JPH09243766A - Alignment stage - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably support a moving stage without being slipped out from a base even when the moving stage is vertically arranged. SOLUTION: A connecting part 3 for connecting a moving stage 2 to a base 1 is formed of a rotating shaft 6 for supporting the moving stage in such a manner as to be two-dimensionally rotatable, and a cross orthogonal, guide 7 for connecting the rotating shaft 6 to the base 1. The rotating shaft 6 has a lock member 10 so that a shaft body 8 is not separated from a bearing 9. The cross orthogonal guide 7 is constituted in such a manner that a first rail 11 and a second rail 12 are slid only in mutually orthogonal directions through a rail support body 13, and both the rails are never moved other than the sliding directions. The first rail 11 is fixed to the shaft body 8 through a connecting member 14, and the second rail 12 is fixed to the base 1. Thus, even when the moving stage 2 is vertically arranged, the moving stage 2 is supported in such a manner as to be two-dimensionally movable in the in-plane direction of the stage surface in the state where the Z-directional movement to the base 1 is prohibited.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an alignment stage in which a moving stage holding an object is two-dimensionally parallel and rotated with respect to a fixed base to position the object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, an exposure apparatus for forming a pattern on a printed circuit board, a liquid crystal substrate or the like by exposure is provided with an alignment stage for performing positioning while holding an object to be exposed. Further, even in an apparatus for registering a target object on which a pattern has already been formed and performing a predetermined processing, an alignment stage for positioning the target object to be processed may be provided in some cases. Such an alignment stage positions an object by moving a moving stage that holds the object with respect to a fixed base.

An example of such an alignment stage is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-49548. The apparatus described in the above publication moves the table by moving the table by applying two-dimensional translation and rotation to the table (moving stage) on which the pattern-formed printing plate (object) is placed. Is a device for performing punching by positioning the to a predetermined position.

This conventional technique will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a conventional alignment stage,
FIG. 7 is a cutaway front view from the direction A in FIG. In the figure, 40 is a fixed base, and 50 is a table arranged on the base 40. Ball casters BC are attached to the base 40 at four positions. A bracket 52 is fixed to the lower surface of the table 50, and the ball caster BC is attached to the corresponding bracket 52.
So that the ball surface of the table abuts
Is placed on top. Accordingly, the table 50 is parallel to the surface of the table 50 with respect to the base 40, and XY and θ are set.
It can be moved in any direction.

On the other hand, on the lower surface of the table 50, three actuators AY1, AY2 and AX equipped with pulse motors are fixed. Each actuator AY1, AY
2, AX is provided with an operating bowl which expands and contracts by a pulse motor, and each operating bowl respectively abuts and abuts against the metal fittings 54A to 54C fixed to the base 40. In the vicinity of the actuators AY1, AY2, and AX, springs 56A to 56C that urge the table 50 toward the base 40 in the direction in which the operating bowls contract are provided. Therefore, by expanding and contracting the operating bowls of the actuators AY1, AY2, and AX, the table 50 is moved to the base 4
It can move and rotate in the XY and θ directions with respect to 0.

[0006]

In this conventional technique, the table 50 is mounted on the ball caster BC by its own weight, so that the table 50 cannot be arranged vertically, for example.

Here, it is conceivable to arrange the table 50 vertically while pressing it against the base 40. In this case, since the object is placed on the surface of the table, there is a place where it can be pressed down from the surface of the table. It has the drawback of being limited. It is also possible to urge the back surface of the table toward the base side with a spring or the like, but if the table becomes large in size, the weight increases and it becomes unstable. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an alignment stage that can be moved stably without being displaced from the base even if the table (moving stage) is arranged other than horizontal, for example, vertically.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a movable stage for holding an object on its surface is two-dimensionally arranged in the same plane as the surface of the movable stage with respect to a fixed base. An alignment stage for performing parallel translation and rotation to position an object, the translation stage allowing the translation and rotation in the plane while being perpendicular to a surface of the translation stage. It is characterized in that it is provided with a connecting portion for connecting the base and the base in a non-releasable manner.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the alignment stage of the first aspect, the coupling portion supports (a) the movable stage so as to be two-dimensionally rotatable within the same plane as the surface of the movable stage. A rotary shaft for rotating the rotary shaft, (b) first guide means for supporting the rotary shaft so as to be movable only in a first direction parallel to the surface of the moving stage, and (c) the first guide means.
The second guide means for movably supporting only the second guide means parallel to the surface of the moving stage and orthogonal to the first direction is inseparably combined.

