JP2008235470A - Planar motor apparatus, stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a planar motor apparatus, stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method wherein the floating movement of the moving portion of the planar motor apparatus is performed without any trouble, and it can be manufactured easily. <P>SOLUTION: In the planar motor apparatus, since a moving portion 17 is supported by head portions 22a of two or more core members 22, the moving portion 17 is moved along a guiding plane 24 without any trouble. Additionally, since it is not necessary to provide a thin plate member having a large area over the nearly whole surface of the guiding plane 24, the planar motor which can be manufactured easily can be obtained. Further, since each air pad 27 which blows air on the head portions 22a of the core members 22 is made of a porous material, even though a clearance is formed between the core members 22 adjacent to each other, the air fed from the air pad 27 is blown surely on the head portions 22a of the core members 22. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a planar motor device, a stage device, an exposure apparatus, and a device manufacturing method.

  In the photolithography process, which is one of the manufacturing processes of imaging elements such as semiconductor elements, liquid crystal display elements, CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices), thin film magnetic heads, and other various devices, masks or reticles (when these are collectively referred to) An exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern formed on a mask) onto a substrate such as a glass plate or a wafer coated with a photoresist via a projection optical system is used. In this exposure apparatus, since it is necessary to position the substrate at an exposure position with high accuracy, the substrate is held on the substrate holder by vacuum suction or the like, and the substrate holder is fixed on the substrate table. Yes.

  In recent years, it has been required to move the substrate at a higher speed in order to improve throughput (the number of substrates that can be exposed per unit time). In addition, it is also required to realize the positioning of the substrate with high accuracy without being affected by the accuracy of the mechanical guide surface by miniaturizing the pattern to be transferred to the substrate. Furthermore, in order to extend the operating time of the exposure apparatus by reducing maintenance opportunities, it is also required to extend the life by avoiding mechanical friction.

  In order to satisfy these requirements, a stage apparatus has been developed that positions a substrate by driving a substrate table on which the substrate is placed in a two-dimensional direction without contact.

  As such a planar motor, there is, for example, a planar motor constituted by a fixed part having coils arranged two-dimensionally and a moving part having permanent magnets arranged two-dimensionally. The dimension of the surface of the fixed part is, for example, about 1 m × 1 m. Planar motors have been devised that use Lorentz force generated by passing a current through a coil to drive a moving part two-dimensionally with respect to a fixed part (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

In these planar motors, a gas ejection part is provided in the moving part, and the moving part is levitated with respect to the fixed part, thereby enabling non-contact movement. In this method, if the flatness of the gas ejection surface (gas ejection surface) is low, the floating state of the moving part becomes unstable, so the flatness of the gas ejection surface must be increased. For example, a method has been proposed in which a plate-like member having a thickness of about 1 mm or less is disposed on the surface of the fixed portion.
JP-A-11-164543 Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-224961 US Pat. No. 5,677,758

However, it is actually very difficult to form a plate-like member having a thickness of about 1 mm on almost the entire surface (1 m × 1 m) of the fixed portion.
In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a planar motor device, a stage device, an exposure apparatus, and a device manufacturing method that can stably move and move and move easily. There is to do.

  In order to achieve the above object, a planar motor device according to the present invention includes a fixed portion (16) that forms a predetermined guide surface and a movable portion (17) that moves along the guide surface. The fixing portion includes a plurality of guide members (21) each of which forms a part of the guide surface, and the moving portion is connected to one or more guide members. And a gas jetting member (26) for jetting gas. The gas jetting member (26) is movable across two or more guide members.

  According to the present invention, the plurality of guide members form part of the guide surface, and the moving unit includes the gas ejection member that ejects gas to the one or more guide members, and straddles the two or more guide members. Therefore, the gas is always ejected to two or more guide members. For this reason, the moving part is always levitated and supported by two or more guide members. In addition, in this configuration, it is not necessary to provide a large area and thin plate member over almost the entire guide surface.

  The stage device (RST, WST) according to the present invention is equipped with the above planar motor device. The planar motor device is mounted as a driving unit for the stage device.

  The exposure apparatus (10) according to the present invention is equipped with the above stage apparatus. The stage apparatus is mounted as at least one of a mask stage (RST) and a substrate stage (WST) of the exposure apparatus.

  A device manufacturing method according to the present invention uses the above-described exposure apparatus. The said exposure apparatus is used in the process of exposing a device.

  According to the present invention, the moving part is always supported by being levitated by the two or more guide members, so that the moving part stably moves along the guide surface. In addition, since it is not necessary to provide a thin plate member having a large area over almost the entire guide surface, a flat motor that can be easily manufactured can be obtained.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a planar motor device, a stage device, an exposure apparatus, and a device manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a view showing the schematic arrangement of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  An exposure apparatus 10 shown in the figure is an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor element, and sequentially transfers a pattern formed on the reticle R onto the wafer W while moving the reticle R and the wafer W synchronously. This is a reduction projection type exposure apparatus of an AND scan type.

  In the following description, if necessary, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is set in the drawing, and the positional relationship of each member will be described with reference to this XYZ orthogonal coordinate system. This XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is set so that the X-axis and the Z-axis are parallel to the paper surface, and the Y-axis is set to a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. In the XYZ coordinate system in the figure, the XY plane is actually set to a plane parallel to the horizontal plane, and the Z-axis is set vertically upward. Further, it is assumed that the synchronous movement direction (scanning direction) of the wafer W and the reticle R at the time of exposure is set in the Y direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 10 includes an illumination optical system ILS, a reticle stage RST that holds a reticle R as a mask, a projection optical system PL, and a wafer W as a substrate in the X direction and in the XY plane. Mainly configured is a wafer stage WST as a stage apparatus including stage units WST1 and WST2 that are moved in a two-dimensional direction in the Y direction, and a main controller MCS that controls them. Although not shown in FIG. 1, stage unit WST3 (not shown in FIG. 1) is provided with various measuring devices for measuring the performance of exposure apparatus 10 in addition to stage units WST1 and WST2 on wafer stage WST. Not shown, see FIG. 2).

