JP2009076521A - Precise fine positioning device and fine positioning stage having the same, aligner, and inspection apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize a device for improving the degree of freedom in a precise fine positioning device that supports the weight of a moving stage by an elastic body and drives the moving stage by an actuator. <P>SOLUTION: The precise fine positioning device has: a fixing base; a stator in an electromagnetic actuator mounted onto the fixing base; a moving member in the electromagnetic actuator that opposes the stator via a fixed gap and can move vertically to the stator; an elastic support mechanism that stores a displacement sensor for detecting the relative displacement between the fixing and moving bases and mounts a lower end onto the fixing base; and the moving base in which the upper end of the elastic support mechanism and that of the moving member of the electromagnetic actuator are fixed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a semiconductor and liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for accurately positioning a mask and a substrate using an exposure apparatus and an inspection apparatus.

The devices described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 will be described as conventional precision fine movement positioning devices.
10 and 11 are diagrams for explaining the apparatus of Patent Document 1. FIG. The stage base 21 has a concave shape so that the movable stage 22 can be installed at the center thereof. The movable stage 22 is supported on the inner wall of the concave portion of the stage base 21 by a support member 30 in at least three axes of the X, Y, and Z axes. Is supported so as to be movable. One end of the actuator 4 is fixed to the stage base 21, and the other end of the actuator 4 is in contact with the movable stage 22. At least one such actuator 4 is provided in parallel to the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction of the movable stage 22. In the precision positioning device configured as described above, a voltage is applied to the actuator 4. When it is expanded and contracted, the movable stage 22 moves while deforming the support member 30 with respect to the stage base 21.
FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the apparatus of Patent Document 2. In FIG. A lower plate 32 and an upper plate 33 are attached above and below the piezoelectric element 31, and a bellows 10 that surrounds and seals the piezoelectric element 31 is between the lower plate 32 and the upper plate 33. When a voltage is applied to the electrode 34 in this device, the piezoelectric element 31 expands and contracts. At this time, the piezoelectric element 31 generates thrust in a state where the piezoelectric element 31 is blocked from the outside atmosphere by the lower plate 32, the upper plate 33 and the bellows 10. It is.
JP 62-266490 A (FIGS. 1 and 2) JP-A-61-284350 (FIG. 1)

