JPH10149976A - Stage device and aligner using it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the eddy current in a guide when a reticle stage, etc., is scanned. SOLUTION: A reticle stage 3 is scanned in the Y-axis direction along a guide 2 by means linear motors provided on both sides of the stage 3. Since air pad units 11-14 which maintain the stage 3 and guide 2 in a non-contacting state respectively have preload applying units 23 which face oppositely laminated magnetic bodies 24 which are put in the grooves 2a of the guide 2, the rigidity of a bearing is intensified. Each laminated magnetic body 24 is formed by laminating a thin magnetic material and a thin insulating material and improves the drive efficiencies of the linear motors by cutting an eddy current which is generated by the movement of the units 23 with the thin insulating material.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor exposure apparatus, and more particularly, to a substrate such as a wafer (hereinafter referred to as "substrate") in which a reticle pattern is limited to an arc-shaped or rectangular band-shaped area.
That. The present invention relates to a stage apparatus of a so-called scanning type exposure apparatus for exposing an entire reticle pattern and transferring the reticle pattern to a substrate by synchronously scanning the reticle and the substrate, and an exposure apparatus using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a so-called scanning type exposure apparatus for transferring an entire reticle pattern onto a substrate by synchronously scanning an original reticle and a substrate, the scanning speed of the reticle and the substrate is controlled with extremely high accuracy and stably. It is necessary to use a stage device capable of performing such operations, and a linear motor is generally used as a drive unit of such a stage device.

FIG. 11 shows a stage device according to a conventional example, which includes a flat guide 1102 fixed on a base (not shown) and a predetermined scanning direction (Y-axis direction) along the guide 1102. A reticle stage 1103 that is reciprocally movable, a pair of linear motor stators 1104 and 1105 disposed integrally with a base on both sides of the reticle stage 1103 along the traveling path, and both side surfaces of the reticle stage 1103. It has a pair of linear motor movers 1106 and 1107 provided integrally with each other. The linear motor stators 1104 and 1105 and the linear motor movers 1106 and 1107 respectively accelerate and decelerate the reticle stage 1103 in the scanning direction. The motors R ₁ and R ₂ are configured. Reticle stage 1103
It is guided without contact with the guide 1102 by an air slide (hydrostatic bearing apparatus) E ₀ shown in FIG.

[0004] Each linear motor stator 1104, 1105
Is a linear motor stator of a multi-phase coil switching type comprising a plurality of coils 1104a, 1105a arranged in series along a guide 1102 and coil stands 1104b, 1105b supporting the coils. Openings 1106a, 1 of motor movers 1106, 1107
107a. When a driving current is sequentially supplied from a power supply (not shown) to the coils 1104a and 1105a and they are excited, the linear motor movers 1106 and 1107 are excited.
And the reticle stage 1103 is accelerated or decelerated.

A reticle 1140 is adsorbed on reticle stage 1103, and a wafer stage 12
03 (see FIG. 13), the wafer is held,
Wafer stage 1203 also has a drive unit similar to reticle stage 1103, and is similarly controlled. Reticle 11
The band-shaped exposure light L ₀ (a cross-section is shown by a broken line in FIG. 14) applied to a part of 40 forms an image on a wafer by a projection optical system 1205 supported by a frame 1204, and exposes the band-shaped region. Transfer a part of the reticle pattern. Each exposure cycle of the scanning type exposure apparatus is to transfer the entire reticle pattern onto the wafer by synchronizing to driving a reticle stage 1103 and the wafer stage 1203 relative to the belt-like exposure light L _0, the reticle stage 1103 While the wafer stage 1203 is running, its position is detected by the laser interferometers 1108 and 1208, respectively, and fed back to the drive unit. The acceleration / deceleration of the reticle stage 1103 by the linear motors R ₁ and R ₂ and the speed control during exposure are performed as follows.

As shown in the plan view of FIG. 14, for example, when the reticle stage 1103 is at the left end in the scanning direction and the center O ₀ of the width of the reticle in the scanning direction is located at the acceleration start position P ₁ , Acceleration by the rightward thrust of the motors R ₁ and R ₂ is started. When the center O ₀ of the reticle 1140 reaches the acceleration end position P ₂ , the acceleration is stopped, and thereafter the linear motors R ₁ and R ₂ are turned off. Only functions to control the scanning speed of the reticle stage 1103 to be constant. The center O _{0 of the} reticle 1140 is at the deceleration start position P ₃
, The deceleration by the leftward thrust of the linear motors R ₁ and R ₂ is started, and the center O _{0 of the} reticle 1140 is started.
There running of the reticle stage 1103 is stopped when reaching the deceleration end position P _4.