According to a third aspect of the invention, in the alignment stage of the first aspect, the coupling portion has two rails that are orthogonal to each other, and each rail is attached to the other rail while maintaining the orthogonal state of both rails. It has a cross orthogonal guide slidable along it, one rail of this cross orthogonal guide is coupled to the base, and the other stage can rotate the moving stage in the same plane as the surface of the moving stage. It is characterized in that a rotating shaft for supporting is connected.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an alignment stage which is one of the embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view seen from the direction a in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. Note that some of the drawings are broken or omitted for easy viewing. In particular, in FIG. 1 and FIG.
Illustrations of the elements 20, 21, M (details described later) therein are omitted.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a base composed of a rigid frame or the like which constitutes the main body, and 2 is a moving stage supported on the base 1 by a coupling portion 3 which will be described later. The moving stage 2 has a plate portion 4 having a holding surface S for holding an object such as a photosensitive material or a substrate on the side not facing the base 1, and is fixed to the opposite holding surface side of the plate portion 4. And the supporting portion 5 that is joined to the base 1 by the joining portion 3.
It should be noted that the holding surface S is provided with a suction groove or the like (not shown) so as to suck and hold the object.

The connecting portion 3 for connecting the moving stage 2 and the base 1 moves the moving stage 2 in the in-plane direction of the holding surface S.
A rotary shaft 6 rotatably supported dimensionally, and the rotary shaft 6
And a cross orthogonal guide 7 connecting the base 1 and the base 1.

The rotary shaft 6 is composed of a shaft body 8 and a bearing 9 fitted to the support portion 5 for rotatably supporting the shaft body 8. The shaft body 8 is provided with a stopper member 10 at its end so as to prevent the shaft body 8 from being disengaged from the bearing 9.

The cross orthogonal guide 7 is a guide member configured so that the first rail 11 and the second rail 12 slide only in the directions orthogonal to each other via the rail support 13. The first rail 11 of the cross orthogonal guide 7 is
It is fixed to the shaft body 8 via a coupling member 14, and the second rail 12 is fixed to the base 1. The first
The rail 11 and the second rail 12 are slidably coupled to the rail support 13 and are regulated so that neither rail moves in a direction other than the sliding direction. The respective elements forming the cross orthogonal guide 7 are integrated, and the elements are not separated even when a force is applied in the Z direction.

Since the connecting portion 3 is constructed as described above, the moving stage 2 is in the in-plane direction of the holding surface S with the movement of the moving stage 2 in the Z direction of FIG. In 2
It is supported so that it can move dimensionally. That is, the coupling part 3 irremovably couples the moving stage 2 and the base 1 in the direction Z perpendicular to the surface of the moving stage 2, while allowing the parallel movement and rotation in the XY plane. Become. It should be noted that if there are at least three connecting portions 3, the moving stage 2 can be supported without difficulty.

Next, driving of the moving stage 2 will be described. Three driving means D1, D2, D3 are fixedly mounted on the base 1. Each drive means D1, D2, D3 has a motor M1, M2, M3, respectively.
By rotating M3, the operating bowls A1, A2, A3 can be expanded and contracted. Here, the operating bowls A1 and A2 are arranged so as to expand and contract in the Y-axis direction of FIG. 1 at the left and right ends of the moving stage 2 in FIG. The working bowl A3 is arranged at the center of the moving stage 2 in the Y-axis direction so as to expand and contract in the X-axis direction in FIG. On the other hand, each of the operating bowls A1, A2,
Hit the metal fitting C so that the roller provided on the top of A3 comes into contact.
1, C2 and C3 are fixed. On the other hand, each of the four sides of the moving stage 2 is connected to the base 1 by the springs B, so that the moving stage 2 is constantly operated by the operating bowls A1, A2, A.
3 is urged in a contracting direction.

With the above structure, the moving stage 2 is moved within the plane of the holding surface S by driving the driving means D1, D2, D3.
Dimensionally parallel and rotational movement. That is, the working bowl A1,
Moving stage 2 by expanding and contracting A2 by the same amount
Can be translated in the Y-axis direction, and the working bowl A
1 and A2 can be rotated in the θ direction by expanding and contracting by different amounts. Further, the movable stage 2 can be translated in the X-axis direction by expanding and contracting the working bowl A3.

