Abstract: A movable body apparatus is provided with: a substrate holder which holds a substrate and which can move in the X- and Y-axis directions; a Y coarse movement stage which can move in the Y-axis direction; a first measurement system which acquires position information on substrate holder by means of heads provided on substrate holder and a scale provided on Y coarse movement stage; a second measurement system which acquires position information on Y coarse movement stage by means of heads provided on Y coarse movement stage and a scale; and a control system which controls the position of substrate holder based on position information acquired by first and second measurement systems. The first measurement system irradiates a measurement beam while moving heads in X-axis direction with respect to the scale, and second measurement system irradiates a measurement beam while moving heads in Y-axis direction with respect to the scale.

Abstract: In a substrate stage, when a Y coarse movement stage moves in the Y-axis direction, an X coarse movement stage, a weight cancellation device, and an X guide move integrally in the Y-axis direction with the Y coarse movement stage, and when the X coarse movement stage moves in the X-axis direction on the Y coarse movement stage, the weight cancellation device move on the X guide in the X-axis direction integrally with the X coarse movement stage. Because the X guide is provided extending in the X-axis direction while covering the movement range of the weight cancellation device in the X-axis direction, the weight cancellation device is constantly supported by the X guide, regardless of its position. Accordingly, a substrate can be guided along the XY plane with good accuracy.

Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.

Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.

Abstract: A substrate stage device of an exposure apparatus is equipped with: a noncontact holder that supports, in a noncontact manner, a first area and at least a partial area of a second area, of a substrate, the second area being arranged side by side with the first area in the Y-axis direction; a substrate carrier that holds the substrate held in a noncontact manner by the noncontact holder, at a position not overlapping the noncontact holder in the X-axis direction; Y linear actuators and Y voice coil motors that relatively move the substrate carrier with respect to the noncontact holder in the Y-axis direction; X voice coil motors that move the substrate carrier in the X-axis direction; and actuators that move the noncontact holder in the X-axis direction.

Abstract: A liquid crystal exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with an illumination light via a projection optical system is equipped with: a substrate holder that holds the substrate; a substrate encoder system that includes head units and scales, and acquires the position information of the substrate holder on the basis of the output of the head units; and a drive section that relatively moves one of the head units and the scales on the substrate holder with respect to the other.

Abstract: A substrate stage device that moves a substrate has: a noncontact holder that supports the substrate in a noncontact manner; a first drive section that moves the noncontact holder; scale plates that serve as a reference of movement of the noncontact holder; a first measurement section that has scale plates and Y heads, one of the scale plates and the Y heads being provided at the noncontact holder and the other of the scale plates and the Y heads being provided between the scale plates and the noncontact holder, and that measures position information of the Y heads; a second measurement section that measures position information of the other of the scale plates and the Y heads; and a position measurement system that obtains position information of the noncontact holder on the basis of the position information measured by the first and the second measurement sections.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus has a substrate holding member, a first supporting member, a second supporting member, and a driving system. The first supporting member supports the substrate holding member from below. The second supporting member supports the first supporting member from below such that the first supporting member and the second supporting member are capable of moving relative to each other. The driving system moves the substrate holding member, the first supporting member and the second supporting member. The driving system includes a first driving device and a second driving device, the first driving device moving the substrate holding member and the first supporting member in a direction along a predetermined axis, and the second driving device moving the second supporting member in the direction along the predetermined axis.

Abstract: In a substrate stage, when a Y coarse movement stage moves in the Y-axis direction, an X coarse movement stage, a weight cancellation device, and an X guide move integrally in the Y-axis direction with the Y coarse movement stage, and when the X coarse movement stage moves in the X-axis direction on the Y coarse movement stage, the weight cancellation device move on the X guide in the X-axis direction integrally with the X coarse movement stage. Because the X guide is provided extending in the X-axis direction while covering the movement range of the weight cancellation device in the X-axis direction, the weight cancellation device is constantly supported by the X guide, regardless of its position. Accordingly, a substrate can be guided along the XY plane with good accuracy.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus has a substrate holding member, a first supporting member, a second supporting member, and a driving system. The first supporting member supports the substrate holding member from below. The second supporting member supports the first supporting member from below such that the first supporting member and the second supporting member are capable of moving relative to each other. The driving system moves the substrate holding member, the first supporting member and the second supporting member. The driving system includes a first driving device and a second driving device, the first driving device moving the substrate holding member and the first supporting member in a direction along a predetermined axis, and the second driving device moving the second supporting member in the direction along the predetermined axis.