In such an acceleration / deceleration cycle, the reticle stage 1103 travels rightward in the drawing, and the center O _{0 of the} reticle 1140 reaches the acceleration end position P ₂ , and at the same time, the exposure light L ₀ enters the right end of the reticle pattern in the drawing. When the center O _{0 of the} reticle 1140 reaches the deceleration start position P ₃ , the exposure of the entire reticle pattern is completed. During exposure of a reticle 1140 that is, while the reticle pattern travels across the exposure light L ₀ is the reticle stage 1103 is controlled at a constant scanning speed, in synchronization with this, the scanning speed of the wafer stage 1203 are also controlled in the same manner You. Note that the relative position between the wafer and the reticle 1140 at the start of exposure is strictly controlled, and the speed ratio between the wafer and the reticle 1140 during exposure is controlled so as to exactly match the reduction magnification of the projection optical system 1205 between the two. After the exposure, both are appropriately decelerated.

[0008] Next, a description will be given air slide E ₀ which supports the reticle stage 1103 on the guide 1102 without contact. FIG. 12 shows an air slide E ₀ provided on the back surface of the reticle stage 1103.
The reticle stage 1103 and linear motor movers 1106 and 110
7 and the coil 1104a of the linear motor stators 1104 and 1105, by raising the 1105a, shows a state of exposing the air slide E _0.

The air slide E ₀ has four air pads 1.
111 to 1114, three of which are guides 1
Downward pads 1111-111 facing the upper surface of 102
3 and the remaining one is a side pad 1114 disposed opposite to one side of the guide 1102. Each of the downward pads 1111 to 1113 jets pressurized air onto the upper surface of the guide 1102, and causes the reticle stage 1103 to float above the upper surface of the guide 1102 by the static pressure. Further, the side surface pad 1114 blows out pressurized air toward the side surface of the guide 1102, and the side plate 1103a of the reticle stage 1103 floats from the side surface of the guide 1102 by the static pressure.

[0010] Three downward pads 1111-1113
Are disposed so as to support the reticle stage 1103 at three points in a plane (XY plane) perpendicular to the optical axis (Z axis) of the exposure light, and pressurized air supplied to each of the downwardly directed pads 1111-1113. By controlling the pressure, the position (height) of reticle stage 1103 in the Z-axis direction and ωX, ω
The position (inclination) in the Y-axis direction, that is, pitching or the like can be controlled. The side pad 1114 can control the position of the reticle stage 1103 in the X-axis direction.

As described above, the air slide E ₀ is guided by the guides 11 by the total of four air pads 1111 to 1114.
02 supports the reticle stage 1103 in a non-contact manner,
It is configured to guide in the scanning direction while strictly managing the height and posture (position in the four-axis direction).

The air pads 1111 to 1114 are fixed to the back surface of the reticle stage 1103, and a pair of preload units 1121 to 1124 are provided on both sides of each air pad 1111 to 1114. Each preload unit 1
Each of the magnets 121 to 1124 is composed of two magnets 1131 and 1132 having magnetic poles of opposite directions and a back yoke 1133 joined to their back surfaces. A magnetic attraction force is generated between the reticle stage 1103 and the guide 1102 by a magnetic circuit that enters the second magnet 1132 via the 1102 and returns to the first magnet 1131 through the back yoke 1133. This magnetic attraction force is applied to each air pad 1111-1 to 1
Acting in the opposite direction to the static pressure of 114, the rigidity of the bearing is enhanced, and an air gap of about 5 microns is maintained between the reticle stage 1103 and the guide 1102.

The material of the guide 1102 needs to be a ferromagnetic material in order to allow the magnetic flux of each of the preload units 1121 to 1124 to pass therethrough, and high surface accuracy is required for the upper surface and the side surface facing the reticle stage 1103. Because of this, hardness is required at the time of processing, so that iron that has been subjected to a quenching treatment is generally used.

An air slide and a guide of the wafer stage 1203 are configured in the same manner as described above, and are scanned by a similar linear motor.

[0015]

However, according to the above prior art, as described above, since the material of the guide of the reticle stage and the like is a ferromagnetic material such as iron, an air slide (hydrostatic bearing device). An eddy current is generated in the guides along with the movement of the magnets constituting the preload unit, thereby increasing the so-called viscous resistance acting against the driving force of the linear motor. As a result, there is an unsolved problem that the driving efficiency of the linear motor is significantly reduced.

