JPH06335833A - Xy stage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To absorb the running precision error of a driving stage and prevent it from being transmitted to a driven stage by connecting the driving stage to the driven stage by a connecting spring. CONSTITUTION:When a driving stage 14 is driven along an X-axial guide 19 and a Y-axial guide 16, this driving force is transmitted to a driven stage through a connecting leaf spring 31. The driven stage 11 is guided in two freedom directions of XY to a standard guide surface 12 by a magnetic absorbing air slide 32. Since the leaf spring 31 is highly rigid for X-axial direction, Y-axial direction and 9, direction, the driving force of the driving stage 14 is faithfully transmitted to the driven stage 11, but the rigidity in Z-axial direction and thetaX and thetaY directions are small. Thus, the running precision errors (DELTAZ, DELTAthetaX, DELTAthetaY) generated in the driving stage 14 are absorbed by the leaf spring 31, and never transmitted to the driven stage 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an XY stage device used for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, precision machine tools, three-dimensional measuring instruments and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an XY stage apparatus, in addition to positioning accuracy, running accuracy error such as yawing, pitching, or rolling often becomes a problem. Conventionally, in order to eliminate the influence of such running accuracy error, (1) The ultra-precision guides such as air slides, sliding guides, and rolling guides are combined on two axes, and the guide base is precisely finished to provide the running accuracy of the stage itself. For example, a method of raising the position, or (2) a method of providing a fine movement mechanism portion for posture correction and correcting the running accuracy error of the stage by the fine movement mechanism portion, and the like have been used.

[0003]

However, in the above method (1), it is inevitable that the base and the guide portion are increased in rigidity in order to increase the rigidity, and when the rolling guide is used, the diameter of the rolling element is controlled. It was necessary to combine them.

Further, the above method (2) has the drawbacks that a sensor system for detecting the posture to be corrected, an actuator for posture correction, etc. are required, the structure is complicated, and the load on the controller system is increased. .

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an XY stage device of high accuracy with a simple structure.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a drive stage, a driven stage which is positioned by being guided by a reference guide surface, and a connecting spring which connects the drive stage and the drive stage. X characterized by
A Y stage device is obtained.

According to the present invention, there is also provided an XY stage device characterized in that the connecting spring is a leaf spring.

According to the present invention, there is further provided an XY stage device characterized in that bearings are provided at both ends of the leaf spring.

[0009]

1 is a schematic diagram showing the basic structure of an XY stage apparatus of the present invention. The driven stage (hereinafter referred to as stage A) 11 has a highly accurate reference surface 12
In contrast, the stage is guided by the plane slide guide means 13 without a drive mechanism. The drive stage (hereinafter referred to as stage B) 14 is an XY stage that has two axes, for example, a combination of a linear guide such as a commercially available rolling guide and a drive actuator such as a commercially available linear motion motor. The Y-slider 17 is driven on the Y-axis guide 16 on the base 15 in parallel with the Y-axis by the Y-axis driving motor, and the X-axis driving motor 18 drives the Y-slider 17 to drive the X-axis guide 19 And an X slider 20 which is guided in parallel with the X axis. The X slider 20 and the stage A11 are coupled by a coupling spring 21. The connecting spring 21 is configured so as to absorb the running accuracy error of the stage B14 and not affect the running accuracy error of the stage B14 on the stage A11.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an XY stage device of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a leaf spring 31 as a connecting spring connects the X slider 20 and the stage A11. Further, the stage A11 is guided to the reference surface 12 finished with high accuracy via a magnetic attraction air slide 32.

The leaf spring 31 is in the X-axis direction of the illustrated coordinate system,
The rigidity is high in the Y-axis direction and the angle θ _Z around the Z-axis, and the driving force of the stage B14 is faithfully reproduced in the stage A11.
Tell. On the other hand, the angles θ _X , Y around the Z-axis direction and the X-axis
The rigidity is weak in the angle θ _Y direction around the axis, and the running accuracy error generated in the stage B14 is absorbed to absorb the error in the stage A.
I am trying not to tell 11.

In the XY stage device of this embodiment, when the stage B14 is driven along the X-axis guide 19 and the Y-axis guide 16, the driving force is transmitted to the stage A11 via the connecting leaf spring 31. . Stage A
11 is a magnetic attraction air slide 3 with respect to the reference guide surface 12.
2 is guided in the two degrees of freedom in XY. Leaf spring 31
Has a high rigidity in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the θ _Z direction, so that the driving force of the stage B14 is faithfully reproduced in the stage A11.
However, the rigidity in the Z-axis, θ _X , and θ _Y directions is small. That is, the Z-axis of the connecting leaf spring 31, θ _X , θ _Y
The rigidity in the directions is K _ZB , K θ _XB , and K θ _YB , respectively, and Z, θ _X , and θ of the magnetic attraction air slide 32 of the stage A11 are set.
Assuming that the rigidity in the _Y direction is K _ZA , Kθ _XA , and Kθ _YA , the following relationships of Formulas 1, 2, and 3 are obtained.

[0013]

[Equation 1]

[0014]

[Equation 2]

[0015]

[Equation 3]

Therefore, the running accuracy error (ΔZ, Δθ _X , Δθ _Y ) generated in the stage B14 is caused by the connecting leaf spring 31.
Are absorbed by and are not transmitted to the stage A11.
Thus, the stage A11 has a magnetic suction air slide 32.
It is driven in the XY two-axis directions with high precision.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the XY stage device of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, both ends of the leaf spring 31, which is a connecting portion, are connected to the stage A11 and the stage B14 via bearings 33. Angle θ _Y around Z axis and around Y axis by bearing 33
The running accuracy error in two directions is absorbed, and the leaf spring 31 absorbs only the running accuracy error in the angle θ _X direction around the X axis.
This reduces the load on the leaf spring 31. Incidentally, not to give a case in two directions running accuracy errors of Z-axis and Y-axis of the angle theta _Y is large enough to not be absorbed by the leaf spring 31 is forced with a rotary joint, such as inevitably bearing 33.

Although the magnetic suction air slide is used in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and any means capable of moving on a plane while being attracted by a magnetic force or a vacuum force so that the stage 11A is not separated from the reference guide surface. Good.

[0019]

As described above, according to the XY stage device of the present invention, the connecting spring absorbs the running accuracy error (ΔZ, Δθ _X , Δθ _Y ) of the stage B and does not transmit it to the stage A. Therefore, the running accuracy error of the stage B does not affect the posture of the stage A, the running accuracy of the stage B is not strictly required, and it is simpler than the other stages having the same accuracy. An effect such as a compact structure can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a basic configuration of an XY stage device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an XY stage device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the XY stage device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Driven Stage (Stage A) 12 Reference Surface 13 Plane Sliding Guide Means 14 Driving Stage (Stage B) 15 Base 16 Y Axis Guide 17 Y Slider 18 X Axis Drive Motor 19 X Axis Guide 20 X Slider 21 Coupling Spring 31 Leaf spring 32 Magnetic suction air slide 33 Bearing

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An XY stage apparatus comprising: a drive stage; a driven stage that is guided and positioned by a reference guide surface; and a connecting spring that connects the drive stage and the driven stage. . 2. The XY stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting spring is a leaf spring. 3. The XY stage apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the leaf spring is provided with bearings at both ends.