  In the illumination optical system ILS, the exposure light emitted from a light source unit (not shown) (for example, a laser light source such as an ultra-high pressure halogen lamp or an excimer laser) is uniform in a rectangular (or arc-shaped) illumination area IAR on the reticle R. The exposure light is shaped and the illuminance distribution is made uniform so that the illuminance is applied. Reticle stage RST has a structure in which stage movable portion 11 is provided on a reticle base (not shown). The stage movable unit 11 moves along a predetermined scanning direction at a predetermined scanning speed on the reticle base during exposure.

  The reticle R is held on the upper surface of the stage movable unit 11 by, for example, vacuum suction. An exposure light passage hole (not shown) is formed below the reticle R of the stage movable unit 11. A reflecting mirror 12 is disposed at the end of the stage movable unit 11. The position of the movable stage 11 can be detected by the laser interferometer 13 measuring the position of the reflecting mirror 12. The detection result of the laser interferometer 13 is output to the stage control system SCS. The stage control system SCS drives the stage movable unit 11 based on the detection result of the laser interferometer 13 and a control signal from the main controller MCS based on the moving position of the stage movable unit 11. Although not shown in FIG. 1, a reticle alignment sensor is provided above the reticle stage RST. The reticle alignment sensor simultaneously observes a mark (reticle mark) formed on reticle R and a reference mark formed on a reference member that defines a reference position of wafer stage WST, and measures the relative positional relationship between them. .

  The projection optical system PL is a reduction optical system whose reduction magnification is α (α is, for example, 4 or 5). The projection optical system PL is arranged below the reticle stage RST, and the direction of its own optical axis AX is set to the Z-axis direction. Here, a refracting optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements arranged at a predetermined interval along the optical axis AX direction is used so as to provide a telecentric optical arrangement.

  An appropriate lens element is selected according to the wavelength of light emitted from the light source unit. When the illumination area IAR of the reticle R is illuminated by the illumination optical system ILS, a reduced image (partial inverted image) of the pattern in the illumination area IAR of the reticle R is an exposure area IA conjugate to the illumination area IAR on the wafer W. Formed.

  FIG. 2 is a top view showing the configuration of wafer stage WST. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, wafer stage WST includes base member 14, stage units WST 1 to WST 3 that are levitated and supported above the upper surface of base member 14 with a clearance of about several μm, and these stages. The units WST1 to WST3 are mainly configured by a driving device 15 that drives the two-dimensional direction in the XY plane.

  Stage units WST1 and WST2 are units for holding and transporting wafer W, and stage unit WST3 is a unit for transporting various measuring instruments for measuring the performance of exposure apparatus 10. By individually driving the driving device 15 provided in each of the stage units WST1 to WST3, each of the stage units WST1 to WST3 can be individually moved in any direction within the XY plane.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the position where the stage unit WST2 is arranged is the loading position of the wafer W. When unloading the wafer W after the exposure process and when loading the unexposed wafer W, one of the stage units WST1 and WST2 is arranged at this position.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the position where the stage unit WST1 is arranged is the exposure position. Since the stage unit moves in order to perform exposure on a desired area of the wafer W (or the stage unit itself around the wafer W) placed on the stage unit, the movement area of the stage unit at this time The exposure area (exposure station) is set to include At the time of exposure, either one of the stage units WST1 and WST2 holding the wafer W to be exposed is arranged in this area, and the other stage unit is a position that does not interfere with the movement of the stage unit during exposure. Evacuated (may be a loading position). Since the stage units WST1 and WST2 are individually moved in any direction in the XY plane, the loading position and the exposure area can be alternately switched. While waiting for the exposure processing of the wafer W placed on one stage unit to finish, the focusing information of the wafer W before exposure loaded on the other stage unit can be detected. May be. For example, a measurement region including the loading position may be set so as not to interfere with the movement of the stage unit during the exposure process, and the focusing measurement of the wafer W may be performed within this measurement region.

  Examples of various measuring devices provided in the stage unit WST3 include sensors and measuring devices such as an illuminance sensor, an illuminance unevenness sensor, an aerial image measuring device, an aberration measuring device, and a polarization state measuring device. The illuminance sensor measures the illuminance of exposure light irradiated on wafer stage WST via projection optical system PL. The illuminance unevenness sensor measures the illuminance unevenness of the exposure light. The aerial image measuring apparatus measures an aerial image of an optical image projected on wafer stage WST via projection optical system PL. The aberration measuring device measures the aberration of the projection optical system PL. The polarization state measuring device measures the polarization state of the exposure light irradiated onto wafer stage WST.

  Wafer stage WST3 is provided with a reference member that determines the reference position, reference plane, and the like of wafer stage WST. A reference mark for defining the reference position, the reference plane, and the like is formed on the reference member. Since stage unit WST3 is movable separately from stage units WST1 and WST2 in any direction within the XY plane, for example, before the exposure processing of wafer W is started (−Z The illuminance or illuminance unevenness of the exposure light irradiated on the wafer stage WST by moving in the direction) can be measured.

  The driving device 15 includes a flat motor configured to include a fixed portion 16 embedded in the upper portion of the base member 14 and a moving portion 17 fixed to the bottom portions (base facing surface side) of the stage units WST1 to WST3. ing. In the following description, the driving device 15 is referred to as a planar motor 15 for convenience.

  Wafer W is fixed on stage units WST1 and WST2 by, for example, vacuum suction. A movable mirror 19 that reflects the laser beam from the laser interferometer 18 is fixed to one end of the stage units WST1 to WST3. The laser interferometer 18 disposed outside the stage unit WST1 to WST3 has an XY plane inside the stage units WST1 to WST3. Is always detected at a resolution of about 0.5 to 1 nm, for example.

  Although the illustration is simplified in FIG. 1, a movable mirror having a reflecting surface orthogonal to the Y-axis direction that is the scanning direction and a reflection orthogonal to the X-axis direction that is the non-scanning direction on the stage units WST1 to WST3. And a movable mirror having a surface. The laser interferometer 18 is provided with one axis in the scanning direction and two axes in the non-scanning direction, and these are typically shown as the movable mirror 19 and the laser interferometer 18 in FIG. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the laser beam from the laser interferometer 18 is applied to the movable mirror 19 provided in the stage unit WST1, but a similar laser interferometer is provided for the stages WST2 and WST3. It has been.