Also, since the air slide is non-contact,
After accelerating the reticle stage to the predetermined scanning speed, even if the acceleration is stopped, the scanning speed of the reticle stage hardly decelerates, and the scanning speed is reduced by a slight thrust until the deceleration by the opposite acceleration force is started. Should be able to keep. However, when an eddy current is generated in the guide, a thrust for overcoming the viscous resistance due to the eddy current must be added, and the required driving force during exposure increases, and the amount of current supplied to the linear motor increases. When the required driving force during the exposure increases in this way, troubles such as generation of thermal strain on the reticle stage due to heat generation of the linear motor and the like are induced.

In particular, when a linear motor of a polyphase coil switching system is used as described above, thrust unevenness of several percent is generated in the same cycle by coil switching.
If the driving amount of the linear motor is increased so as to overcome the viscous resistance of the guide, the above-described uneven thrust causes disturbance, which affects the scanning speed of the reticle stage during exposure, and deteriorates the transfer accuracy of the exposure apparatus.

This tendency becomes more remarkable as the scanning speed of the reticle stage or the like increases, which is a major obstacle in increasing the speed of the exposure apparatus and improving the productivity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned unresolved problems of the prior art, and reduces the viscous resistance due to the eddy current of the guide to improve the driving efficiency of the linear motor, thereby improving the speed of the exposure apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stage device which can greatly contribute to the improvement of transfer accuracy and transfer accuracy, and an exposure apparatus using the same.

[0020]

In order to achieve the above object, a stage apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a moving stage movable along a guide surface of a guide; a driving means for moving the moving stage; Hydrostatic bearing means for keeping the guide surfaces in non-contact, and magnetic means held on the moving stage so as to move in opposition to a predetermined portion of the guide surface, At least the predetermined portion is configured by a side surface of a laminated magnetic body in which a plurality of thin plate magnetic materials are laminated via an insulating layer.

The remaining portion of the guide surface excluding a predetermined portion is
It may be made of a non-magnetic material.

It is preferable that the laminated magnetic material is separate from the guide and is supported independently of the guide.

The side surface of the laminated magnetic body may face the hydrostatic bearing means.

A moving stage movable along a guide surface of the guide, a driving means for moving the moving stage, a hydrostatic bearing means for keeping the moving stage and the guide surface in non-contact, Magnetic means held on the moving stage so as to face the guide surface, wherein the guide surface is
A stage device comprising a side surface of a laminated magnetic body in which a plurality of thin plate magnetic materials are laminated via an insulating layer may be provided.

The entire guide may be formed of a laminated magnetic body.

[0026]

The moving stage is attracted (biased) toward the guide surface by magnetic attraction between the laminated magnetic body and the magnetic means,
Strengthening the bearing rigidity of the hydrostatic bearing means.

The eddy current generated when the magnetic means moves together with the moving stage is divided by the insulating layer of the laminated magnetic material. As a result, the viscous resistance due to the eddy current is greatly reduced, and the thrust required during constant-speed scanning of the scanning stage can be reduced. In this way, troubles due to heat generation and uneven thrust during the exposure can be prevented, the transfer accuracy of the exposure apparatus can be greatly improved, and productivity can be greatly improved by increasing the speed.

[0028]

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

FIG. 1 shows a stage device according to a first embodiment, which comprises a flat guide 2 fixed on an anti-vibration base 1 and a scanning direction (Y-axis direction) along the guide 2. A reticle stage 3 which is a movable stage capable of reciprocating; a pair of linear motor stators 4 and 5 integrally provided with a vibration isolating base 1 on both sides of the reticle stage 3 along a traveling path; It has a pair of linear motor movers 6,7 provided integrally with both side surfaces of the stage 3, respectively. The linear motor stators 4,5 and the linear motor movers 6,7 respectively move the reticle stage 3 in the scanning direction. A pair of linear motors as driving means for accelerating and decelerating is configured. The reticle stage 3 is guided without contact with the guide 2 by an air slide E ₁ shown in FIG.

Each of the linear motor stators 4 and 5 includes a guide 2
Is a multi-layer coil switching type linear motor stator comprising a plurality of coils 4a, 5a arranged in series along the axis, and coil stands 4b, 5b supporting the coils. 7a. Coil 4
When drive currents are sequentially supplied from a power supply (not shown) to the motors a and 5a and these are excited, a thrust is generated between the linear motor movers 6 and 7 and, thereby, the reticle stage 3 is driven.
Is accelerated or decelerated.

A reticle 30, which is an original, is adsorbed on the reticle stage 3, and a wafer, which is an object to be exposed, is held below the reticle 30 by a wafer stage. Have
It is controlled similarly. A band-like exposure light applied to a part of the reticle 30 from a light source (not shown) serving as an exposure unit forms an image on a wafer by a projection optical system in the same manner as in the related art, and exposes the band-like area to form a part of the reticle pattern. Transcribe.