The precision positioning apparatus described in Patent Document 1 supports only the lateral side surface of the movable stage 22 with a support member 30, and only the actuator 4 is disposed below the movable stage 22. Since the entire weight is supported by the actuator 4, there is a problem that the actuator 4 needs a thrust for supporting the weight of the movable stage 22 in addition to the thrust for driving the movable stage 22, and the actuator 4 becomes large. Further, although Patent Document 1 does not describe a sensor for detecting the position of the movable stage 22, the actual precision fine positioning device requires the sensor. There is a problem that a space for arranging the sensor is required, and the apparatus becomes large.
On the other hand, Patent Document 2 is originally intended to block the piezoelectric element 31 from the outside air, but if a combination of the lower plate 32, the upper plate 33 and the bellows 10 is regarded as a support member, Since the piezoelectric element 31 as an actuator is disposed on the actuator, there is an effect that the precision positioning device can be reduced in size. However, in the configuration of Patent Document 2, the bellows 10 only expands and contracts only in the thrust generation direction of the piezoelectric element 31, and cannot be deformed in a direction orthogonal to the thrust generation direction and a direction rotating around an axis orthogonal to the thrust generation direction. There is a problem that the degree of freedom is limited as a precision fine movement positioning device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a precision fine movement positioning device that is small and has many degrees of freedom.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention is configured as follows.
The invention according to claim 1 is a fixed base, a stator of an electromagnetic actuator mounted on the fixed base, and opposed to the stator via a certain gap, and is vertically moved with respect to the stator. A movable element of a movable electromagnetic actuator, a displacement sensor for detecting a relative displacement between the stationary element and the movable element, and an elastic support mechanism having a lower end mounted on the fixed base, and the elastic The precision fine positioning device includes a movable base to which an upper end of a support mechanism and an upper end of a mover of the electromagnetic actuator are fixed.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the electromagnetic actuator includes a pair of stators erected on the fixed base so that a yoke to which a magnet is bonded faces each other, and a movable coil having a coil bonded to both surfaces of the coil base. 2. The precision fine movement positioning device according to claim 1, wherein each coil on both sides of the coil base is configured to face the magnet of the yoke through the gap.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the elastic support mechanism includes a cylindrical bellows and a flange that seals an upper end and a lower end of the bellows, and the inside of the bellows is filled with a working fluid having a predetermined pressure. The precision fine movement positioning device according to claim 1 is provided.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a working fluid through hole penetrating into the bellows is provided in a flange sealing the lower end, and the operation is performed via a joint connected to the working fluid through hole. 4. The fine fine positioning device according to claim 3, wherein fluid is supplied.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the fine fine positioning device according to the third aspect, wherein the working fluid is air, nitrogen, or an inert gas.
Invention of Claim 6 consists of a sensor part installed on the flange which seals the lower end, and a displacement sensor detection object which counters the sensor part via gap S, 4. The precision fine movement positioning device according to claim 3, wherein the sensor unit is of a capacitance type or an eddy current type.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the flange that seals the upper end has a hole that penetrates into the bellows, and the hole includes a screw portion that is provided on an inner periphery of the hole, and the hole. And a shaft having a displacement sensor detection body at the lower end and a position adjusting screw portion engaging with the screw portion at the upper end is inserted into the hole. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fine fine positioning device.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, a lock nut is provided at a position adjusting screw portion of the shaft, and the shaft is fixed to a flange that seals the upper end by the lock nut. A positioning device is provided.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the fine fine positioning device according to the seventh aspect, wherein a through hole is provided at a position corresponding to the position of the shaft of the movable base.
The invention according to claim 10 is a fine movement positioning stage comprising a stage base, a movable stage that is changed to a target position or posture with respect to the stage base, and a plurality of actuators that drive the movable stage. A Z-axis actuator capable of driving at least the movable stage in the Z-axis direction among the plurality of actuators; a fixed base fixed to the stage base; and a stator of an electromagnetic actuator attached on the fixed base; A mover of an electromagnetic actuator that faces the stator via a certain gap and is movable up and down relative to the stator, and a displacement sensor that detects a relative displacement between the stator and the mover. An elastic support mechanism that is housed and has a lower end mounted on the fixed base; and an upper end and a front end of the elastic support mechanism. With the upper end of the electromagnetic actuator the movable element is fixed, and a movable base for supporting the movable stage is for the fine positioning stage consisting.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the fine movement positioning stage according to the tenth aspect in which three Z-axis actuators are provided.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the movable base is a plate-like base having a step in the vertical direction, and an upper end of the elastic support mechanism is fixed to a lower surface of the lower step of the step, and a lower surface of the upper step of the step 11. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10, wherein the upper end of the movable element is fixed to the upper surface of the movable element and the movable stage is supported on the upper surface of the lower stage of the step.
According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, of the plurality of actuators, an X-axis actuator capable of driving the movable stage in the X-axis direction and a Y-axis actuator capable of driving in the Y-axis direction are electromagnetic actuators, and the electromagnetic actuator Of the electromagnetic actuator is fixed to the movable stage through a gap between the stator and the X-axis actuator and the Y-axis actuator. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10, which is not provided.
According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the fine movement positioning stage according to the tenth or thirteenth aspect, wherein the positions of the movable element and the stator of the electromagnetic actuator are reversed.
In the invention according to claim 15, the movable stage is a rectangular plate, and one of the three Z-axis actuators supports one side of the movable stage, and the other two are the one side. Supporting one opposite side, one X-axis actuator is provided between the two Z-axis actuators to drive the movable stage, and the Y-axis actuator is provided with the Z-axis and Y-axis actuators. 14. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 13, wherein two units are provided on any one of the non-sides to drive the movable stage.
According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the elastic support mechanism includes a cylindrical bellows and a flange that seals an upper end and a lower end of the bellows, and a working fluid having a predetermined pressure is filled in the bellows. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10 is provided.
The invention according to claim 17 is characterized in that the displacement sensor includes a sensor part installed on a flange that seals the lower end, and a displacement sensor detector that faces the sensor part via a gap S, 17. The precision fine movement positioning stage according to claim 16, wherein the sensor unit is of a capacitance type or an eddy current type.
According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, the flange that seals the upper end has a hole that penetrates through the inside of the bellows, and the hole includes a screw portion that is provided on an inner periphery of the hole, and the hole. And a shaft having a displacement sensor detection body at the lower end and a position adjusting screw portion engaging with the screw portion at the upper end is inserted into the hole. The precision fine movement positioning stage according to claim 17 is provided.
According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, a through hole is provided at a position corresponding to the position of the shaft of the movable base, and a through hole is also provided at a position corresponding to the position of the shaft of the movable stage. A precision fine positioning stage according to claim 18 is provided.
According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, a Y-axis displacement sensor that measures a displacement of the movable stage in the Y-axis direction with respect to the stage base is provided at an intermediate position between the two Y-axis actuators, and the stage of the movable stage 16. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 15, wherein two X-axis displacement sensors for measuring a displacement in the X-axis direction with respect to the base are provided so as to sandwich the X-axis actuator.
According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, the X-axis displacement sensor and the Y-axis displacement sensor are any one of a capacitance type, an eddy current type, and a laser interferometer. is there.
According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, a portion where the movable base and the movable stage are in contact with each other is provided with a pin having a spherical shape provided on the movable base and the movable stage, and includes the spherical surface. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10, comprising a member having a spherical recess.
According to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention, a rod-shaped member having a part of a metal round bar with a reduced diameter is provided at a portion where the movable base and the movable stage are in contact, and the lower end of the rod-shaped member is the movable member. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10, wherein the fine movement positioning stage is connected to a base and has an upper end connected to the movable stage.
According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing or liquid crystal manufacturing including the fine movement positioning stage according to the tenth aspect.
According to a twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inspection apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing or liquid crystal manufacturing including the fine movement positioning stage according to the tenth aspect.