  The position information (or speed information) of the stage units WST1 to WST3 is sent to the stage control system SCS and the main controller MCS via this. In the stage control system SCS, the stage units WST1 to WST3 are moved in the XY plane via the planar motor 15 based on the position information (or speed information) of the stage units WST1 to WST3 in accordance with an instruction from the main controller MCS. To control each.

  The configuration of wafer stage WST will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a top view of stage unit WST1 provided on wafer stage WST, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3 and 4, the same members as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Since stage unit WST1 and stage unit WST2 have the same configuration, stage unit WST1 will be described as a representative here.

The planar motor 15 includes a fixed portion 16 and a moving portion 17, and the fixed portion 16 further includes a plurality of core members 22 fixed to the base member 14. The plurality of core members 22 are arranged in a matrix at a predetermined pitch in the XY plane, and the tip end portion (upper end surface in the drawing) of the head portion 22a is substantially flush with the stage unit WST1 (WST2, WST3) guide surface 24 is formed. The stage unit WST1 is supported by the fixed portion 16 in a state where it floats at a predetermined interval (several microns) with respect to the guide surface 24 by the air pad 27. At the time of movement, it can move in the X, Y, and θz directions along the guide surface 24 in a non-contact state with the guide surface 24.
The fixing member 16 will be described in further detail. Each of the plurality of core members 22 includes a head portion 22a including a surface that is a part of the above-described guide surface 24, and a support column portion 22b that supports the head portion 22a. The head portion 22a and the column portion 22b of the core member 22 may be provided integrally or may be configured to be separable. The head portion 22a and the column portion 22b of each core member 22 can be made of a magnetic material such as low carbon steel equivalent to SS400 or stainless steel, for example. Moreover, you may change suitably a part instead of making it all the same material.

  The head portion 22a has a rectangular cross-sectional shape in the XY plane, and the cross-sectional shape in the XY plane of the column portion 22b has a circular shape. As described above, the front end portion of the head portion 22a is a flat surface, the height (Z position in the figure) is substantially the same, and constitutes the guide surface 24. In the present embodiment, the upper surface (Z position) of the base member 14 is also formed in a substantially flat surface, and the dimension from the upper surface of the base member 14 to each head 22a (height from the upper surface of the base member 14) is substantially the same. It has become. A plurality of support columns 22 b are erected from the base member 14. A coil 21 is wound around each column portion 22b, and each column portion 22b and the coil 21 are in a state of being magnetically connected. Thereby, the magnetic flux generated from the coil 21 when an electric current is passed through the coil 21 is efficiently transmitted to the guide surface 24 side via the support column 22b and the head 22a (that is, the core member 22). As a result, the magnetic flux generated by the coil 21 and the magnetic flux generated by the permanent magnet 26 of the moving unit 17 described later can be efficiently cooperated (a magnetic attractive force is generated).

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the core member 22. As shown in the figure, the coil 21 is wound around the support column 22 b of the core member 22 via the heat insulating material T. When heat generated when a current is passed through the coil 21 is transmitted to the core member 22, the core member 21 expands, a positional shift of the core member 22 in the XY plane occurs, or the guide surface 24 expands in the Z direction. Concavities and convexities occur on the surface. This unevenness causes positioning errors of the stage units WST1 to WST3. By winding the coil 21 through the heat insulating material T, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of positioning errors. As the heat insulating material T, for example, it is preferable that the magnetic connection between the coil 21 and the support portion 22b is not hindered and that the heat insulating property and the heat resistance are excellent. As the material, for example, a resin or the like is used. Can do.
As described above, the tips of the heads 22a of the plurality of core members 22 gather to form a guide surface, but it is sufficient that the position and flatness of each head 22a satisfy a predetermined value. It is not necessary to fix 22a. A gap may be formed between the heads 22a, and the gap may be filled with gas in the atmosphere (air, vacuum, or purged with N ₂ or the like). If it is not an object through which the magnetic flux is easier to pass than the core member 22, it can be said that it does not matter.
Moreover, you may form a protection member in the front-end | tip part of the head 22a of the core member 22, respectively. In this case, since the upper surface of the protection member is the guide surface 24, the height (Z position in the drawing) of the upper surface of the protection member is the same surface. As the protective member, a plate-like member may be provided on each head 22a, or a film may be formed on each head 22a. The film can be formed by thermal spraying with a thickness of about several hundred microns, for example.
Further, a nonmagnetic member may be formed at the tip of the head portion 22a of the core member 22. In this case, since the upper surface of the nonmagnetic member becomes the guide surface 24, the height (Z position in the figure) of the upper surface of the nonmagnetic member is set to be the same surface. As the nonmagnetic member, a plate-like member may be provided on each head 22a, or a film may be formed on each head 22a. The film can be formed by thermal spraying with a thickness of about several hundred microns, for example.
If there is a possibility that the core members 22 come into contact with each other and affect the path of the magnetic flux generated by the coil 21, a portion that is likely to be contacted (for example, the side surface of the head portion 22a) is coated with a nonmagnetic material or the like. Also good. Alternatively, the entire core member 22 (head portion 22a) may be coated with a nonmagnetic material or the like, and only the necessary portions may be peeled off.
As the non-magnetic member, alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ) may be formed by thermal spraying, or may be formed by other ceramics. Also, SUS or the like may be used.
Only one of the nonmagnetic member and the protective member may be provided on the core member 22 or both. For example, a nonmagnetic member may be provided at the tip of the head portion 22a of the core member 22 and a protective member may be provided thereon.

  The coil 21 provided in the fixed portion 16 is supplied with a three-phase alternating current composed of a U phase, a V phase, and a W phase. By applying the current of each phase to each of the coils 21 arranged in the XY plane at a predetermined timing in a predetermined order, the stage units WST1 to WST3 can be moved in a desired direction at a desired speed. It has become.

  6 is a cross-sectional arrow view taken along line BB in FIG. In FIG. 6, each phase of the three-phase alternating current applied to each coil 21 is illustrated in association with the head portion 22 a of the core member 22. As shown in the figure, the U phase, V phase, and W phase are regularly arranged in the XY plane.