By moving the reticle stage 3 and the wafer stage synchronously, the entire reticle pattern is transferred to the wafer. During this time, the positions of the reticle stage 3 and the wafer stage are respectively detected by the laser interferometer and fed back to the drive unit. Acceleration and deceleration of the reticle stage 3 by the linear motor and speed control during exposure are the same as in the conventional example. Next will be explained an air slide E _1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air slide E ₁ is
It has four air pad units 11 to 14, three of which are downward pad units 11 to 13 facing the upper surface which is the guide surface of the guide 2, and the other one is the guide surface of the guide 2. The side surface pad unit 14 is disposed to face one side surface. Each downward pad unit 11
13 ejects pressurized air to the upper surface of the guide 2 and causes the reticle stage 3 to float from the upper surface of the guide 2 by the static pressure. The side pad unit 14 is provided with the guide 2.
Is blown toward the side surface of the reticle stage 3, and the side plate 3a of the reticle stage 3 floats from the side surface of the guide 2 by the static pressure.

Each of the air pad units 11 to 14 includes a pair of air pads 2 which are long hydrostatic bearings in the Y-axis direction.
1 and 22 and a preload unit 23 which is a magnetic means disposed therebetween. The preload unit 23 is disposed to face the side surface of the bar-shaped laminated magnetic body 24 extending in the Y-axis direction along the guide 2, and the preload unit 23 and the laminated magnetic body 24
Is about 0.5 mm. The preload unit 23 includes two pole magnets 23a and 23b arranged in series,
A magnetic flux emitted from the N pole of the first magnet 23a enters the second magnet 23b via the laminated magnetic body 24,
A magnetic attraction for attracting the reticle stage 3 toward the guide 2 is generated by a magnetic circuit returning to the first magnet 23a through 3c. This magnetic attraction force enhances the bearing rigidity as a preload acting in the direction opposite to the static pressure of the air pads 21 and 22, and maintains an air gap of about 5 μm between the reticle stage 3 and the guide 2.

The laminated magnetic body 24 is provided on the upper surface of the guide 2.
A total of three guides are provided on the side of the book and the guide 2. The two laminated magnetic bodies 24 on the upper surface of the guide 2 are accommodated in grooves 2a formed on the upper surface of the guide 2 and extend in the Y-axis direction. The body 25 is independent of the guide 2 and the coil stand 4b, and is supported by the anti-vibration base 1 together with these. Similarly, the laminated magnetic body 24 on the side surface of the guide 2 is accommodated in the groove 2 a provided on the side surface of the guide 2, extends in the Y-axis direction, and both ends thereof are supported by the support 25.

The cross-sectional dimension of each groove 2a is set sufficiently large so as not to come into contact with the guide 2 and the laminated magnetic body 24 which is separate from the guide 2. In addition, as described above, each air pad unit 1
The gap dimension (air gap) between the air pads 21 and 22 and the upper surface and the side surface of the guide 2 is about 5 μm. Although it is necessary to work with extremely high surface accuracy, the laminated magnetic body 24 and the magnets 23a,
A gap of about 0.5 mm may be provided between 23b. Therefore, the laminated magnetic body 24 does not require high-precision finishing like the guide 2.

The material of the guide 2 is a non-magnetic material and ceramic which is relatively easy to process. As shown in an enlarged manner in FIG.
22 is a laminate in which a plurality of thin magnetic materials 24a, which are perpendicular to the bearing surface of the reticle stage 3 and are long in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction) of the reticle stage 3, are stacked via a thin insulating material 24b as an insulating layer; The side faces the preload unit 23, and the stacking direction A, ie, each thin magnetic material 24a and each thin insulating material 2
4b corresponds to the two-pole magnet 2 of each preload unit 23.
3a and 23b are arranged so as to be orthogonal to both the arrangement direction and the magnetization direction.

In this embodiment, the arrangement direction of the two-pole magnets 23a and 23b of the preload unit 23 of the air pad unit facing the upper surface of the guide 2, ie, the downward facing pad units 11 to 13, is determined by the scanning direction of the reticle stage 3. In the same Y-axis direction, the magnetization direction of each of the magnets 23a and 23b is perpendicular to the upper surface of the guide 2, that is, the Z-axis direction. Therefore, the lamination direction A of the laminated magnetic body 24 that faces the preload unit 23 of each of the downward pad units 11 to 13.
Is the X-axis direction, that is, a direction parallel to the upper surface of the guide 2 and orthogonal to the scanning direction of the reticle stage 3. Also,
Regarding the side pad unit 14, the arrangement direction of the two-pole magnets 23 a and 23 b of the preload unit 23 is the same Y-axis direction as the scanning direction of the reticle stage 3, and each magnet 23
Since the magnetization directions of the a and b are perpendicular to the side surface of the guide 2, that is, the X-axis direction, the lamination direction A of the laminated magnetic body 24 facing the preload unit 23 of the side pad unit 14.
Is the Z-axis direction, that is, a direction parallel to the side surface of the guide 2 and orthogonal to the scanning direction of the reticle stage 3.