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the displacement sensor is provided inside the elastic support mechanism, and the elastic support mechanism and the actuator are provided on a common fixed base. Can do. Further, a multi-degree-of-freedom precision fine positioning device can be realized by an electromagnetic actuator having a gap between the stator and the mover and an elastic support mechanism that elastically supports the mover in a three-dimensional manner.
According to the third aspect of the invention, the bellows can be adjusted to an arbitrary position by the pressure of the working fluid, and the movable base is reliably supported by the elastic support mechanism, so that the electromagnetic actuator can be made small.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the working fluid supply port is provided in the flange at the lower end on the fixed side, the supply port does not move, so that the risk of fluid leaking from the joint can be reduced.
According to the invention described in claim 5, the elastic support mechanism can be adjusted by a general fluid.
According to invention of Claim 6, a sensor part can be comprised by a general displacement sensor.
According to the seventh aspect of the invention, the sensor portion can be adjusted and the airtightness of the elastic support mechanism can be maintained despite being inside the elastic support mechanism.
According to invention of Claim 8, a shaft can be fixed after adjustment of a sensor part.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the sensor unit can be adjusted from above the movable base.
According to the invention described in claim 10, since the weight of the movable stage is supported by the elastic support mechanism, the actuator only needs to generate a thrust force that can generate acceleration in the movable stage, and the displacement sensor is provided inside the bellows. Since it is built in, a compact fine-motion positioning stage can be configured.
According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, if an external force is applied to the stage in a direction orthogonal to the direction of thrust generation of the actuator, the bellows of the elastic support mechanism is bent, so that a fine movement positioning stage having six degrees of freedom can be configured.
According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the movable base of the Z-axis actuator has a step, and the lower stage sinks into and supports the movable stage. Therefore, a compact fine movement positioning stage can be configured.
According to the thirteenth aspect of the invention, since the electromagnetic actuator that drives the movable stage in the X-axis and Y-axis directions also has a gap between the movable element and the stator, the movable stage is a thrust of the electromagnetic actuator. The movable stage can move in a direction orthogonal to the generation direction, and the position and posture of the movable stage can be controlled by an electromagnetic actuator while having six degrees of freedom.
According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, a compact fine movement positioning stage can be configured.
According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the bellows can be adjusted to an arbitrary position by the pressure of the working fluid, and the movable stage is securely supported by the elastic support mechanism, so that the electromagnetic actuator can be reduced in size, and the compact fine movement can be achieved. A positioning stage can be configured.
According to invention of Claim 17, a sensor part can be comprised with a general displacement sensor.
According to the eighteenth aspect of the invention, the sensor unit can be adjusted and the airtightness of the elastic support mechanism can be maintained despite being inside the elastic support mechanism.
According to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, the sensor unit can be adjusted from above the movable stage.
According to the twentieth aspect, the posture of the movable stage with six degrees of freedom can be calculated, and a compact fine movement positioning stage can be configured.
According to the twenty-first aspect of the present invention, the sensor unit can be configured by a general displacement sensor.
According to the invention described in claims 22 and 23, even when the bellows of the elastic support mechanism is bent and the movable base is inclined, the movable stage can be kept horizontal by the action of the spherical support portion or the deflection support portion.
According to the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth aspects of the present invention, a compact exposure apparatus or inspection apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor or liquid crystal can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are a front view and a side view, respectively, of the fine fine positioning device of the present invention. In the precision fine positioning apparatus, the stator 5 and the elastic support mechanism 3 of the actuator 4 are generally mounted on the fixed base 1, and the movable base 2 and the actuator 4 are elastically supported so as to be held between the fixed base 1. It is provided in the upper part with the mechanism 3.
The movable base 2 is a plate-like base having a level difference in the vertical direction, and the lower surface of the lower stage is fastened and supported by an upper fixed flange 9 of an elastic support mechanism 3 described later. One end of the movable element 6 of the actuator 4 is fixed to the upper lower surface of the movable base 2, and the movable element 6 hangs down from the lower surface of the movable base 2. The stator 5 of the actuator 4 includes two plate-like yokes 5a each having a plurality of magnets 5b attached to one surface, and these are opposed to each other on the surface side to which the magnets 5b are attached. Yes. On the other hand, the mover 6 has a structure in which the coil 6b is attached to both surfaces of the plate-like coil base 6a, and the coil 6b is disposed so as to face the magnet 5b of the stator 5 through the gap m7.

  FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the elastic support mechanism 3 described above. The elastic support mechanism 3 has a lower fixing flange 8 and an upper fixing flange 9 attached to the lower side and the upper side of the bellows 10, respectively. There is a bellows 10 between the lower fixing flange 8 and the upper fixing flange 9, and the bellows 10 is fixed to the lower fixing flange 8 and the upper fixing flange 9 by all-around welding so that the internal working fluid does not leak to the outside. A displacement sensor 11 is fixed on the lower fixing flange 8 inside the bellows 10. On the other hand, a hole is provided in the center of the upper fixing flange 9, and an upper portion of the hole is threaded, and an inner peripheral surface of the lower portion of the hole is subjected to O-ring groove processing. A shaft 13 is inserted into this hole, and an upper portion of the shaft 13 is processed with a position adjusting screw 13 a and engaged with a screw portion of the hole of the upper fixing flange 9. A lock nut 14 is inserted into the upper end of the shaft 13, thereby fixing the shaft 13 to the upper fixing flange 9. The lower portion of the position adjusting screw 13a of the shaft 13 has a cylindrical shape with a uniform cross section, and is fitted into the hole of the upper fixing flange 9 to form a guide portion 13b, and an O-ring groove in the lower portion of the upper fixing flange 9 It is inserted in the O-ring 15 inserted in. A displacement sensor detection body 12 is attached to the lower end of the shaft 13, and the displacement sensor detection body 12 faces the displacement sensor 11 via a gap s 17. The displacement sensor 11 is of a type that detects a distance from a detection body via a gap, such as a capacitance type or an eddy current type. A joint 16 is attached to the side surface of the lower fixing flange 8, and a hole is formed so that the joint 16 communicates with the inside of the bellows 10. A working fluid can be introduced into the bellows 10 by connecting a pipe (not shown) to the joint 16. Here, as the working fluid, air, nitrogen or inert gas is suitable.

