JP2011247405A - Guiding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a guiding device in which a fluid feed part, an exhaust groove or the like can be prepared with high positional accuracy, and a movable body can more stably be moved.SOLUTION: The guiding device includes a fixed body with a first surface, and a movable body with a second surface facing the first surface. The movable body can move in a first direction along the first surface via fluid fed into clearance formed between the first and second surfaces. Either one of these first and second surfaces is an outward surface outwardly-prepared around the central axis parallel to moving direction of the movable body, provided with both the fluid feed part for feeding the fluid into clearance and a recovery groove circularly-encompassing this fluid feed part to collect the fluid. Another one of the first and second surfaces is an inward surface covering those fluid feed part and recovery groove to the extent movable.

Description

  The present invention relates to a guide device having a fixed body and a movable body, and capable of moving the movable body via a fluid supplied to a gap formed between the fixed body and the movable body.

  In a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a transfer device called a stage is used to transfer a wafer, a mask or the like. Depending on the type of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the stage needs to be used in a chamber (vacuum chamber) in a vacuum or reduced pressure atmosphere. As typical semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses in which the stage is used in the vacuum chamber, for example, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an electron beam (EB) drawing apparatus, a focused ion beam (FIB) drawing apparatus, or There is an X-ray exposure apparatus.

  One of guide devices for driving the stage is a static pressure slider. The static pressure slider supplies a fluid between the fixed body and the movable body to form a fluid layer, and the fluid layer can move the movable body in a certain direction without contacting the fixed body. . For example, a hydrostatic slider described in Patent Document 1 includes a fixed shaft body and a movable body surrounding the fixed shaft body, and pressurizes fluid from a fluid supply hole provided in a bearing inner surface of the movable body. A hydrostatic fluid layer is formed by supplying the gap between the body and the movable body.

  Specifically, a passage is formed in four wall plates constituting the movable body, and the four wall plates are combined to connect the passages to form an air supply circulation passage. Then, the fluid is supplied through the supply air circulation passage, and the fluid is supplied from the fluid supply ports provided on the inner surfaces (bearing inner surfaces) of the four wall plates. Each bearing inner surface is provided with an air release groove that continuously surrounds the fluid supply port and an exhaust groove that continuously surrounds the outside of the air release groove, and the exhaust groove on each bearing inner surface is an end of the bearing inner surface. It is arrange | positioned at the part and is connected to the exhaust groove of the adjacent bearing inner surface. That is, the exhaust groove on the inner surface of each bearing is connected as one exhaust groove.

JP 2005-273882 A

  However, in the static pressure slider described in the cited document 1, since exhaust grooves are formed on the inner surface of the movable body surrounding the fixed shaft body, it is difficult to accurately form the dimensions and positions of these grooves. there were. This is of course the case where the exhaust groove is formed after the four wall plates are bonded together to form the movable body, but after the exhaust grooves are individually formed on the surface of the four wall plates, they are bonded together to move. Even when the body is formed, the position of the end of the exhaust groove formed on each wall plate may be shifted during lamination, and the exhaust groove may not communicate well. As a result, the exhaust gas is exhausted to the inner surface of the second member. It was difficult to form the groove with high positional accuracy.

  In addition, since the air supply circulation passage is formed by forming a passage in the four wall plates and combining them, each passage may not communicate well. As a result, the air supply circulation around the movable body. It was difficult to form the passage with high positional accuracy.

When the positional accuracy of the exhaust groove or the like provided on the inner surface of the movable body is thus reduced, the state of the hydrostatic fluid layer formed between each wall plate and the fixed shaft body is different, and self-excited vibration is generated. Thus, there is a problem that the movable body cannot be moved stably.

  Therefore, there is a need for a guide device that can provide a fluid supply unit, an exhaust groove, and the like with high positional accuracy and can move the movable body more stably.

  A guide device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a fixed body having a first surface and a movable body having a second surface facing the first surface, and is formed between the first surface and the second surface. The movable body can move in the first direction along the first surface via the fluid supplied to the gap, and one of the first surface and the second surface is movable An outward surface provided around a central axis parallel to the direction of body movement, and a fluid supply part for supplying the fluid to the gap and surrounding the fluid supply part in an annular shape to collect the fluid The other of the first surface and the second surface is an inward surface that covers the fluid supply unit and the recovery groove within a movable range.

  According to the guide device according to one aspect of the present invention, the fluid supply unit, the exhaust groove, and the like can be provided with high positional accuracy, and the movable body can be moved more stably.