[0039] As described above, the magnetic circuit of each preload unit 23 of the air slide E ₁ is of two-pole magnets 23a, 23b
From one of the magnetic poles in the direction in which the magnetic poles are arranged.
4 and enter the other one of the two-pole magnets 23a and 23b, penetrate it in the magnetizing direction, advance in the back yoke 23c in the opposite direction, and return to one of the two-pole magnets 23a and 23b. It is composed of magnetic flux. Since the lamination direction A of the laminated magnetic body 24 is orthogonal to such a magnetic flux,
When the linear motor is driven, the current path of the eddy current generated in the laminated magnetic body 24 by the movement of each preload unit 23 is broken by the thin insulating material 24b.
Therefore, the drive efficiency of the linear motor is reduced as compared with the case where the entire guide 2 is made of a magnetic material such as iron or the case where a magnetic material such as a bar-shaped iron is opposed to each preload unit 23 instead of the laminated magnetic material 24. The amount of eddy current to be reduced is greatly reduced.

[0040] Incidentally, the eddy current generated by the movement of the air slide E ₁ is in proportion to the area ratio of the thin magnetic material and the thin insulating material on the side surface of the laminated magnetic material, the viscous resistance or energy loss due to eddy currents , Is proportional to the square of the area ratio.

Since it is not necessary to apply a thrust to overcome the eddy current to the reticle stage 3 unlike the conventional example, the driving current of the linear motor during exposure is extremely small, and the transfer accuracy is deteriorated due to heat generation of the linear motor. There is no danger. Further, even if the linear motor has uneven thrust or the like, the thrust of the linear motor during the exposure is very small, so that there is no possibility that the disturbance may affect the transfer accuracy.

As a result, the transfer accuracy of the scanning type exposure apparatus can be greatly improved.

The viscous resistance due to the eddy current of the guide is:
Since the scanning speed of the reticle stage and the like increases as the scanning speed increases, if the entire guide is made of hardened steel or the like, the scanning speed of the reticle or wafer cannot be sufficiently increased, which is a major obstacle to speeding up the exposure process. However, in the present embodiment, by avoiding such troubles, the scanning speed of the reticle stage and the like can be increased, and can greatly contribute to the improvement of the productivity of the exposure apparatus.

In this embodiment, an air pad unit having a pair of air pads on both sides of the preload unit is used, but an air pad may be provided between the pair of preload units. Further, the preload unit and the air pad can be arranged so as to be shifted in the Y-axis direction.

FIG. 4 shows a modification. This is because, instead of providing the laminated magnetic body 24 which is a long rod-shaped body separately from the guide 2, a relatively wide elongated laminated magnetic body 54 is used for the guide 4.
2 so that the side surface of the laminated magnetic body 54 faces the entire bearing surface of each of the air pad units 41 to 44. Each of the air pad units 41 to 44 has a pair of preload units 53 and an air pad 51 disposed therebetween. In the air pad units facing the upper surface of the guide 42, that is, the downward pad units 41 to 43, the respective preload units 53 Two-pole magnet 53
The reticle stage 3 is arranged so that the arrangement direction of the a and 53b is the scanning direction of the reticle stage 3, that is, the Y-axis direction. Since the magnetizing directions of the two-pole magnets 53a and 53b are perpendicular to the upper surface of the guide 42, that is, the Z-axis direction, the laminating direction of the laminated magnetic body 54 facing the preload unit 53 of each of the downward pad units 41 to 43 is The X-axis direction, that is, a direction parallel to the upper surface of the guide 42 and orthogonal to the scanning direction of the reticle stage 3. In the side pad unit 44, the two-pole magnets 53a and 53b of the preload unit 53 are provided.
Are arranged in the same Y-axis direction as the scanning direction of the reticle stage 3, and the magnetizing directions of the magnets 53a and 53b are
Is perpendicular to the side surface of the reticle stage 3, that is, in the X-axis direction, the lamination direction of the laminated magnetic body 54 facing the preload unit 53 of the side surface pad unit 44 is parallel to the Z-axis direction, that is, parallel to the side surface of the guide 42. This is a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction.