In the precision fine positioning apparatus as described above, when the working fluid is introduced into the bellows 10 of the elastic support mechanism 3, the bellows 10 extends to push the movable base 2 upward. Here, when the pressure of the working fluid is adjusted with a pressure regulator (not shown), the position of the movable base 2 can be adjusted. In this way, the movable base 2 is supported by its weight by the elastic support mechanism 3.
If the distance between the displacement sensor 11 and the displacement sensor detector 12 is not appropriate, for example, when the movable base 2 is adjusted to an arbitrary position by the working fluid, the position of the displacement sensor detector 12 is not suitable. Need to be adjusted. In this case, the shaft 13 is rotated and the vertical position of the displacement sensor detection body 12 is adjusted by the position adjusting screw 13a. The movable base 2 has a through hole at a position corresponding to the position of the shaft 13 so that the shaft 13 can be accessed from the through hole, and the shaft 13 can be rotated here. Yes. At this time, the displacement sensor 11 and the displacement sensor detector 12 can be kept parallel by the action of the guide portion 13b. Further, since the O-ring 15 is engaged with the shaft 13, the inside of the bellows 10 can be kept airtight and the working fluid is prevented from flowing out.
Next, when the coil 6b of the actuator 4 is energized, a force for moving the mover 6 in the vertical direction is generated. The elastic support mechanism 3 supports the movable base 2 and can be displaced in the vertical direction by the compressibility of the working fluid and the elasticity of the bellows 10, so that the movable base 2 can be moved up and down by the thrust of the actuator 4. become. At this time, since the weight of the movable base 2 is supported by the elastic support mechanism 3, the actuator 4 only needs to generate a thrust that the movable base 2 can generate acceleration. Therefore, the actuator 4 can be made smaller than the conventional case in which the elastic support mechanism 3 is not provided and the weight of the movable base 2 is supported by the thrust of the actuator 4. Further, the position and speed of the movable base 2 can be controlled by feeding back information from the displacement sensor 11 to a controller of a precision fine movement positioning device (not shown).

6 and 7 show examples in which a fine movement positioning stage is configured by combining a plurality of precision fine movement positioning apparatuses of the present invention. 6 is a top view thereof, and FIG. 7 is a front view thereof. This stage is used for finely positioning a reticle or mask of an exposure apparatus or inspection apparatus in a semiconductor or liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus.
In the figure, the fine movement positioning stage has a total of six degrees of freedom, that is, the degree of freedom of translation in each direction of the X axis 27, the Y axis 28, and the Z axis 29 and the degree of freedom of rotation around the three axes. is there. On the plate-like stage base 21, the three precision fine positioning devices described in the first embodiment are arranged so that the thrust generation direction coincides with the Z-axis 29 direction. A plate-like movable stage 22 is mounted on each movable base of the three precision fine positioning devices. As shown in FIG. 6, the three fine fine positioning devices are arranged in the vicinity of a rectangular movable stage 22 as viewed from above, and one fine fine positioning device is arranged at the approximate center of one side, and 2 on the opposite side. A precision micro-positioning device for the table is arranged. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the fine fine positioning device arranged on one side is referred to as the first fine fine positioning device 40, and the two fine fine positioning devices opposed thereto are respectively the second and third fine fine positioning devices. Let them be devices 41 and 42.

Here, a contact portion between the precision fine movement positioning device and the movable stage 22 will be described. Since the contact portions of the three precision fine movement positioning devices with the movable stage have the same configuration, a description will be given of one precision fine movement positioning device.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing a contact portion between the precision fine movement positioning device and the movable stage. The contact portion shown in FIG. 4 is obtained by fixing the spherical support portion 18 on the movable base 2 of the precision fine positioning device and attaching the pedestal 20 to the upper side of the spherical support portion 18. The lower surface of the movable stage 22 is fixed to the upper surface of the pedestal 20. In the spherical support portion 18, the tip of a bar protruding upward is processed into a spherical shape. On the other hand, the lower surface of the pedestal 20 that comes into contact therewith is also recessed into a spherical shape so as to wrap the tip of the spherical support portion 18.
When the contact portion has such a configuration, the pedestal 20 can move freely with respect to the movable base 2 by the action of the spherical support portion 18.

As described above, in the fine movement positioning stage, the movable stage 22 is fixed on each of the bases 20 of the spherical surface support portions 18 of the three precision fine movement positioning devices via the contact portions shown in FIG.
Further, on the side surface of the movable stage 22, one X-axis actuator 23 capable of driving the movable stage 22 in the X-axis 27 direction and two Y-axis actuators 24 capable of driving in the Y-axis 28 direction are provided. It is attached. The X-axis actuator 23 is a side to which the second and third precision fine positioning devices described above are attached, and is disposed between these two units. Two Y-axis actuators 24 are arranged on the side where the X-axis actuator 23 and the precision fine positioning device are not arranged. With this arrangement, the above-described six-axis drive can be realized, and the entire configuration of the fine movement positioning stage can be reduced.
Here, the configuration of the X-axis actuator 23 and the Y-axis actuator 24 includes an electromagnetic actuator similar to the actuator 4 described in the first embodiment, and has a gap m between the stator and the mover. Is. However, the X-axis and Y-axis actuators do not need a portion that elastically supports the movable stage 22 as in the elastic support mechanism 3. This is because the elastic support mechanisms 3 and the like of the three precision fine positioning devices functioning as the Z-axis actuators support the movable stage 22 in the gravity direction and elastically support each direction of XYZ.
In addition, as for the actuator 4 of the precision fine movement positioning device which supports the movable stage 22 from the X and Y axis actuators and the Z axis direction, the positional relationship between the mover and the stator may be reversed as a matter of course.
Further, two X-axis displacement sensors 25 that measure displacement in the X-axis 27 direction and one Y-axis displacement sensor 26 that measures displacement in the Y-axis 28 direction are attached to the side surface of the movable stage 22. . The X-axis displacement sensor 25 is disposed so as to narrow the X-axis actuator 23. The Y-axis displacement sensor 26 is disposed near the center of the side so as to be sandwiched between the two Y-axis actuators 24. Here, as the types of the X-axis displacement sensor 25 and the Y-axis displacement sensor 26, a capacitance type, an eddy current type, a laser interferometer, or the like can be applied.
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a hole corresponding to the hole of the movable base 2 for adjusting the shaft 13 described above is also provided in the movable stage 22.