It is a perspective view which shows the structural example of the guide apparatus by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a perspective view which shows the structural example of the fixing body of FIG. 1, (b) is the elements on larger scale when a chip | corner has arisen in the corner | angular part of the fixing body of (a). It is sectional drawing in the broken line LL of FIG. It is a typical figure explaining operation | movement of the guidance apparatus by the 1st Embodiment of this invention, (a)-(d) is the figure which saw through the guidance apparatus from the side. It is a perspective view which shows the structural example of the guide apparatus by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the guide apparatus of FIG. It is a typical perspective view of a movable body. It is the elements on larger scale of the movable body of FIG. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the broken line MM in FIG. 7 and is an enlarged view of a portion where air pad portions 16A1, 16B1, and 16C are provided. It is a perspective view which shows the structural example of the guide apparatus by the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structural example of the guide apparatus by the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a typical perspective view of the movable body of FIG. It is a typical figure explaining operation | movement of the guide apparatus of FIG. 11, (a)-(d) is the figure which saw through the guide apparatus from the side. It is a perspective view which shows the structural example of the static pressure slider by the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the fixed body and movable body in the static pressure slider of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structural example of a movable member and a stage stand. It is a typical perspective view of a movable member.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
The guide device of FIG. 1 is used to transport, for example, a wafer or a mask in a vacuum chamber. As shown in FIG. 1, the guide device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a rectangular fixed body 2 and a cylindrical movable body 3 which are shaft bodies. The movable body 3 has an inner peripheral surface 4 facing the outer surface 5 of the fixed body 2, and the movable body 3 is connected via a fluid supplied to a gap formed between the opposed surfaces 4 and 5. Is movable. For example, when a pressurized fluid is supplied to a gap formed by the inner peripheral surface 4 of the movable body 3 and the outer surface 5 of the stationary body 2, the fluid is formed between the movable body 3 and the stationary body 2 by the pressurized fluid. The movable body 3 can move linearly (along the arrow X shown in FIG. 1) along the outer surface 5 of the fixed body 2 with the fluid layer interposed therebetween.

  In the guide device 1 according to the present embodiment, the fixed body 2 is a shaft member extending in the X direction, and the movable body 3 is a cylindrical member that is movable in the X direction along the shaft member. The fixed body 2 and the movable body 3 are made of ceramics whose main component is alumina or silicon carbide, for example.

  Here, the outer surface 5 of the fixed body 2 has four motion guide surfaces 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d, which are flat surfaces. The fixed body 2 is configured, for example, by assembling four flat plates having corresponding motion guide surfaces 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d. Further, the inner peripheral surface 4 of the movable body 3 has motion surfaces 4 a, 4 b, 4 c, 4 d corresponding to the four planes 5 a to 5 d of the fixed body 2. The outer surface 5 of the fixed body 2 is also referred to as a first surface, and the inner peripheral surface 4 of the movable body 3 is also referred to as a second surface.

  2A is a diagram when the movable body 3 is omitted in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2A, air pad portions 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D for supplying pressurized fluid to the motion guide surfaces 5a to 5d of the fixed body 2 (in FIG. 2, 6C and 6D are not shown). Are provided. In addition, the movement guide surfaces 5a to 5d surround the air pads 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D in an annular shape and collect the recovery grooves 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D (in FIG. 2, 7C and 7D are not provided). (Shown) is provided. In FIG. 2, the air pad portions 6C and 6D and the recovery grooves 7C and 7D are not shown. However, like the other air pad portions 6A and 6B and the recovery grooves 7A and 7B, the corresponding motion guide surfaces 5c, 5d (see FIG. 3).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the air pad portions 6 </ b> A to 6 </ b> D function as a restriction that restricts the flow rate of the supply fluid, and are configured as, for example, an orifice restriction, a surface restriction, or a porous restriction. As shown in FIG. 3, the air pads 6 </ b> A to 6 </ b> D are supplied with fluid through a supply flow path 8 provided in the fixed body 2, for example. The supply flow path 8 communicates with a supply path (not shown) provided outside the fixed body 2. Thus, since each air pad part 6A-6D is connected to the same supply flow path 8, the pressurized fluid of the same pressure can be ejected.

  The recovery grooves 7A to 7D are used to recover the pressurized fluid supplied via the air pad portions 6A to 6D. For example, the collection groove 7A is provided so as to surround the air pad portion 6A in a triple manner, the collection groove 7A1 closest to the air pad portion 6A, the collection groove 7A2 surrounding the collection groove 7A1, and the circumference of the collection groove 7A2 And a recovery groove 7A3 surrounding the. The other collection grooves 7B to 7D have the same configuration.

  These recovery grooves 7 </ b> A to 7 </ b> D are connected to exhaust pipes (not shown) provided outside the fixed body 2 through exhaust holes 9 a, 9 b and 9 c formed in the fixed body 2. The recovery grooves 7A to 7D communicate with the outside of the vacuum chamber (not shown) through the exhaust holes 9a to 9c and the exhaust pipe (not shown), and can pressurize the pressurized fluid to the outside of the vacuum container. It is configured as follows.