Further, FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the alignment table when applied to the exposure apparatus. In the figure, the base 1 is provided with a photomask holding portion 20 for holding the periphery of the photomask M, whereby the photomask M is arranged parallel to the substrate SB on the moving stage 2. . An alignment camera 21 is provided so as to face the moving stage 2 by a supporting means (not shown). The alignment camera 21 is composed of a CCD image pickup device or the like, and takes an image of a register mark or the like formed on the substrate B via the photomask M. The register mark image captured by the alignment camera 21 is image-processed by image processing means (not shown) to detect the position.

[0020]

[Other Embodiments] In the above embodiment, the cross orthogonal guide 7 having two orthogonal rails is used in advance in the joint portion 3, but two guide means slidable in one direction are prepared.
The two guide means may be combined in directions orthogonal to each other and fixed to each other. Further, the order of combination of these two guide means and the rotary shaft can be changed, and for example, the shaft body 8 and the bearing 9 may be provided on the base 1 side.

However, it is more preferable to use the above-mentioned cross orthogonal guide because of the cost and simplification of the number of parts.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the required degree of freedom is secured by combining two translational (parallel movement) degrees of freedom and one rotational degree of freedom. It is also possible to secure the required degree of freedom by a combination of and one parallel degree of freedom and a combination of three rotational degrees of freedom.

For example, in the example of FIG. 4, a rail support 32 is fixed to the top of a shaft 31 rotatably supported on the base 1, and a rail 33 is mounted on the rail support 32 as indicated by an arrow L. It is slidable and the rail 3 is attached by the shaft 34.
3 is rotatably supported on the moving stage 2. In this case, the connecting body 30 of the rail support 32 and the rail 33 can "arm swing" in an arbitrary direction within the XY plane by an external force, and thus, rotation and two-dimensional translation can be performed. realizable.

Further, in the example of FIG. 5, three rotary shaft support portions 3 are provided.
A link mechanism having 6, 37, 38 realizes the coupling portion in the present invention. These are all base 1
The separation of the moving stage 2 and the moving stage 2 in the Z direction is prevented.

However, from the viewpoint of rigidity (prevention of backlash), the torque load in the movable portion is relatively low as shown in FIGS.
The embodiment of FIG. 3 is preferred.

As described above, the present invention can be implemented in various modifications.

[0027]

According to the first to third aspects of the present invention,
Since the parallel movement and rotation are allowed in a plane parallel to the surface of the moving stage, the moving stage and the base are irremovably coupled in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the moving stage. Even if it is provided vertically, the movable stage can be stably supported without being displaced from the base.

In particular, in the invention of claim 3, since the cross orthogonal guide is used for connecting the moving stage and the base, in addition to the above effects, the device can be manufactured with a simple structure at low cost. There is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an alignment stage according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an alignment stage that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view from another direction of the alignment stage according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a connecting portion in a modified example of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a connecting portion in another modification of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a conventional alignment stage (table).

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional alignment stage (table).

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base 2 Moving stage 3 Coupling part 6 Rotation axis 7 Cross orthogonal guide 8 Shaft body 9 Bearing 11 First rail 12 Second rail 13 Rail support

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A moving stage, which holds an object on its surface, is two-dimensionally translated and rotated in the same plane as the surface of the moving stage with respect to a fixed base to rotate the object. An alignment stage that performs positioning, while allowing the parallel movement and rotation in the plane,
An alignment stage, comprising: a coupling unit that permanently couples the movable stage and the base in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the movable stage. 2. The alignment stage according to claim 1, wherein the coupling portion includes: (a) a rotation shaft that two-dimensionally rotatably supports the moving stage in the same plane as the surface of the moving stage; ) A first axis whose rotation axis is parallel to the surface of the moving stage.
First guide means for movably supporting only in the direction of, and (c) the first guide means only in a second direction parallel to the surface of the moving stage and orthogonal to the first direction. An alignment stage comprising a second guide means that is movably supported and an unseparable combination. 3. The alignment stage according to claim 1, wherein the coupling portion has two rails that are orthogonal to each other, and any rail can slide along the other rail while maintaining the orthogonal state of both rails. A cross orthogonal guide is provided, and one rail of this cross orthogonal guide is coupled to the base, and the other rail is provided with a rotation shaft that rotatably supports the movable stage in the same plane as the surface of the movable stage. An alignment stage characterized by being combined.