The fine movement positioning stage configured as described above is provided by three elastic support mechanisms 3 by introducing a working fluid into the bellows 10 of the elastic support mechanism 3 and adjusting the pressure thereof, as described in the first embodiment. The movable stage 22 is supported at an arbitrary position and posture. In this state, when the positions of the displacement sensor 11 and the displacement sensor detector 12 inside the elastic support mechanism 3 are not appropriate, the shaft 13 is adjusted by rotating it through the hole.
Next, when the three actuators 4 built in the three precision fine positioning devices are driven by the same displacement amount in the same direction, the movable stage 22 can be moved and positioned in the translational direction of the Z axis 29.
For example, when the movable base of the first precision fine positioning device 40 is driven downward and the movable bases of the second and third precision fine positioning devices are driven upward, the movable stage 22 is moved around the Y axis 28. Can be rotated. FIG. 8 is a view showing a state where the movable stage 22 is rotated around the Y axis 28. In this way, the bellows 10 not only expands and contracts in the axial direction, that is, the Z-axis 29 direction, but can also be bent around an axis orthogonal to the bellows axis, so that the amount of movement of the three fine positioning devices can be adjusted. Thus, the movable stage 22 can be positioned in the rotational direction around the X axis 27 and the Y axis 28. In this case, the rotation angle of the movable stage 22 can be calculated from the measured values of the three displacement sensors 11 and the distance between the displacement sensors 11.
Similarly, the movable stage 22 can be moved in the X-axis 27 and Y-axis directions by the thrust of the X-axis actuator 23 and the Y-axis actuator 24 and rotated around the Z-axis 29.
FIG. 9 is a view showing a state in which the movable stage 22 is moved in the X-axis 27 direction by the X-axis actuator 23. When the movable stage 22 moves in the X-axis 27 direction by the thrust of the X-axis actuator 23, the bellows 10 bends in the X-axis 27 direction, and the height of the movable stage 22 changes or tilts, but the actuator 4 is operated. By controlling the position in the Z-axis 29 direction, the movable stage 22 is rotatably supported by the spherical support portion 18, so that the position can be kept constant and horizontal.

  Here, the effect of the presence of a gap between the stator and the mover of the actuator 4 in this embodiment will be described. As described above, when the movable stage 22 moves in a certain axial direction, the movable element of the actuator operated in the other two axial directions orthogonal to the moving direction is moved in the direction orthogonal to the thrust direction. End up. However, since the three precision fine positioning devices shown in this embodiment, the X-axis actuator 23 and the Y-axis actuator 24 both have a gap m between the mover and the stator, the mover and the stator interfere with each other. The problem of restricting the operation can be avoided. Since the required movement stroke in a finely positioning apparatus for finely positioning a reticle or mask of a semiconductor or liquid crystal exposure apparatus in which the fine movement positioning stage of this embodiment is used is generally several tens μm or less, the operation of the actuator There is no risk of changes in characteristics.