  Next, the configuration of the moving unit 17 that forms part of the wafer stage WST will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the moving unit 17 includes a first stage 25, a permanent magnet 26, and an air pad 27. A second stage 28, a horizontal drive mechanism 29, and a vertical drive mechanism 30 are provided on the upper surface of the first stage 25.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional arrow view taken along the line CC in FIG. In FIG. 7, the position of the head portion 22a of the core member 22 is indicated by a broken line.
One air pad 27 is provided at each corner on the bottom surface side of the first stage 25, and is made of, for example, a porous material. The air pad 27 is configured to blow air (air) toward the core member 22. By blowing air from the air pad 27 toward the core member 22, the fixed portion 16 can float and support the moving portion 17. Each air pad 27 has an area that can always span two or more heads 22a. For this reason, even if a gap is formed between adjacent heads 22a as in the present embodiment, it is possible to simultaneously eject gas to two or more heads 22a. It is possible to move across two or more heads 22a. Note that the size (area) of the air pad 27 is not particularly limited to the illustrated configuration, and can be appropriately changed depending on the configuration of the apparatus.

A plurality of permanent magnets 26 are provided along the four sides of the first stage 25 between the plurality of air pads 27 arranged on the bottom surface side of the first stage 25. The permanent magnets 26 function as magnetic members and are arranged so that adjacent ones have different poles. By making the poles of the adjacent permanent magnets 26 different, an alternating magnetic field is formed in both the X direction and the Y direction. The alternating magnetic field and the magnetic field generated by energizing the coil 21 cooperate to generate a propulsive force in both the X direction and the Y direction as the planar motor 15 by the Lorentz force. That is, the propulsive force is generated between the fixed portion 16 and the moving portion 17.
Examples of the material of the permanent magnet 26 include neodymium / iron / cobalt magnets, aluminum / nickel / cobalt (alnico) magnets, ferrite magnets, samarium / cobalt magnets, or rare earth magnets such as neodymium / iron / boron magnets. .

  The second stage 28 is supported on the first stage 25 by the vertical drive mechanism 30. The vertical drive mechanism 30 includes support mechanisms 30a, 30b, and 30c (see FIG. 3) including, for example, a voice coil motor (VCM). Three different points of the second stage 28 are supported by these support mechanisms 30a, 30b, and 30c. The support mechanisms 30a, 30b, and 30c are configured to be extendable and contractible in the Z direction. The second stage 28 is moved in the Z direction by driving the support mechanisms 30a, 30b, and 30c with the same expansion / contraction amount. By rotating the support mechanisms 30a, 30b, and 30c independently, or by driving the support mechanisms 30a, 30b, and 30c with different expansion / contraction amounts, the rotation amount of the second stage 28 around the X axis and the rotation amount around the Y axis are adjusted. It is like that.

  The horizontal drive mechanism 29 includes drive mechanisms 29a, 29b, and 29c (see FIG. 3) including, for example, a voice coil motor (VCM). These drive mechanisms 29a, 29b, and 29c adjust the position of the second stage 28 in the XY plane and the rotation about the Z axis. By driving the drive mechanisms 29a and 29b with the same expansion / contraction amount, the position of the second stage 28 in the Y direction is varied. By driving the drive mechanism 29c, the position of the second stage 28 in the X direction is varied. By driving the drive mechanisms 29a and 29b with different expansion and contraction amounts, the rotation of the second stage 28 around the Z axis is varied. A non-contact type that moves the moving unit (second stage 28) in a non-contact manner together with the vertical drive mechanism 30 and the horizontal drive mechanism 29 so that the second stage 28 can be moved in a non-contact manner with the first stage 25. An actuator can be used, but is not limited thereto. You may make it use only for one side, and you may use the actuator which is not a non-contact type in both.

  Thus, it can be said that the first stage 25 driven by the planar motor 15 described above is a coarse movement stage, and the second stage 28 driven by the horizontal drive mechanism 29 and the vertical drive mechanism 30 is a fine movement stage. . The horizontal drive mechanism 29 and the vertical drive mechanism 30 adjust the position of the second stage 28 in the XY plane and the position in the Z direction under the control of the stage control system SCS.

  When the stage unit WST1 having the above-described configuration is moved, a driving method similar to a known linear motor that is driven by three-phase AC can be used. That is, when the stage unit WST1 is considered to be composed of a linear motor configured to be movable in the X direction and a linear motor configured to be movable in the Y direction, the stage unit WST1 is arranged in the X direction when moving in the X direction. When the same three-phase alternating current as that of a linear motor configured to be movable in the X direction is applied to each of the coils 21 and the stage unit WST1 is moved in the Y direction, the coils arranged in the Y direction What is necessary is just to apply the same three-phase alternating current as the linear motor comprised so that the movement to the Y direction with respect to 21 was possible.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 10 of the above embodiment includes an air pump 40 for supplying pressurized air to the air pad. Air pump 40 and stage units WST1 and WST2 are connected via tubes 41 and 42, respectively. Air from air pump 40 is supplied to stage unit WST1 via tube 41 and via tube 42. Are supplied to the stage unit WST2.

  Although not shown in FIG. 1, an off-axis type wafer alignment sensor for measuring position information of alignment marks formed on the wafer W is provided in the exposure apparatus 10 on the side of the projection optical system PL. A TTL (through-the-lens) type alignment sensor that measures positional information of alignment marks formed on the wafer W via the projection optical system PL is provided. Further, slit-like detection light is irradiated to the wafer W from an oblique direction, and the reflected light is measured to detect the position and posture (rotation about the X and Y axes) of the wafer W in the Z direction. An autofocus mechanism and an auto leveling mechanism are provided that correct the position and orientation of the wafer W in the Z direction based on the detection result and align the surface of the wafer W with the image plane of the projection optical system PL.

  The configuration of the planar motor device, the stage device, and the exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above. Next, the operation during exposure will be briefly described. When performing the exposure process on the wafers W for one lot, the exposure process is started after the performance measurement of the exposure apparatus using various measuring devices provided in the stage unit WST3, for example. When the performance measurement of the exposure apparatus is started, main controller MCS retracts both stage units WST1 and WST2 from the exposure position, for example, and places stage unit WST3 in the exposure position instead. At the same time, a reticle loader (test reticle) on which a pattern is not formed is loaded on the reticle stage RST by controlling a reticle loader (not shown).