Although not shown, the recovery grooves 7A1, 7B1, 7C1, and 7D1 closest to the air pads 6A to 6D are open to the atmosphere outside the vacuum vessel via the exhaust holes 9c and piping (not shown), and the recovery grooves 7A2 , 7B2, 7C2, and 7D2 are exhausted by a dry pump through an exhaust hole 9b and another pipe (not shown), and the recovery grooves 7A3, 7B3, 7C3, and 7D3 have a through-hole 9a and a pipe (not shown). Is exhausted by a turbo molecular pump. That is, the triple recovery groove is considered so that the degree of vacuum becomes better as the distance from the air pad portion increases. Note that the number and arrangement of the supply flow path 8 and the exhaust holes 9a, 9b, and 9c shown in FIG. 3 are examples, and may be appropriately changed according to the design. Further, the collection groove 7A3 and the collection groove 7B3, the collection groove 7A3 and the collection groove 7D3, the collection groove 7C3 and the collection groove 7D3, and the collection groove 7B3 and the collection groove 7C3 are respectively connected at the corners of the fixed body 2 and integrated. It may be.

  In the guide device 1 according to the present embodiment, air pad portions 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D and recovery grooves 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the fixed body 2. Compared with the case where it is provided on the inner peripheral surface, the air pad portions 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D and the recovery grooves 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D can be easily formed, and the accuracy of their dimensions and positions can be increased. In addition, since the air pad part and the recovery groove are individually formed on the surfaces of the four flat plates, and the process of pasting the flat plates is not necessary, the positions of the air pad part and the recovery groove provided on each flat plate are in the X direction. There is no problem of shifting. As a result, the state of the fluid supplied to the gap formed between the outer surface of the fixed body 2 and the inner peripheral surface of the movable body 3 is made more uniform between all the opposing motion surfaces and motion guide surfaces. Therefore, the movable body 3 can be moved more stably.

  Further, the collection groove 7A3 and the collection groove 7B3, the collection groove 7A3 and the collection groove 7D3, the collection groove 7C3 and the collection groove 7D3, and the collection groove 7B3 and the collection groove 7C3 are communicated at the corners of the fixed body 2, respectively. However, since all of the collecting grooves 7A3, 7B3, 7C3, and 7D3 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the fixed body 2, it is easy to communicate them, and the position of the end of the collecting groove that communicates is prevented from shifting. Therefore, the movable body 3 can be moved more stably without causing a problem in the operation of the movable body 3.

  Further, in the guide device 1 according to the present embodiment, the fixed body 2 is covered with the inner peripheral surface 4 of the movable body 3 regardless of the position of the movable body 3 and is opposed to the inner peripheral surface 4. Is covered by the inner peripheral surface 4 of the movable body 3 depending on the position S1 and the position of the movable body 3, or exposed to the outside, that is, on the inner peripheral surface of the movable body 3 depending on the position of the movable body 3. It has 2nd site | part S2 which does not oppose. The air pad portions 6A to 6D and the recovery grooves 7A to 7D are provided in the first part S1.

  Since the second part S2 of the fixed body 2 may be exposed to the outside depending on the position of the movable body 3, defects such as chipping or scratching are likely to occur. For example, in FIG. 2B, a chipping P is generated at the corner of the fixed body 3, specifically, the portion where the motion guide surfaces 5a and 5b intersect (the region surrounded by the dotted circle in FIG. 2B). FIG. According to the guide device 1 according to the present embodiment, since the recovery grooves 7A to 7D are provided in the first part S1, it is possible to suppress the pressurized fluid from leaking into the vacuum chamber even if the chip P is generated. This effect will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the guide device 1, and (a) to (d) are perspective views of the guide device 1 from the side. In FIG. 4, only the components of the guide device 1 necessary for explanation are shown for simplicity of illustration. Here, (c) and (d) show a case where an air pad (not shown) and a collection groove 7 are provided in the guide device 1 according to the present embodiment, that is, the fixed body 2, and (a) and (b) ) Shows a case where an air pad (not shown) and a recovery groove 7 ′ are provided on the movable body 3 for comparison. When chipping P occurs in the fixed body 2 as shown in (a), if the recovery groove 7 ′ is provided in the movable body 3, the movable body 3 moves when the movable body 3 moves as shown in (b). In some cases, the three recovery grooves 7 ′ and the chip P communicate with each other, and the pressurized fluid leaks through the chip P to the outside of the guide device.

However, according to the guide device 1 according to the present embodiment, as shown in (c), the recovery groove 7 is provided in the fixed body 2 even when a chip P is generated in the fixed body 2, so that (d) As shown in FIG. 5, the chip P and the recovery groove 7 do not communicate with each other, and the pressurized fluid can be prevented from leaking outside the guide device.

  In the above description, the fluid supply units 6A to 6D and the recovery grooves 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D are provided in the fixed body 2. However, the member that provides the fluid supply unit and the recovery grooves is not limited to the fixed body 2. For example, when the fixed body 2 of the guide device 1 according to the present embodiment operates as a movable body and the movable body 3 operates as a fixed body, a fluid supply unit and a recovery groove are provided in the shaft member that operates as the movable body. It is done. That is, the fluid supply unit and the recovery groove are opposed to the first portion where one of the surface of the movable body and the surface of the fixed body is opposed to the other regardless of the position of the movable body, and the other according to the position of the movable body. And the second part that is not provided are provided on the member having the first part and the second part.

