920, the first position of the lower end and the rotation angle in the Z-axis direction are measured with high accuracy by the capacitance sensors C21, C22, C23.

  When the mother stage 120 moves to the upper end portion of the linear scale 920, the first position of the upper end portion and the rotation angle in the Z-axis direction are measured with high accuracy by the capacitance sensors C23, C24, and C25.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, when the present invention is applied to an XY stage that controls the position of a plurality of slider portions on a common platen, the collision between the slider portions and the collision between the slider portion and the mother stage are avoided. It is necessary to have an emergency stop function in case of abnormal design and design.

  The slider portion of the XY stage is levitated by an air bearing against the attractive force of the bias magnet of the platen. If the supply air pressure for the air bearing to the slider portion is stopped, it can be stopped by the attractive force of the bias magnet of the platen, but it takes several tens of milliseconds for the air to escape and stop, and an emergency stop cannot be performed.

  Therefore, an instantaneous emergency stop is possible by switching the air hose that supplies the air bearing air pressure to the slider and pulling it in a vacuum. In this case, the emergency stop effect can be further enhanced by evacuating the air release groove formed at the bottom of the slider.

It is a functional block diagram which shows one Embodiment of the XY stage to which this invention is applied. It is a top view which shows other embodiment of this invention. It is a transition diagram in the middle of a moving operation in the case of performing a swap operation in which the work positions of the mother stage and the slider unit are switched. It is a top view which shows other embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram which shows the structural example of the conventional XY stage.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Mother stage 100a Bar mirror 100b Bar mirror 200 Slider part 200a Bar mirror 200b Bar mirror 301,302 Laser interferometer 400 Laser interferometer 501,502 Laser interferometer 600 Laser interferometer 701 First position measuring means 702 Second position measuring means 703 Adding means

Claims (5)

In an XY stage that controls the positioning of a slider portion mounted with a mirror two-dimensionally on a platen,
A mother stage that moves along one side of the platen;
Measuring means for measuring a first position which is a position of the mother stage with a predetermined position of the platen as a reference point;
A laser interferometer mounted on the mother stage, receiving reflected light of the laser beam irradiated on the mirror of the slider unit, and measuring a second position, which is the position of the slider unit with the mother stage as a reference point;
An XY stage characterized by comprising:   2. The XY stage according to claim 1, further comprising addition means for adding the measurement value of the first position and the measurement value of the second position to calculate the position of the slider portion on the platen. The platen has a shape with opposing sides,
3. The XY stage according to claim 1, wherein a pair of the mother stages are arranged to face each other along the facing sides.   4. The XY according to claim 1, wherein the mother stage includes a mirror, and the first position is measured by reflected light of laser light emitted from a laser interferometer fixedly arranged. 5. stage. 2. An emergency stop means for switching a supply air pressure for the air bearing to the slider portion that is levitated by an air bearing against a suction force of a bias magnet of the platen to vacuum. 4. The XY stage according to any one of 4.

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