  In this state, main controller MCS sets the optical characteristics of illumination optical system ILS (numerical aperture of aperture stop, illumination conditions, etc.), emits exposure light from a light source unit (not shown), reticle R, and projection optical system PL. Are measured using the illuminance sensor and the illuminance unevenness sensor, respectively. Further, the residual aberration of the projection optical system PL is measured using an aberration measuring device. When these measurements are completed, the main control unit MCS adjusts the optical characteristics of the illumination optical system ILS using the obtained measurement results, and controls one or more lens elements provided in the projection optical system PL. The imaging performance of the projection optical system PL is adjusted by moving in the direction of the optical axis AX or decentering with respect to the optical axis AX.

  When the above processing is completed, for example, baseline measurement is performed. Here, the base line is, for example, the distance between the center position of the projection image of the pattern formed on the reticle R by the projection optical system PL and the measurement visual field center of the wafer alignment sensor provided on the side of the projection optical system PL. Say. To perform baseline measurement, the main controller MCS first controls a reticle loader (not shown) to unload the reticle held on the reticle stage RST, and also uses the reticle R to be used first in the exposure process as the reticle. Load on stage RST.

  Next, using a reticle alignment sensor (not shown), the reticle mark formed on the reticle R and the reference mark of the reference member provided on the stage unit WST3 disposed at the exposure position are simultaneously observed, and the reference mark Measure the amount of reticle mark displacement relative to. Next, main controller MCS moves stage unit WST3 by a predetermined amount and disposes it below the wafer alignment sensor, disposes the reference mark formed on the reference member within the measurement field of view of the wafer alignment sensor, and The position information of the reference mark is measured using a lement sensor. A baseline amount is obtained from the measurement result of the reticle alignment sensor and the measurement result of the wafer alignment sensor.

  When the above various measurements are completed, main controller MCS retracts stage unit WST3 from the exposure position and places stage unit WST1 at the loading position, for example. Then, the stage unit WST1 holding the wafer W at the head of the lot is arranged below the wafer alignment sensor, and position measurement is performed for several alignment marks (about 3 to 9) on the wafer W. Then, based on the measurement result, main controller MCS performs EGA (Enhanced Global Alignment) calculation, and determines the regularity of the arrangement of all shot areas set on wafer W. Here, the EGA calculation refers to position information of marks (alignment marks) formed on each of a part of typical (3 to 9) shot areas preset on the wafer W, An arithmetic method that determines the regularity of the arrangement of all shot areas set on the wafer W based on the design information by a statistical method.

  When the array of shot areas on the wafer W is obtained by the above EGA calculation, the main controller MCS obtains coordinate values obtained by correcting the coordinate values of the obtained shot areas by the above-described baseline amount. By driving the stage unit WST1 using the corrected coordinate values, each shot area on the wafer W can be aligned with the exposure area IA of the projection optical system PL. Since exposure apparatus 10 of the present embodiment is a step-and-scan exposure apparatus, when exposing a shot area, reticle stage RST and stage unit WST1 are accelerated, and each reaches a predetermined speed. After synchronization, main controller MCS emits exposure light from illumination optical system ILS to illuminate reticle R, and projects a pattern image of reticle R onto wafer W via projection optical system PL.

  At the time of scanning, a partial pattern image of the reticle R is projected onto the exposure area IA, and in synchronization with the movement of the reticle R in the −X direction (or + X direction) at the speed V with respect to the projection optical system PL, The wafer W moves in the + X direction (or -X direction) at a speed β · V (β is a projection magnification). When the exposure process for one shot area is completed, main controller MCS moves stage unit WST1 to step the next shot area to the scanning start position, and thereafter, similarly to each shot area by the step-and-scan method. Exposure processing is performed sequentially.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, the guide surface 24 is configured by the heads 22a of the two or more core members 22, and the moving unit 17 can move across the two or more heads 22a. . The heads 22a do not need to be bonded to each other, and a gap (about several mm or less) may be formed between the core members 22 (heads 22a). Therefore, there is no need to form the moving surface with a member, a film, or the like integrated over almost the entire guide surface 24, and a flat motor that can be easily manufactured can be obtained.

  According to the present embodiment, since the air pad 27 that blows air onto the head portion 22a of the core member 22 is made of a porous material, even if a gap is formed between the core members 22, the air pad 27 From the air is reliably blown to the head 22a of the core member 22. Thereby, the moving part 17 can be moved more stably.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, since the configuration of the fixed portion of the planar motor is different from that of the first embodiment, this point will be mainly described.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of the planar motor 115 according to the present embodiment, and corresponds to FIG. 4 in the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional arrow view taken along the line DD in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the planar motor 115 has a fixed portion 116 and a moving portion 117. The moving unit 117 includes a first stage 125, a permanent magnet 126, and an air pad 127 as in the first embodiment. Since the configuration and arrangement of the first stage 125, the permanent magnet 126, and the air pad 127 are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted here.

  In the fixing portion 116, a plurality of core members 122 are provided on the base member 114. The plurality of core members 122 are arranged in a matrix in the XY plane with gaps having the same dimensions as the configuration of the first embodiment (see FIG. 9). As in the first embodiment, each core member 122 is mainly composed of a head portion 122a and a column portion 122b, and a coil 121 is wound around the column portion 122b via a heat insulating material (not shown). ing.

  In the present embodiment, a planarizing member 123 is provided between the core members 122. The flattening member 123 is made of, for example, a nonmagnetic material such as ceramic, has a rectangular shape in cross-sectional view, and is provided directly on the base member 114. A gap is formed between the planarizing member 123 and the core member 122 at a predetermined interval.

The front end surface (upper surface in the drawing) of the flattening member 123 and the front end surface of the core member 122 are substantially flush with each other. A guide surface 124 of the fixing portion 116 is constituted by the tip surface of the head 122 a of the core member 122 and the tip surface of the flattening member 123 formed on the same surface. Air is blown from the air pad 127 to the front end surface of the head 122 a and the front end surface of the flattening member 123.
As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of planarizing members 123 disposed between the core members 122 are provided along the arrangement direction (row direction or column direction) of the core members 122. The flattening member 123 extending in the row direction (Y direction in the drawing) of the arrangement direction of the core members 122 has the same Y-direction dimension as the Y-direction dimension of the head 122a of the core member 122. ing. The planarizing member 123 extending in the Y direction and the head portion 122a of the core member 122 are arranged so that the positions in the Y direction are aligned.
In the drawing, the planarizing member 123 extending in the X direction has a dimension in the X direction that is slightly larger than the dimension in the X direction of the head portion 122 a of the core member 122. The planarizing member 123 extending in the X direction is arranged so as to protrude in the X direction with respect to the head portion 122 a of the core member 122.