  In addition, the shape of a shaft member and a cylindrical member is not restricted to the shape mentioned above. The fluid supply unit and the recovery groove are provided on an outward surface provided outward around a central axis parallel to the moving direction of the movable body, so that the fluid supply unit and the recovery groove are covered by the inward surface. Any configuration may be used. In this case, the outward surface and the inward surface may be any surfaces of the movable body and the fixed body, respectively, as long as they face each other.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a guide device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the guide device 11 </ b> A according to the present embodiment includes a pair of fixed bodies 12 </ b> A and 12 </ b> B and a movable body 13. The pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B extend in the Y direction in FIG. 1, and the movable body 13 is movable in the Y direction. The pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B face each other, and the movable body 13 is located between the pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B in the X direction perpendicular to the moving direction. Hereinafter, when the fixed bodies 12A and 12B are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as the fixed body 12.

  The pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B are a pair of groove-like members each having a guide groove K extending in the Y direction. The fixed bodies 12A and 12B are arranged with the movable body 13 interposed therebetween so that the guide grooves K face each other.

  The movable body 13 has a rectangular shape, for example. The movable body 13 is located between the guide grooves K of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B, and the end portions in the X direction are accommodated in the guide grooves K of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B, respectively. Therefore, a part of the outer surface of the end portion of the movable body 13 faces the inner surface of the guide groove K of the fixed body 12, and the movable body 13 is supplied via the fluid supplied to the gap formed between these opposed surfaces. Is movable. For example, when pressurized fluid is supplied to a gap formed by a part of the outer surface of the end of the movable body 13 and the inner surface of the guide groove K of the fixed body 12, the movable body 13 and the fixed bodies 12A and 12B The movable body 13 moves along the Y direction along the inner surfaces of the guide grooves K of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B with a fluid layer of about 5 μm formed by pressurized fluid interposed therebetween. It becomes possible.

  If the concave guide groove K is simply regarded as a recess, each of the pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B has a recess K on the surface facing the movable body 13, and the movable body 13 has an end in the X direction. It can be said that it is accommodated in the recess K of the fixed bodies 12A, 12B. Therefore, when a part of the surface of the movable body 13 faces the inner surface of the concave portion K of the fixed body 12 and the pressurized fluid is supplied to the gaps formed by these opposed surfaces, the movable body 13 and the fixed body With the fluid layer of about 5 μm formed by the pressurized fluid interposed between 12A and 12B, the movable body 13 moves in the Y direction along the inner surface of the recess K of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B. It becomes possible to move.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the guide device 11A (the recess 38 in FIG. 5 is not shown). As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the left and right fixing bodies 12A and 12B are formed by combining three flat plates 12a, 12b, and 12c, respectively. Specifically, the flat plate 12a and the flat plate 12c are arranged in parallel, and the flat plate 12b is arranged between the flat plates 12a and 12b so as to be perpendicular to the flat plates 12a and 12c. That is, the flat plates 12a, 12b, and 12c constitute concave guide grooves K of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B.

  Further, the three flat plates 12a, 12b, and 12c have motion guide surfaces 15a, 15b, and 15c, respectively. The motion guide surfaces 15a, 15b, and 15c constitute the inner surface 15 of the guide groove K of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B.

  The movable body 13 has motion surfaces 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d. The motion surfaces 14 a, 14 b, 14 c, and 14 d constitute the outer surface 14 of the movable body 13. Both end portions in the X direction of the motion surface 14a and the motion guide surfaces 15a of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B are opposed to both end portions in the X direction of the motion surface 14b and the motion guide surfaces 15c of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B. Further, the motion surface 14c and the motion guide surface 15b of the fixed body 12A face each other, and the motion surface 14d and the motion guide surface 15b of the fixed body 12B face each other. The outer surface of the end of the movable body 3 is also referred to as the inner surface 15 of the guide groove K of the fixed body 12, and the inner surface 15 of the guide groove K of the fixed body 12 is the flat plates 12a to 12c of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B. The movable body 13 is made of ceramics whose main component is alumina or silicon carbide, for example.

  The flat plates 12 a to 12 c of the fixed body 12 are for defining the moving path of the movable body 13. Further, the motion guide surfaces 15a, 15b, 15c are finished to smooth surfaces. It is preferable that vacuum grease etc. are apply | coated to the junction part of adjacent flat plates among the flat plates 12a-12c of the fixed body 12. FIG. If it does in this way, it can control that fluid leaks from this joined surface.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the movable body 13. As shown in FIG. 7, air pads 16A1, 16A2, 16B1, 16B2, 16C, and 16D for supplying pressurized fluid are provided at the end of the movable body 13 in the X direction (in FIG. 16B1, 16B2,
16D is not shown). Specifically, air pad portions 16 are provided at both ends of the movement surface 14a in the X direction.
A1 and 16A2 are provided, and air pad portions 16B1 are provided at both ends of the movement surface 14b in the X direction.
, 16B2 are provided. The exercise surface 14c is provided with an air pad portion 16C.
An air pad portion 16D is provided on the motion surface 14d. Air pad 16B1
, 16B2 are provided on the movement surface 14b at positions corresponding to the air pad portions 16A1 and 16A2 of the movement surface 14a. Further, the air pad portion 16D is provided on the movement surface 14d at a position corresponding to the air pad portion 16C on the movement surface 14c.