Abstract: In a substrate stage, when a Y coarse movement stage moves in the Y-axis direction, an X coarse movement stage, a weight cancellation device, and an X guide move integrally in the Y-axis direction with the Y coarse movement stage, and when the X coarse movement stage moves in the X-axis direction on the Y coarse movement stage, the weight cancellation device move on the X guide in the X-axis direction integrally with the X coarse movement stage. Because the X guide is provided extending in the X-axis direction while covering the movement range of the weight cancellation device in the X-axis direction, the weight cancellation device is constantly supported by the X guide, regardless of its position. Accordingly, a substrate can be guided along the XY plane with good accuracy.

Abstract: A carrying method of carrying a substrate with a substrate holder, including: holding a part of the substrate located above the substrate holder using holding pads; controlling and driving downward the holding pads holding the substrate so that the substrate is supported on the support surface of the substrate holder, when releasing the hold of an other part of the substrate by a substrate carry-in hand that holds the other part of the substrate located above the substrate holder. Accordingly, the substrate carriage to the substrate holder can be swiftly performed.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus that scans and exposes each of a plurality of areas on a glass substrate, by irradiating the substrate with an illumination light via a projection optical system and relatively driving the substrate with respect to the illumination light, is equipped with: a substrate holder that levitates and supports a first area of the substrate; a substrate carrier that holds the glass substrate levitated and supported by the substrate holder; an X coarse movement stage that drives the substrate holder; an X voice coil motor that drives the substrate carrier; and a controller that controls the X coarse movement stage and the X voice coil motor so that the substrate holder and the substrate carrier are driven, respectively, in scanning exposure. Accordingly, an exposure apparatus with improved position controllability of an object can be provided.

Abstract: A substrate stage apparatus includes: a fine movement stage movable along the XY plane; an XY two-dimensional stage apparatus (an X beam and an X carriage) which guides the fine movement stage in a direction parallel to the XY plane; a plurality of weight-canceling devices movable in the direction parallel to the XY plane synchronously with the fine movement stage and also working together to support the weight of the fine movement stage; a first Y step guide provided at the +Y side of the X beam in a direction parallel to the Y-axis, that guides a part of the plurality of weight-canceling devices moving in a direction parallel to the X-axis; and a second Y step guide provided at the other side of the X beam in the direction parallel to the Y-axis, that guides the other part of the plurality of weight-canceling devices moving parallel to the X-axis.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus has a substrate holding member, a first supporting member, a second supporting member, and a driving system. The first supporting member supports the substrate holding member from below. The second supporting member supports the first supporting member from below such that the first supporting member and the second supporting member are capable of moving relative to each other. The driving system moves the substrate holding member, the first supporting member and the second supporting member. The driving system includes a first driving device and a second driving device, the first driving device moving the substrate holding member and the first supporting member in a direction along a predetermined axis, and the second driving device moving the second supporting member in the direction along the predetermined axis.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus has a substrate holding member, a first supporting member, a second supporting member, and a driving system. The first supporting member supports the substrate holding member from below. The second supporting member supports the first supporting member from below such that the first supporting member and the second supporting member are capable of moving relative to each other. The driving system moves the substrate holding member, the first supporting member and the second supporting member. The driving system includes a first driving device and a second driving device, the first driving device moving the substrate holding member and the first supporting member in a direction along a predetermined axis, and the second driving device moving the second supporting member in the direction along the predetermined axis.

Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.

Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.

Abstract: In a substrate stage, when a Y coarse movement stage moves in the Y-axis direction, an X coarse movement stage, a weight cancellation device, and an X guide move integrally in the Y-axis direction with the Y coarse movement stage, and when the X coarse movement stage moves in the X-axis direction on the Y coarse movement stage, the weight cancellation device move on the X guide in the X-axis direction integrally with the X coarse movement stage. Because the X guide is provided extending in the X-axis direction while covering the movement range of the weight cancellation device in the X-axis direction, the weight cancellation device is constantly supported by the X guide, regardless of its position. Accordingly, a substrate can be guided along the XY plane with good accuracy.

Abstract: In a substrate stage, when a Y coarse movement stage moves in the Y-axis direction, an X coarse movement stage, a weight cancellation device, and an X guide move integrally in the Y-axis direction with the Y coarse movement stage, and when the X coarse movement stage moves in the X-axis direction on the Y coarse movement stage, the weight cancellation device moves on the X guide in the X-axis direction integrally with the X coarse movement stage. Because the X guide is provided extending in the X-axis direction while covering the movement range of the weight cancellation device in the X-axis direction, the weight cancellation device is constantly supported by the X guide, regardless of its position. Accordingly, a substrate can be guided along the XY plane with good accuracy.