Further, another example of the contact portion described in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 5 is a side view showing a contact portion between the precision fine movement positioning device and the movable stage, as in FIG. The contact portion shown in FIG. 5 is obtained by fixing a bending support portion 19 on the movable base 2 of the precision fine movement positioning device and attaching a pedestal 20 on the upper side of the bending support portion 19. The lower surface of the movable stage 22 is fixed to the upper surface of the pedestal 20. The bending support portion 19 is formed by reducing the diameter of a part of a metal round bar so that the thinned portion is bent and easily twisted.
With such a configuration, the pedestal 20 can move freely with respect to the movable base 2 by the deformation of the bending support portion 19. In the embodiment of the fine movement positioning stage, the example in which the fine movement positioning stage is configured using the contact portion described in FIG. 4 has been described. However, the same effect can be obtained by using the contact portion described in FIG.

Front view of precision fine positioning device of the present invention Side view of precision fine positioning device of the present invention 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the elastic support mechanism of FIG. Side view showing contact portion between precision fine positioning device and movable table Side view showing another example of contact portion between precision fine positioning device and movable table Top view of fine movement positioning stage using precision fine movement positioning device of the present invention Side view of FIG. Part of a side view showing a state in which the movable stage of the fine positioning stage in FIG. 6 is rotated about the Y axis FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which the movable stage of the fine positioning stage in FIG. 6 has moved in the X-axis direction. The top view which shows the apparatus of patent document 1 as a prior art example Side sectional view showing the device of Patent Document 1 as a conventional example Side sectional view showing the device of Patent Document 2 as a conventional example

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fixed base 2 Movable base 3 Elastic support mechanism 4 Actuator 5 Stator 5a Yoke 5b Magnet 6 Movable element 6a Coil base 6b Coil 7 Gap m
8 Lower fixing flange 9 Upper fixing flange 10 Bellows 11 Displacement sensor 12 Displacement sensor detector 13 Shaft 13a Position adjusting screw 13b Guide portion 14 Lock nut 15 O-ring 16 Joint 17 Gap s
18 Spherical support portion 19 Deflection support portion 20 Pedestal 21 Stage base 22 Movable stage 23 X-axis actuator 24 Y-axis actuator 25 X-axis displacement sensor 26 Y-axis displacement sensor 27 X-axis 28 Y-axis 29 Z-axis 30 Support member (elastic body)
31 Piezoelectric Element 32 Lower Plate 33 Upper Plate 34 Electrode 40 First Precision Fine Positioning Device 41 Second Precision Fine Positioning Device 42 Third Precision Fine Positioning Device

Claims (25)