  And air pad part 16A1, 16A2, 16B1, 16B2, 16C, 16D is provided in the center part of the Y direction in corresponding exercise | movement surface 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d.

  The movable body 13 is provided with an annular recovery groove 17A for recovering the pressurized fluid supplied from the air pad portions 16A1, 16C, 16B1 around the air pad portions 16A1, 16C, 16B1. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the movable body 13 is provided with an annular collection groove 17B for collecting the pressurized fluid supplied from the air pad portions 16A2, 16D, 16B2 around the air pad portions 16A2, 16D, 16B2. It is done.

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view of the movable body 13. As shown in FIG. 8, the recovery groove 17A is provided so as to surround the air pad portions 16A1, 16C, 16B1 in a triple manner, and the recovery groove 31A closest to the air pad portions 16A1, 16C, 16B1 and the recovery groove 31A A recovery groove 32A surrounding the periphery and a recovery groove 33A surrounding the recovery groove 32A are provided. Collection groove 17
B has the same configuration.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the broken line MM in FIG. 7 and is an enlarged view of a portion where the air pad portions 16A1, 16B1, and 16C are provided. As shown in FIG. 9, a supply flow path 36 is provided inside the movable body 13. A fluid is supplied to the air pad portions 16A1, 16B1, and 16C through the supply flow path 36. The supply channel 36 communicates with a supply channel (not shown) provided outside the movable body 13. Thus, since each air pad part 16A1, 16B1, 16C is connected to the same supply flow path 36, the pressurized fluid of the same pressure can be ejected. The movable body 13 has a recess 38 on the side surface, and the external supply path is inserted into the recess 38 and connected to the bottom surface of the recess 38. There is an opening of the supply flow path 36 on the bottom surface of the recess, and the supply path is connected to the opening. Since FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view, the opening 37 is a part of the supply flow path 36. The opening 37 in FIG. 9 and the opening provided in the bottom surface of the concave portion of the movable body 13 are communicated with each other through the supply flow path 36.

The collection grooves 31A, 32A, 33A are connected to the exhaust pipe through the through holes 41H, 42H, 43H provided on the flat plate 12a of the fixed body 12 shown in FIG. The recovery grooves 31A, 32A, and 33A communicate with the outside of the vacuum chamber (not shown) through their exhaust pipes, and are configured to exhaust the pressurized fluid to the outside of the vacuum vessel. Although not shown, the piping communicating with the recovery groove 31A and the through hole 41H is open to the atmosphere outside the vacuum vessel, and the piping communicating with the recovery groove 32A and the through hole 42H is exhausted by a dry pump, The piping communicating with the collection groove 33A and the through hole 43H is exhausted by a turbo molecular pump. That is, the degree of vacuum increases as the triple recovery grooves 31A, 32A, and 33A move away from the air pad portion. The same applies to the configuration of the collection groove 17B.

  In the guide device 11A according to the present embodiment, the air pad portions 16A1, 16A2, 16B1, 16B2, 16C, 16D and the recovery grooves 17A, 17B are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the movable body 13. Compared with the case where it is provided on the inner surface of the guide groove K, the air pad portions 16A1, 16A2, 16B1, 16B2, 16C, 16D and the recovery grooves 17A, 17B can be easily formed, and the accuracy of their dimensions and positions can be increased. . In addition, since the air pad portion and the recovery groove are individually formed on the surfaces of the three flat plates 12a to 12c, and the step of pasting the flat plates 12a to 12c is unnecessary, the recovery grooves provided on the flat plates 12a to 12c are not necessary. The problem that the position of the end portion of the lens is shifted does not occur. As a result, the recovery grooves communicate well, and the state of the fluid supplied to the gap formed between the outer surface of the fixed body 2 and the inner peripheral surface of the movable body 3 is made more uniform throughout the gap. Therefore, the movable body 3 can be moved more stably.

  Further, according to the guide device 11A according to the present embodiment, since the movable body 13 can move between the pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B, the distance between the pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B (in FIG. 5, the X direction). The movable body 13 can be increased in size by widening the interval. A pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B are positioned on both sides of the movable body 13, and the surface of each fixed body 12 facing the movable body 13 has a concave guide groove K that accommodates the end of the movable body 13. Since it is provided, the fixed body 12 is exposed to the outside. Therefore, the fixed body 12 can be reinforced by attaching a base or the like to the fixed body 12, and the parallelism or straightness can be favorably maintained along the extending direction of the fixed body 12. Therefore, the movable body 13 can be smoothly moved without deteriorating the positional accuracy of the movable body 13.