As described above, the entire portion of the guide 42 facing each of the air pad units 41 to 44 is
4, an air pad unit or the like in which the preload unit and the air pad are arranged in a direction intersecting the scanning direction of the reticle stage 3, that is, in an X-axis direction or a Z-axis direction can be used. This has the advantage that the design constraints are reduced.

FIG. 5 shows still another modification. this is,
A pair of laminated magnetic bodies 74 are integrated at both ends of the guide 62. Each laminated magnetic body 74 is formed by laminating a large number of rectangular plate-shaped thin plate magnetic materials in the Y-axis direction to form a columnar body, and is disposed such that a side surface thereof faces the preload unit 73 of each of the air pads 61 to 64. Things. In the air pad unit facing the upper surface of the guide 62, that is, the downward pad units 61 to 63, the respective preload units 7
The arrangement direction of the three two-pole magnets 73a and 73b is the X-axis direction, and the magnetizing direction of each magnet 73a and 73b is perpendicular to the upper surface of the guide 62, that is, the Z-axis direction. In the side pad unit 64, the arrangement direction of the two-pole magnets 73 a and 73 b of the preload unit 73 is the Z-axis direction, and the magnetization directions of the magnets 73 a and 73 b are perpendicular to the side surface of the guide 62.
That is, it is in the X-axis direction.

One of the pair of laminated magnetic members 74 has two orthogonal side surfaces facing the downward pad units 62 and 63 and the side surface pad unit 64, respectively, as shown in FIG.
There is an advantage in that the number of assembled parts can be reduced as compared with the case where three laminated magnetic bodies are used as in the apparatus described above.

FIG. 6 shows a wafer stage of the exposure apparatus according to the second embodiment, which is a guide plate 11.
Y which is a movable stage that can reciprocate in the Y-axis direction on
A stage 120, an X stage 130 that is a movable stage that is reciprocally movable on the Y stage 120 in the X-axis direction,
A pair of Y linear motors 140 as driving means for moving the Y stage 120 in the Y axis direction, and an X linear motor 1 as a driving means for moving the X stage 130 in the X axis direction.
50 is a stage device.

The platen 110 has an XY guide surface is a guide surface for supporting a non-contact through the air slide E ₂ showing the lower surface of the X stage 130 in FIG. At one end of the surface plate 110 in the X-axis direction, a Y guide 111 for guiding the Y stage 120 in the Y-axis direction is provided upright. An air slide (not shown) is also provided between the Y guide surface 111a of the Y guide 111 and the Y stage 120. Is kept in non-contact. When the Y linear motor 140 is driven, the Y stage 120
10 along the Y guide 111 on the XY guide surface.

The Y stage 120 includes a pair of Y sliders 1
21 and a long frame composed of a pair of X guides 122 disposed between them, and the lower surfaces of both Y sliders 121 face the XY guide surface of the surface plate 110. Also, one Y
The slider 121 is longer in the Y-axis direction than the other, and the side surface 121a faces the Y guide surface of the Y guide 111, and is guided in a non-contact manner via the air slide as described above. Each of the Y sliders 121 is connected to a mover 141 of a Y linear motor 140 via a connecting plate 123, and the connecting plate 123 is connected to a mover 14 of the Y linear motor 140.
1 and the Y stage 120 are integrally connected.

The X stage 130 is a hollow frame composed of a pair of top plates 131 and a pair of side plates 132 disposed between them, and the hollow portion is formed by the X guides 122 of the Y stage 120 and the X linear motor. 150 stators 152 penetrate. The bottom surface of the lower top plate 131 faces the XY guide surface of the surface plate 110, and the upper surface of the upper top plate 131 forms a wafer holding surface for sucking and holding a wafer, which is a not-shown object to be exposed.

Inner surface 1 of both side plates 132 of X stage 130
32a faces the X guide surface 122a which is the outer surface of both X guides 122 of the Y stage 120, and is guided in a non-contact manner by an air pad or the like.

Each Y linear motor 140 has the movable element 141 integrally connected to the connecting plate 123 as described above, and the stator 142 penetrating through the opening. Stator 14
2 has a coil array 42a arranged in the Y-axis direction and a fixing member 142b supporting both ends thereof.
A pair of yokes 14 holding magnets 141a facing each other
1b and a pair of aluminum plates 14 fixed to both ends thereof.
1c is a hollow frame body.

When current is supplied to the coils of the coil array 142a of the stator 142 of both Y linear motors 140, thrust due to Lorentz force is generated along the coil surface of the mover 141 facing the magnet 141a, and the Y stage 120 is moved. Move in the Y-axis direction.