  Thus, according to this embodiment, since the plurality of planarizing members 123 are provided between the core members 122, the gap between the core members 122 can be reduced. For this reason, the flatness of the guide surface 124 to which the gas from the air pad 127 is blown can be improved.

  In addition, in this embodiment, it is not restricted to the said structure, For example, as shown in FIG. 10, even if it is the structure by which the planarization member 123 extended in the X direction in the figure was provided ranging over the several core member 122, for example. I do not care.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the core member 122 and the flattening member 123 are in close contact with each other (however, the core member 122 and the flattening member 123 are not necessarily fixed by bonding or the like). I do not care. In this way, the distal end surface of the core member 122 and the distal end surface of the flattening member 123 become a continuous flat surface, so that the flatness of the guide surface 124 can be further improved.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 11, a flow passage 123 a through which a temperature adjusting fluid is circulated may be provided inside the flattening member 123. When fluid is circulated through the flow passage 123a, the base member 114 is attached with a circulation device 143 for circulating fluid (temperature adjustment medium). The circulation device 143 and the flow passage 123a are connected via a refrigerant supply pipe 144 and a refrigerant supply pipe 145, for example. For example, an operation signal is supplied to the distribution device 143 from the above-described main control device MCS or the like. When the operation signal is supplied from the main controller MCS, the temperature adjusting medium is sent from the flow device 143 to the refrigerant supply pipe 144. The temperature adjusting medium is supplied to the flow passage 123a via the refrigerant supply pipe 144, and after flowing through the flow passage, is collected by the flow device 143 via the temperature adjusting medium discharge pipe 145. The flow passage can be configured to supply a temperature adjusting medium such as water.

  In this way, the core member 122 can be cooled while improving the flatness of the guide surface 124. By cooling the core member 122, the core member 122 can be prevented from being deformed by heat, and the flatness of the guide surface 124 can be prevented from being impaired. In addition, it is possible to suppress a phenomenon caused in the surrounding atmosphere due to heat.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, it is also possible to configure so that the planarizing member 123 having a flow passage 123 a formed therein is also brought into contact with the coil 121. The coil 121 becomes a heat generation source by flowing current. There is an advantage that the heat source can be directly cooled by bringing the planarizing member 123 formed with the flow passage 123a into contact with the coil.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment demonstrates the structure which suppresses the heat_generation | fever of a coil among the fixing | fixed parts of a planar motor. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a configuration of the planar motor 215 according to the present embodiment, and corresponds to FIG. 4 in the first embodiment.

  The planar motor 215 has a configuration in which a coil 221 and a cooling member 223 are wound around a column portion 222 b of a core member 222 provided on a base member 214. Inside the cooling member 223, a flow passage 223a through which a temperature adjusting fluid flows is formed. A distribution device 243 for distributing a fluid (temperature adjustment medium) is attached to the base member 214. The circulation device 243 and the flow passage 223a are connected via refrigerant supply pipes 244 and 245. For example, an operation signal is supplied to the distribution device 243 from the above-described main control device MCS or the like.

  The cooling member 223 is disposed between the head portion 222 a of the core member 222 and the coil 221. By disposing the cooling member 223 at this position, heat generated by the coil 221 can be prevented from being transmitted to the head 222a. The cooling member 223 and the coil 221 are in close contact with each other, and the cooling member 223 and the support column 222b are also in close contact with each other. For this reason, both the support | pillar part 222b and the coil 221 can be cooled with the cooling member 223. FIG. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  According to the present embodiment, by disposing the cooling member 223 between the head 222a of the core member 222 and the coil 221, heat generated in the coil 221 can be prevented from being transmitted to the head 222a. It is possible to prevent the tip portion of the head portion 222a from being deformed by heat. For this reason, it is possible to effectively prevent deformation of the guide surface 224 constituted by the tip portion of the head portion 222a.

  In the configuration of the present embodiment, a planarizing member may be provided between the core members 222. In this case, it is more preferable to provide a flow passage for allowing the temperature adjusting fluid to flow inside the flattening member. With such a configuration, in addition to cooling by the cooling member 223, cooling is also performed by the flattening member, so that deformation of the guide surface 224 due to heat can be more effectively prevented.

  In particular, when the flattening member and the core member 222 are brought into close contact with each other, heat generated from the core member 222 (especially the coil 221) is likely to be trapped inside the fixed portion, and the head 222a is deformed by the heat trapped inside the fixed portion. May be more likely. On the other hand, by combining the cooling by the flattening member and the cooling by the cooling member 223 as described above, the coil 221 can be effectively cooled and the deformation of the guide surface 224 due to heat can be reliably prevented. In addition, as described above, it is possible to suppress a phenomenon that is caused in the surrounding atmosphere due to heat.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, another example of the configuration of the fixed portion of the planar motor will be described. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the fixing portion 316 of the planar motor according to the present embodiment.

  The fixing portion 316 includes a plurality of core members 322 provided on the base member 314, and is arranged in a matrix in the XY plane with a gap of a predetermined size. Each core member 322 is mainly composed of a head 322a and a support column 322b, and a coil 321 is wound around the support column 322b via a heat insulating material (not shown).

  A cooling member 323 is provided between the core members 322 so as to be close to the coil 321. The cooling member 323 is made of a nonmagnetic material such as ceramic, has a rectangular shape in cross-sectional view, and is provided directly on the base member 314. A gap is formed between the cooling member 323 and the core member 322 at a predetermined interval. Note that the cooling member 323 and the coil 321 may be in close contact (however, the coil 321 and the cooling member 323 are not necessarily fixed by adhesion or the like).