(Third embodiment)
The static pressure slider 11B shown in FIG. 10 is different from the static pressure slider 11A shown in FIG. 5 in that the pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B are provided with restriction portions that restrict the movement of the movable body 13 at both ends in the Y direction. It is a point. In the pressure control slider 11B according to the present embodiment, these limiting portions are flat plates 12d and 12e that intersect with the Y direction. According to this configuration, it is possible to further suppress the pressurized fluid from leaking from the gap between the opposing surfaces of the fixed body 12 and the movable body 13. If the concave guide groove K is regarded as the concave portion K, the flat plates 12d and 12e constitute side surfaces of the concave portion K that intersect the first direction in the fixed bodies 12A and 12B.

  Further, the flat plates 12d and 12e more reliably fix both end portions in the Y direction of the flat plates 12a to 12c. Thereby, when a pressurized fluid is supplied from the air pad portion 16, the flat plates 12 a to 12 c of the fixed body 12 are projected outwardly by the pressure of the fluid, and are formed by the fixed body 12 and the movable body 13. It can suppress that a clearance gap becomes large and the guide groove K deform | transforms. Therefore, by providing these flat plates 12d and 12e, the distance between the flat plate 12a and the movable body 13, the distance between the flat plate 12b and the movable body 13, and the distance between the flat plate 12c and the movable body 13 are set. , It becomes possible to make it more certain in the Y direction, and the movable body 13 can be moved more stably.

(Fourth embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 11, the static pressure slider 11 </ b> C according to the present embodiment is not provided with the limiting portion described in the third embodiment, and the moving distance of the movable body 13 in the Y direction is the third embodiment. It is larger than the static pressure slider 11B. Therefore, when the moving distance of the movable body 13 in the Y direction is large, the ends of the movable body 13 in the Y direction may protrude from the ends of the pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B in the Y direction. Therefore, in the static pressure slider 11C according to the present embodiment, the movable body 13 includes the first portion S1 that faces one of the motion guide surfaces 15a, 15b, and 15c regardless of the position of the movable body 13, and the movable body 13. Depending on the position, it is covered by any one of the motion guide surfaces 15a, 15b, 15c, or exposed to the outside, that is, the second does not face the motion guide surfaces 15a, 15b, 15c depending on the position of the movable body 13. And part S2.

As shown in FIG. 12, air pad portions 16A1, 16A2, 16B1, 16B2, 16C, and 16D for supplying pressurized fluid are provided in the first portion S1 of the movable body 13 (in FIG. 12, the air pad portion 16B1). 16B2 and 16D are not shown). Specifically, air pads 16A1, S1a2 are provided in regions S1a1, S1a2 corresponding to the motion surface 14a of the first part S1.
16A2 is provided, air pads 16B1 and 16B2 are provided in the regions S1b1 and S1b2 corresponding to the motion surface 14b, and air pads 16C are provided in the region S1c corresponding to the motion surface 14c and corresponding to the motion surface 14d. An air pad portion 16D is provided in the area S1d to be operated. The regions S1a1 and S1a2 are located at both ends of the motion surface 14a, and the regions S1b1 and S1b2 are located at both ends of the motion surface 14b.

An annular recovery groove 17A that recovers the pressurized fluid supplied from the air pads 16A1, 16C, and 16B1 is also provided across the region S1a1, the region S1c, and the region S1b1. An annular recovery groove 17B that recovers the pressurized fluid supplied from the air pad portions 16A2, 16D, and 16B2 is also provided across the region S1a2, the region S1d, and the region S1b2.

  According to the hydrostatic slider 11C according to the present embodiment, even when the second portion S2 of the movable body 13 is chipped, the recovery groove 17 is provided in the first portion S1, so the chip and the recovery groove 17 are provided. Are not communicated with each other, and the pressurized fluid can be prevented from leaking outside the static pressure slider 11C, for example, into the vacuum chamber. This effect will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the guide device 11C according to the present embodiment, and (a) to (d) are perspective views of the guide device. In particular, (c) and (d) show the guidance device 11.
It is the figure which saw through C from the direction of arrow N. In FIG. 13, only the components of the guide device necessary for explanation are shown for simplicity of illustration. Here, (c) and (d) show a case where an air pad (not shown) and a collection groove 17 are provided in the guide device 11C according to the present embodiment, that is, the movable body 13, and (a) and (b) ) Shows a case where an air pad (not shown) and a recovery groove 17 ′ are provided on the fixed body 12 for comparison.

  Since the second part S2 of the movable body 13 may be exposed to the outside depending on the position of the movable body 13, defects such as chipping or scratches are likely to occur. In particular, when the movable body 13 has a rectangular shape, the ridge line portion is likely to be chipped. For example, when chipping P occurs in the movable body 12 as shown in FIG. 12A, if the recovery groove 17 ′ is provided in the fixed body 12, the movable body 13 moves as shown in FIG. 12B. In addition, the recovery groove 17 ′ of the fixed body 12 and the chip P may communicate with each other, and the pressurized fluid may leak outside the static pressure slider through the chip P.