The X stage 130 is replaced with the X of the Y stage 120.
X linear motor 150 moved along guide 122
The mover 151 is a top plate 13 above the X stage 130.
1 is a hollow frame fixed to the lower surface of the magnet 15, like the mover 141 of the Y linear motor 140.
It consists of a pair of iron plates holding 1a and a pair of aluminum plates fixed to both ends thereof.

The stator 152 of the X linear motor 150 is
It has a coil row 152a (not shown) arranged in the X-axis direction and a support 152b for supporting the coil row 152a.
By supplying current to each coil of the movable element 15
Thrust due to Lorentz force is generated in 1 and X stage 13
0 moves in the X-axis direction along the X guide 122 of the Y stage 120.

The X stage 130 is connected to the Y linear motor 14
By driving the 0, X linear motor 150 and the like as described above, the wafer is moved in steps, and each exposure angle of view of the wafer is positioned at an exposure position immediately below the projection optical system. First
Alignment is performed with respect to a reticle as an original held on a reticle stage similar to that in the embodiment, and a reticle and a wafer are synchronously moved in the X-axis direction with respect to exposure light having a band-shaped cross section generated from a light source as exposure means (not shown). To expose the entire exposure angle of view.

The air slide E ₂ is composed of four air pads, which are static pressure bearing means, arranged in a rectangular frame shape, and a preload unit 221 which is four magnetic means arranged therebetween.
The air pad 211 and the preload unit 221 are all held on the top plate 131 below the X stage 130, and face the XY guide surface of the surface plate 110 downward.

The platen 110 includes a plurality of thin magnetic members 110a.
Are laminated via a thin insulating material 110b as an insulating layer, and one side surface constitutes the XY guide surface described above. Each preload unit 221 has a two-pole magnet 221a,
21b and a back yoke 22 joined to the back surface
1c, the magnetic flux coming out of the N pole of one magnet 221a enters the other magnet 221b via the surface plate 110 and returns to the original magnet 221a after passing through the back yoke 221c. A magnetic attraction force is generated between the surface plates 110. This magnetic attraction enhances the bearing rigidity as a preload acting in the opposite direction to the static pressure of each air pad 221, and maintains an air gap of about 5 μm between the X stage 130 and the surface plate 110.

The lamination direction of the laminated magnetic material constituting the surface plate 110 is parallel to the XY guide surface and perpendicular to the scanning direction of the wafer, ie, the moving direction of the X stage 130 (X-axis direction), ie, the Y-axis direction. Yes, each preload unit 22
The arrangement direction of the one two-pole magnets 221a and 221b is the X-axis direction. Therefore, when together with the X stage 130 air slide E ₂ is moved in the X-axis direction, an eddy current generated in the surface plate 110 by the movement of the preload unit 221 becomes a result of being shredded by the thin insulating material 110b, the entire plate The viscous resistance due to the eddy current is greatly reduced as compared with the case where is made of a magnetic material.

As a result, similarly to the first embodiment, the productivity and transfer accuracy of the exposure apparatus can be greatly improved.

FIG. 8 shows a modification of the second embodiment, in which both the surface plate 310 and the Y guide 311 are made of laminated magnetic material, and the Y guide 311 serving as a second guide surface. The air pad 411 facing the Y guide surface and a preload unit 421 as magnetic means are fixed to a Y slider 321a.
The arrangement direction of 1a and 421b is the Z-axis direction. This modification has an advantage that the scanning direction of the wafer can be set in both the Y-axis direction and the X-axis direction.

Since the laminating direction of the surface plate 310 and the Y guide 311 are both in the Y-axis direction, the surface plate and the Y guide are integrally manufactured by laminating an L-shaped thin magnetic material and a thin insulating material. Alternatively, the side surface of the surface plate 310 may be used as a Y guide.

Next, an embodiment of a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the above-described exposure apparatus will be described. FIG. 9 shows a manufacturing flow of a semiconductor device (a semiconductor chip such as an IC or an LSI, or a liquid crystal panel or a CCD). In step 1 (circuit design), the circuit of the semiconductor device is designed. Step 2 is a process for making a mask on the basis of the circuit pattern design. In step 3 (wafer manufacture), a wafer is manufactured using a material such as silicon.
Step 4 (wafer process) is called a pre-process, and an actual circuit is formed on the wafer by lithography using the prepared mask and wafer. Step 5
(Assembly) is called a post-process, and is a process of forming a semiconductor chip using the wafer produced in Step 4, and includes an assembly process (dicing, bonding),
It includes steps such as a packaging step (chip encapsulation). In step 6 (inspection), inspections such as an operation confirmation test and a durability test of the semiconductor device manufactured in step 5 are performed. Through these steps, a semiconductor device is completed and shipped (step 7).