  A fixed base, a stator of an electromagnetic actuator mounted on the fixed base, and a mover of an electromagnetic actuator that is opposed to the stator via a certain gap and is movable up and down with respect to the stator. A displacement sensor for detecting a relative displacement between the stator and the mover, and an elastic support mechanism having a lower end mounted on the fixed base; an upper end of the elastic support mechanism; and an electromagnetic actuator A precision fine positioning apparatus comprising: a movable base to which an upper end of a mover is fixed.   The electromagnetic actuator includes a pair of stators erected on the fixed base so that a yoke with a magnet attached faces each other, and a mover with coils attached to both surfaces of the coil base. 2. The precision fine movement positioning device according to claim 1, wherein each of the coils on both sides is configured to face the magnet of the yoke via the gap.   The elastic support mechanism includes a cylindrical bellows and a flange that seals an upper end and a lower end of the bellows, and the bellows is filled with a working fluid having a predetermined pressure. The fine fine positioning apparatus according to 1.   The flange that seals the lower end is provided with a working fluid through-hole penetrating into the bellows, and the working fluid is supplied through a joint connected to the working fluid through-hole. The precision fine movement positioning device according to claim 3.   4. The precision fine movement positioning device according to claim 3, wherein the working fluid is air, nitrogen, or an inert gas.   The displacement sensor includes a sensor unit installed on a flange that seals the lower end, and a displacement sensor detector that faces the sensor unit via a gap S, and the sensor unit is a capacitance type sensor. 4. The fine fine positioning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fine fine positioning apparatus is of an eddy current type. The flange that seals the upper end has a hole that passes through the bellows, and the hole includes a threaded portion that is provided on the inner peripheral upper portion of the hole and an inner peripheral lower portion of the hole. A ring, and
7. The precision fine movement positioning device according to claim 6, wherein a shaft having the displacement sensor detection body at the lower end and having a position adjusting screw portion engaged with the screw portion at the upper end is inserted into the hole.   8. The precision fine movement positioning device according to claim 7, wherein a lock nut is provided on a position adjusting screw portion of the shaft, and the shaft is fixed to a flange sealing the upper end by the lock nut.   8. The precision fine movement positioning device according to claim 7, wherein a through hole is provided at a position corresponding to the position of the shaft of the movable base. In a fine movement positioning stage comprising a stage base, a movable stage that is changed to a target position or posture with respect to the stage base, and a plurality of actuators that drive the movable stage,
A Z-axis actuator capable of driving at least the movable stage in the Z-axis direction among the plurality of actuators; a fixed base fixed to the stage base; and a stator of an electromagnetic actuator attached on the fixed base; A mover of an electromagnetic actuator that faces the stator via a certain gap and is movable up and down relative to the stator, and a displacement sensor that detects a relative displacement between the stator and the mover. An elastic support mechanism that is housed and has a lower end mounted on the fixed base; an upper end of the elastic support mechanism and an upper end of the mover of the electromagnetic actuator are fixed; and a movable base that supports the movable stage; A fine-movement positioning stage characterized by comprising:   The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10, wherein three Z-axis actuators are provided.   The movable base is a plate-like base having a step in the vertical direction, and the upper end of the elastic support mechanism is fixed to the lower surface of the lower step of the step, and the upper end of the movable element is fixed to the lower surface of the upper step of the step. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10, wherein the movable stage is supported on an upper surface of a lower stage of the step.   Among the plurality of actuators, an X-axis actuator capable of driving the movable stage in the X-axis direction and a Y-axis actuator capable of driving in the Y-axis direction are electromagnetic actuators, and a stator of the electromagnetic actuator is fixed to the stage base. The movable element of the electromagnetic actuator is fixed to the movable stage through a gap between the electromagnetic actuator and the X-axis actuator and the Y-axis actuator do not have the elastic support mechanism. The fine movement positioning stage according to 10.   The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10 or 13, wherein positions of the movable element and the stator of the electromagnetic actuator are reversed.   The movable stage has a rectangular plate shape, and one of the three Z-axis actuators supports one side of the movable stage, the remaining two support one side opposite to the one side, and the X One axis actuator is provided in the middle of the two Z-axis actuators to drive the movable stage, and two Y-axis actuators are provided on either side where the Z-axis and Y-axis actuators are not provided. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 13, wherein the fine movement positioning stage is provided to drive the movable stage.   The elastic support mechanism includes a cylindrical bellows and a flange that seals an upper end and a lower end of the bellows, and the bellows is filled with a working fluid having a predetermined pressure. The fine movement positioning stage according to 10.   The displacement sensor includes a sensor unit installed on a flange that seals the lower end, and a displacement sensor detector that faces the sensor unit via a gap S, and the sensor unit is a capacitance type sensor. 17. The precision fine movement positioning stage according to claim 16, which is of an eddy current type. The flange that seals the upper end has a hole penetrating the bellows, and the hole is formed by a threaded portion provided on an inner peripheral upper portion of the hole and an O portion provided on an inner peripheral lower portion of the hole. A ring, and
18. The precision fine movement positioning stage according to claim 17, wherein a shaft having the displacement sensor detection body at a lower end and having a position adjusting screw portion engaged with the screw portion at an upper end is inserted into the hole.   19. A through hole is provided at a position corresponding to the position of the shaft of the movable base, and a through hole is also provided at a position corresponding to the position of the shaft of the movable stage. Precision fine positioning stage.   A Y-axis displacement sensor that measures the displacement of the movable stage relative to the stage base in the Y-axis direction is provided at an intermediate position between the two Y-axis actuators, and measures the displacement of the movable stage relative to the stage base in the X-axis direction. 16. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 15, wherein two X-axis displacement sensors are provided so as to sandwich the X-axis actuator.   21. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 20, wherein the X-axis displacement sensor and the Y-axis displacement sensor are any one of a capacitance type, an eddy current type, and a laser interferometer.   A portion where the movable base and the movable stage are in contact with each other is a pin having a spherical shape provided on the movable base, and a member having a spherical concave portion provided on the movable stage and including the spherical surface. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10, comprising:   A bar-shaped member having a part of the diameter of a metal round bar is provided at a portion where the movable base and the movable stage are in contact with each other, the lower end of the bar-shaped member is connected to the movable base, and the upper end is movable. The fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10, wherein the fine movement positioning stage is connected to the stage.   An exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing or liquid crystal manufacturing, comprising the fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10. An inspection apparatus for semiconductor manufacture or liquid crystal manufacture, comprising the fine movement positioning stage according to claim 10.

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