  However, according to the static pressure slider 11C according to the present embodiment, as shown in (c), the recovery groove 17 is provided in the movable body 12 even if the movable body 12 has a chip P. ), The chip P and the recovery groove 17 do not communicate with each other, and the pressurized fluid can be prevented from leaking outside the static pressure slider 11C.

(Fifth embodiment)
As shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, the static pressure slider 11 </ b> D according to the present embodiment has a movable member 53. The movable member 53 has a surface facing the movable body 13. Then, the pressurized fluid is supplied between the opposing surfaces of the movable body 13 and the movable member 53, so that the movable member 53 can move along the surface of the movable body 13. That is, by moving the movable member 53 in a direction different from the moving direction of the movable body 13, a stage mechanism that can be moved in two directions can be realized. In the static pressure slider 11D according to the present embodiment, the movable member 53 moves in the Y direction as the movable body 13 moves, and is movable in the X direction perpendicular to the Y direction. 14 to 16, a stage base St is attached to the movable member 53.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 15, the movable body 13 has a hole portion 54, and an opening 55 of the hole portion 54 extends in the X direction. The hole 54 is a cavity provided in the movable body 13, and the opening 55 is provided on the surface of the movable body 13 and communicates with the cavity. The movable member 53 has a pair of accommodated portions 56 that are accommodated in the holes 54. The accommodated portions 56 are located at both ends of the movable member 53 in the Y direction, and the two accommodated portions 56 located at the both end portions are connected by an intermediate portion 57. That is, the movable member 53 has two accommodated portions 56 and an intermediate portion 57 that connects them. The intermediate portion 57 is exposed at the opening 55 of the hole portion 54. The stage St is attached to the intermediate portion 57.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the accommodated portion 56 is provided with air pad portions 58A, 58B, 58C for supplying pressurized fluid (in FIG. 15, the air pad portion 58B is not shown). Specifically, the movable member 53 has a motion surface 60 a and motion surfaces 60 b and 60 c in the accommodated portion 56. The motion surface 60a and the motion surface 60b face each other, and the motion surface 60c intersects the motion surfaces 60a and 60b perpendicularly. The exercise surface 60a is provided with an air pad portion 58A, the exercise surface 60b is provided with an air pad portion 58B, and the exercise surface 60c is provided with an air pad portion 58C.

  And air pad part 58A, 58B, 58C is provided in the center part of the X direction in corresponding exercise | movement surface 60a, 60b, 60c.

In addition, the movable member 53 includes air pad portions 58A, 58B, 58C in the accommodated portion 56.
Is provided with an annular collection groove 59 for collecting the pressurized fluid supplied from the air pad portions 58A, 58B, 58C. The configuration of the collection groove 59 is the same as the configuration of the collection groove shown in FIG.

  The air pad portions 58 </ b> A, 58 </ b> B, and 58 </ b> C supply fluid to a gap formed between the surface of the accommodated portion 56 of the movable member 53 and the inner surface of the hole portion 54. The movable member 53 is movable with respect to the inner surface of the hole portion 54 of the movable portion 13 through this fluid.

  According to the guide device 11D according to the present embodiment, the pair of fixed bodies 12A and 12B are located on both sides of the movable body 13 in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the movable body 13, and the movable bodies of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B. The surface facing 13 is provided with a concave guide groove K that accommodates the end of the movable body 13, and pressurized fluid is supplied between the inner surface of the guide groove K and the movable body 13. By attaching a base or the like to the bodies 12A and 12B, the fixed bodies 12A and 12B can be reinforced, and the parallelism or straightness can be favorably maintained along the extending direction of the fixed bodies 12A and 12B. Therefore, the movable body 13 can be smoothly moved without deteriorating the positional accuracy of the movable body 13.

  Further, according to the guide device 11D according to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to form a hole in the movable body 13 for inserting a stationary body such as a rail. Therefore, it is easy to form a mechanism for moving the movable member 53 inside the movable body 13, and a wide space for forming such a mechanism can be secured.

  Accordingly, since a mechanism for moving the movable member 53 can be formed on the movable body 13 with good positional accuracy, it is possible to configure a stage mechanism with good positional accuracy and movable in two directions.

  In the above-described guide devices according to the second to fifth embodiments, the fluid supply part and the recovery groove are provided on the outer surface of the end part serving as the movable body, and these are covered by the inner surfaces of the guide grooves of the pair of fixed bodies. However, the portions where the fluid supply unit and the recovery groove are provided are not limited to these. The fluid supply unit and the recovery groove are provided on an outward surface provided outward around a central axis parallel to the moving direction of the movable body, so that the fluid supply unit and the recovery groove are covered by the inward surface. Any configuration may be used. In this case, the outward surface and the inward surface may be any surfaces of the movable body and the fixed body, respectively, as long as they face each other.