  In the present embodiment, the dimension (area) in plan view of the head 322a of the core member 322 is larger than the configuration of the first embodiment. The front end surface (upper surface in the drawing) of the cooling member 323 is provided below the head 322a of the core member 322, and a part of the cooling member 323 is covered by the head 322a of the core member 322. It has become. Therefore, in this embodiment, the guide surface 324 of the fixing portion 316 is configured only by the tip surface of the head 322a of the core member 322. Air is blown from the air pads (not shown) to the tip surfaces of the heads 322a.

  In addition, a flow passage 323 a through which a temperature adjusting fluid is circulated is formed inside the cooling member 323. A circulation device 343 for circulating a fluid (temperature adjustment medium) is attached to the base member 314. The circulation device 343 and the flow passage 323a are connected via refrigerant supply pipes 344 and 345. For example, an operation signal is supplied to the distribution device 343 from the above-described main control device MCS or the like.

  Thus, according to this embodiment, since the cooling member 323 is provided so as to be close to the coil 321, heat generated in the coil 321 can be prevented from being transmitted to the head 322a. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the tip portion of the head 322a from being deformed by heat, and it is possible to suppress a phenomenon given to the surrounding atmosphere due to heat, as described above. In addition, the cooling member 323 is covered with the head 322a of the core member 322, and the guide surface 324 of the fixing portion 316 is configured only by the tip surface of the head 322a of the core member 322. The flatness of the guide surface 324 is affected only by the arrangement of the head 322a of the core member 322, and is not affected by the arrangement of the cooling member 323. Therefore, since only the design of the core member 322 (head 322a) needs to be considered in order to maintain the flatness of the guide surface 324, the fixing portion 316 can be easily designed and manufactured.

  When a temperature adjusting flow passage as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 is provided in a flattening member, a non-magnetic material member, etc., instead of providing a flow passage in each member as shown in FIG. 9, as shown in FIG. A member may be provided so as to extend in the X direction in the drawing, and a flow path may be formed only there so that the circulation path of the fluid does not increase.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not restrict | limited to the said embodiment, It can change freely within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a step-and-scan type exposure apparatus has been described as an example. However, a step-and-repeat type exposure that collectively transfers a reticle pattern is used. The present invention can also be applied to an apparatus (so-called stepper).

  In the above-described embodiment, the movement unit 17 of the stage unit WST1 is provided with the permanent magnet 26, and the stationary unit 16 is provided with the so-called moving magnet type wafer stage WST. It is not limited to. For example, the present invention can be applied to a so-called moving coil type wafer stage in which a coil is provided in a moving part of a stage unit and a permanent magnet is provided in a fixed part. In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to wafer stage WST has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to reticle stage RST, and can also be applied to both reticle stage RST and wafer stage WST. It is.

  The light source unit provided in the exposure apparatus is not limited to an excimer laser such as a KrF excimer laser (248 nm) or an ArF excimer laser (193 nm), but also includes g-line (436 nm) and i-line emitted from an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp ( 365 nm), laser light emitted from an F2 laser (157 nm), laser light emitted from a Kr2 laser (146 nm), laser light emitted from an Ar2 laser (126 nm), and charging such as X-rays and electron beams Particle beams can be used.

  The exposure apparatus of the present invention is an exposure apparatus that is used for manufacturing a semiconductor element to transfer a device pattern onto a semiconductor substrate, an exposure apparatus that is used for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element to transfer a circuit pattern onto a glass plate, The present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus that is used for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head and transfers a device pattern onto a ceramic wafer, and an exposure apparatus that is used to manufacture an image sensor such as a CCD.

  Next, a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element using the exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a part of a manufacturing process for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element as a microdevice. In the pattern forming step S1 in FIG. 14, a so-called photolithography step is performed in which the mask pattern is transferred and exposed onto the wafer W using the exposure apparatus of the present embodiment. By this photolithography process, a predetermined pattern including a large number of electrodes and the like is formed on the wafer W. Thereafter, the exposed wafer W is subjected to various processes such as a developing process, an etching process, and a peeling process, whereby a predetermined pattern is formed on the wafer W, and the process proceeds to the next color filter forming process S2.

In the color filter forming step S2, a set of three dots corresponding to R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) is arranged in a matrix, or a filter having three stripes of R, G, and B A color filter is formed by arranging a plurality of sets in the horizontal scanning line direction.
And cell assembly process S3 is performed after color filter formation process S2. In this cell assembling step S3, a liquid crystal panel (liquid crystal cell) is assembled using the wafer W having the predetermined pattern obtained in the pattern forming step S1, the color filter obtained in the color filter forming step S2, and the like.

  In the cell assembly step S3, for example, liquid crystal is injected between the wafer W having the predetermined pattern obtained in the pattern formation step S1 and the color filter obtained in the color filter formation step S2, and a liquid crystal panel (liquid crystal Cell). Thereafter, in the module assembly step S4, components such as an electric circuit and a backlight for performing display operation of the assembled liquid crystal panel (liquid crystal cell) are attached to complete the liquid crystal display element. According to the above-described method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element, a liquid crystal display element having an extremely fine pattern can be obtained with high throughput.

  Next, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor element using the exposure apparatus will be described in which the exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied to an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor element. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a part of a manufacturing process for manufacturing a semiconductor element as a micro device. As shown in FIG. 15, first, in step S10 (design step), the function / performance design of the semiconductor element is performed, and the pattern design for realizing the function is performed. Subsequently, in step S11 (mask manufacturing step), a mask (reticle) on which the designed pattern is formed is manufactured. On the other hand, in step S12 (wafer manufacturing step), a wafer is manufactured using a material such as silicon.

  Next, in step S13 (wafer processing step), using the mask and wafer prepared in steps S10 to S12, an actual circuit or the like is formed on the wafer by lithography or the like, as will be described later. Next, in step S14 (device assembly step), device assembly is performed using the wafer processed in step S13. This step S14 includes processes such as a dicing process, a bonding process, and a packaging process (chip encapsulation) as necessary. Finally, in step S15 (inspection step), inspections such as an operation confirmation test and a durability test of the microdevice manufactured in step S14 are performed. After these steps, the microdevice is completed and shipped.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a detailed flow of step S13 of FIG. In FIG. 16, in step S21 (oxidation step), the surface of the wafer is oxidized. In step S22 (CVD step), an insulating film is formed on the wafer surface. In step S23 (electrode formation step), an electrode is formed on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step S24 (ion implantation step), ions are implanted into the wafer. Each of the above steps S21 to S24 constitutes a pre-processing process at each stage of the wafer processing, and is selected and executed according to a necessary process at each stage.