FIG. 10 shows a detailed flow of the wafer process. Step 11 (oxidation) oxidizes the wafer's surface. Step 12 (CVD) forms an insulating film on the wafer surface. Step 13 (electrode formation) forms electrodes on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step 14 (ion implantation), ions are implanted into the wafer. Step 1
In 5 (resist processing), a photosensitive agent is applied to the wafer. Step 16 (exposure) uses the above-described exposure apparatus to print and expose the circuit pattern of the mask onto the wafer. Step 17 (development) develops the exposed wafer. In step 18 (etching), portions other than the developed resist image are removed. In step 19 (resist stripping), unnecessary resist after etching is removed. By repeating these steps, multiple circuit patterns are formed on the wafer. By using the manufacturing method of this embodiment, it is possible to manufacture a highly integrated semiconductor device, which has been conventionally difficult to manufacture.

[0067]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

The eddy current generated in the guide of the reticle stage or the like is reduced, the driving efficiency of the linear motor or the like is improved, and it is possible to greatly contribute to the improvement of the productivity and the transfer accuracy by increasing the speed of the exposure apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a scanning stage device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the device of FIG. 1 in an exploded manner.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in an enlarged manner.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a first modification of the first embodiment in an exploded manner.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded view of a second modification of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a stage device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the device of FIG. 6 in an exploded manner.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing a modification of the second embodiment in an exploded manner.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing process of a micro device.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a wafer process.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing the device of FIG. 11 in an exploded manner.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the entire exposure apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating scanning of a reticle stage.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vibration-proof base 2, 42, 62 Guide 3 Reticle stage 4, 5 Linear motor stator 6, 7 Linear motor mover 11-13, 41-43, 61-63 Downward pad unit (air pad unit) 14, 44, 64 Side pad unit (air pad unit) 21, 22, 51, 71, 211, 411 Air pad 23, 53, 73, 221, 421 Preload unit 23a, 23b, 53a, 53b, 73a, 73b, 2
21a, 221b, 421a, 421b Magnet 23c, 221c Back Yoke 24, 54, 74 Laminated Magnetic Body 25 Support 30 Reticle 110, 310 Surface Plate 111, 311 Y Guide 120 Y Stage 130 X Stage 140 X Linear Motor 150 Y Linear Motor

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H01L 21/30 515G B23Q 1/18 Z

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A moving stage movable along a guide surface of a guide, a driving means for moving the moving stage, a hydrostatic bearing means for keeping a non-contact between the moving stage and the guide surface, Magnetic means held on the moving stage so as to move in opposition to a predetermined portion of the guide surface, wherein at least the predetermined portion of the guide surface includes a plurality of thin magnetic materials via an insulating layer. A stage device comprising a side surface of a laminated magnetic body. 2. The stage device according to claim 1, wherein the remaining portion of the guide surface except for a predetermined portion is made of a non-magnetic material. 3. The stage device according to claim 1, wherein the laminated magnetic body is separate from the guide, and is supported independently of the guide. 4. The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a side surface of the laminated magnetic body faces the hydrostatic bearing means. 5. The magnetic means has two-pole magnets arranged in series, and is disposed such that the lamination direction of the laminated magnetic body is orthogonal to the magnetization direction and the arrangement direction of the two-pole magnets. The stage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the stage device is provided. 6. The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hydrostatic bearing means and the magnetic means are arranged in parallel with the moving direction of the moving stage. 7. A moving stage movable along a guide surface of a guide, driving means for moving the moving stage, hydrostatic bearing means for keeping the moving stage and the guide surface in non-contact, Magnetic means held on the moving stage so as to face the guide surface, wherein the guide surface is constituted by a side surface of a laminated magnetic body in which a plurality of thin magnetic materials are laminated via an insulating layer. A stage device characterized by the above-mentioned. 8. The stage apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the moving stage is movable in two axial directions along the guide surface. 9. The stage apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the guide has a second guide surface for guiding the moving stage along one of two axes. 10. The stage device according to claim 7, wherein the entire guide is made of a laminated magnetic body. 11. The stage device according to claim 9, wherein the second guide surface is made of a non-magnetic material. 12. An exposure apparatus comprising: the stage device according to claim 7; and an exposure unit configured to expose an object to be exposed held by the stage device. 13. An exposure apparatus comprising: the stage device according to claim 1; and exposure means for exposing an object to be exposed through an original held by the stage device.