  The above-described guide device can be used, for example, to drive a stage of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in a vacuum or reduced pressure atmosphere chamber. Typical examples of such a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus include a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an electron beam (EB) drawing apparatus, a focus ion beam (FIB) drawing apparatus, and an X-ray exposure apparatus.

1, 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D Guide device 2, 12A, 12B Fixed body 3, 13 Movable body 12a, 12b, 12c Flat plate 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d Moving surfaces 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 15a, 15b, 15c Movement guide surfaces 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 16A1, 16A2, 16B1, 16B2, 16C, 16D Air pad portion 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 17A, 17B Recovery groove

Claims (17)

A fixed body having a first surface; and a movable body having a second surface opposite to the first surface, through a fluid supplied to a gap formed between the first surface and the second surface. The movable body is movable in the first direction along the first surface,
One of the first surface and the second surface is an outward surface provided outward about a central axis parallel to the moving direction of the movable body, and a fluid supply for supplying the fluid to the gap And a recovery groove that surrounds the fluid supply portion in an annular shape and recovers the fluid,
The other of said 1st surface and said 2nd surface is an inward surface which covers the said fluid supply part and the said collection | recovery groove in the range which can move.   The guide device according to claim 1, wherein the outward surface includes a plurality of planes, and the recovery groove is provided across at least two adjacent planes of the plurality of planes. The fixed body is a shaft member extending in the first direction, and the movable body is a cylindrical member movable in the first direction along the shaft member,
The guide device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first surface is an outer peripheral surface of the shaft member, and the second surface is an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member. The fixed body is a pair of groove-shaped members having guide grooves extending in the first direction so as to face each other, and the movable body is configured to guide the pair of groove-shaped members in a second direction perpendicular to the moving direction. And located between the grooves, and the ends in the second direction are respectively accommodated in the guide grooves of the groove-shaped member,
3. The guide device according to claim 1, wherein the first surface is an inner surface of the guide groove of the pair of groove-shaped members, and the second surface is an outer surface of the end portion of the movable body. One of the first surface and the second surface is opposed to the other of the first surface and the second surface regardless of the position of the movable body corresponding to the fluid supply unit and the recovery groove. A second portion that does not oppose the other of the first surface and the second surface according to the position of the movable body,
The guide device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fluid supply unit and the recovery groove are provided in the first part.   5. The guide device according to claim 4, wherein the pair of groove-like members have restriction portions that restrict movement of the movable body at both ends in the movement direction of the movable body. The movable body includes a third surface;
A direction different from a moving direction of the movable body through a second fluid having a fourth surface facing the third surface and supplied to a gap formed between the third surface and the fourth surface A movable member movable to
The guide device according to claim 4 or 6, wherein a second fluid supply unit that supplies the second fluid to the gap is provided on the third surface or the fourth surface. The movable body has a hole whose opening extends in the moving direction of the movable member;
The movable member has a portion to be accommodated that is accommodated in the hole,
The guide device according to claim 7, wherein the second fluid supply unit is provided on a surface of the accommodated portion of the movable member. The guide device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein a moving direction of the movable member is parallel to the second direction. A static pressure slider having a pair of fixed bodies extending in a first direction and a movable body movable in the first direction along the pair of fixed bodies,
The pair of fixed bodies are positioned on both sides of the movable body in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and surfaces of the fixed bodies facing the movable body are ends of the movable body in the second direction. A hydrostatic slider that includes a concave portion that accommodates the portion and to which a pressurized fluid is supplied between an inner surface of the concave portion and the movable body.   It has the 1st fluid supply part which supplies a pressurized fluid between the surfaces which the said fixed body and the said movable body oppose, The said 1st fluid supply part is provided in the surface of the said movable body. Item 15. The static pressure slider according to Item 10.   The static pressure slider according to claim 11, further comprising a recovery groove that recovers the pressurized fluid around the first fluid supply unit, wherein the recovery groove is provided on a surface of the movable body. The fixed body and the movable body have a first surface and a second surface facing each other,
The second surface of the movable body includes a first portion that is covered by the first surface regardless of the position of the movable body, and a second portion that is exposed to the outside according to the position of the movable body. Have
The first fluid supply part is provided in the first part, and the first part has a recovery groove for recovering the pressurized fluid around the first fluid supply part. The static pressure slider according to claim 11.   The static pressure slider according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the pair of fixed bodies have side surfaces of the recesses intersecting the first direction at end portions in the first direction. A movable member having a surface facing the movable body and movable in a third direction different from the first direction;
The static pressure slider according to any one of claims 10 to 14, further comprising a second fluid supply unit that supplies the pressurized fluid between surfaces of the movable body and the movable member facing each other. The movable body has a hole, an opening of the hole extends in the third direction, and the movable member has a portion to be received that is received in the hole.
The static pressure slider according to claim 15, wherein the second fluid supply unit is provided on a surface of the accommodated portion of the movable member.   The static pressure slider according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the third direction is parallel to the second direction.

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