  At each stage of the wafer process, when the above pre-process is completed, the post-process is executed as follows. In this post-processing process, first, in step S25 (resist formation step), a photosensitive agent is applied to the wafer. Subsequently, in step S26 (exposure process), the mask pattern is transferred to the wafer by the lithography system (exposure apparatus) and the exposure method described above. Next, in step S27 (development process), the exposed wafer is developed, and in step S28 (etching step), the exposed members other than the portions where the resist remains are removed by etching. In step S29 (resist removal step), the resist that has become unnecessary after the etching is removed. By repeatedly performing these pre-processing and post-processing steps, multiple patterns are formed on the wafer.

  If the microdevice manufacturing method of the present embodiment described above is used, a stage and a plate (wafer) that hold a reticle (mask) using the above exposure apparatus in the pattern formation step (step S1) or the exposure step (step S26). And the stage holding the are scanned. Therefore, the movement time between the reticle (mask) and the plate (wafer) can be shortened, and the overlay accuracy can be increased, so that a fine device can be efficiently produced with a high yield.

  In addition, not only microdevices such as liquid crystal display elements or semiconductor elements, but also mother reticles for manufacturing reticles or masks used in light exposure apparatuses, EUV exposure apparatuses, X-ray exposure apparatuses, electron beam exposure apparatuses, etc. The present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern to a glass substrate or silicon wafer. Here, in an exposure apparatus using DUV (deep ultraviolet), VUV (vacuum ultraviolet) light, or the like, a transmission type reticle is generally used. As a reticle substrate, quartz glass, fluorine-doped quartz glass, fluorite, Magnesium fluoride or quartz is used. In proximity-type X-ray exposure apparatuses, electron beam exposure apparatuses, and the like, a transmissive mask (stencil mask, membrane mask) is used, and a silicon wafer or the like is used as a mask substrate. Such an exposure apparatus is disclosed in WO99 / 34255, WO99 / 50712, WO99 / 66370, JP-A-11-194479, JP-A2000-12453, JP-A-2000-29202, and the like. .

  The present invention also relates to an immersion exposure apparatus that locally fills the space between the projection optical system PL and the wafer W with a liquid, and a stage that holds a substrate to be exposed as disclosed in JP-A-6-124873. An immersion exposure apparatus for moving a liquid in a liquid tank, a liquid tank having a predetermined depth formed on a stage as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-303114, and an immersion exposure for holding a substrate therein The present invention can be applied to any exposure apparatus.

  Further, a frame member is used as described in JP-A-8-166475 (USP 5,528, 118) so that the reaction force generated by the movement of wafer stage WST is not transmitted to projection optical system PL. May be mechanically released to the floor (ground). Further, the reaction force generated by the movement of the reticle stage RST is not transmitted to the projection optical system PL, as described in JP-A-8-330224 (US S / N08 / 416, 558). You may escape to the floor (ground) mechanically using a member.

1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of an exposure apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The top view which shows the structure of a wafer stage. The top view of the stage unit provided in a wafer stage. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the planar motor which concerns on this embodiment. The figure which shows the structure of a part of planar motor. The figure which shows the planar structure of a fixing | fixed part among planar motors. The figure which shows the planar structure of a moving part among planar motors. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the planar motor which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The top view which shows the structure of the planar motor which concerns on this embodiment. The top view which shows the other structure of the planar motor which concerns on this embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the other structure of the planar motor which concerns on this embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the planar motor which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the planar motor which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows a part of manufacturing process which manufactures a liquid crystal display element. The flowchart which shows a part of manufacturing process which manufactures a semiconductor element. The detailed flowchart of one process of semiconductor element manufacture.

Explanation of symbols

    DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Exposure apparatus 14 ... Base member 15 ... Planar motor 16 ... Fixed part 17 ... Moving part 21 ... Coil 22 ... Core member 22a ... Head part 22b ... Supporting part 24 ... Guide surface 25 ... Stage 26 ... Permanent magnet 27 ... Air pad 43 ... Distribution device 123 ... Flattening member 123a ... Flow passage 223 ... Cooling member 223a ... Flow passage

Claims (12)

A planar motor device comprising a fixed portion that forms a predetermined guide surface and a moving portion that moves along the guide surface,
The fixing portion has a guide member in which a plurality are arranged, each forming a part of the guide surface,
The said moving part is a planar motor apparatus which contains the gas ejection member which ejects gas with respect to one or more said guide members, and can move across two or more said guide members.   The planar motor device according to claim 1, wherein the gas ejection member includes a porous material. At least one of the plurality of guide members has a core member magnetically connected to the magnetic field generating member,
The planar motor device according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit includes a magnetic member corresponding to a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating member.   The plurality of guide members are arranged with a gap between each other in the guide surface, and the guide surfaces are arranged in at least one of the plurality of core members in which the respective guide surfaces are in the same plane. 4. The planar motor device according to claim 1, further comprising: a planarizing member disposed flush with the guide surface of the core member. 5. A plurality of the core members are provided,
The planar motor device according to claim 4, wherein the planarizing member is provided in close contact with the core member.   The planar motor device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a flow passage through which a temperature adjusting fluid is circulated is provided inside the flattening member.   By arranging the plurality of guide members, a guide surface in the same plane is formed, and the moving portion moves along the guide surface, and the guide surfaces of the plurality of guide members are arranged on the guide surface. The planar motor apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 6 in which a clearance gap is formed between each other.   8. The cooling device according to claim 3, further comprising a cooling member that is provided so as to surround at least one of the plurality of core members, and in which a flow passage for circulating a temperature adjusting fluid is formed. The flat motor device according to one item. The magnetic field generating member is provided so as to surround each of the core members,
The planar motor device according to claim 8, wherein the cooling member is provided so as to be close to the magnetic field generating member.   A stage device on which the planar motor device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is mounted.   An exposure apparatus equipped with the stage apparatus according to claim 10.   A device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus according to claim 11.

Images