Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a bearing apparatus which is superior in corrosion resistance against a fluorine gas, and superior in dimensional accuracy and durability. For achieving the object, a bearing apparatus for use in an environment where a fluorine gas exists is provided. The bearing apparatus comprises: a magnetic bearing comprising a magnetic member and an electromagnetic coil; and a touchdown bearing for protecting the magnetic bearing, wherein the touchdown bearing comprises an inner ring, an outer ring, and plural rolling members arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein the inner ring and the outer ring in the touchdown bearing are constructed by using a NiCrAl alloy.

Abstract: An advanced substrate rotation device is provided. A substrate rotation device is disclosed. The substrate rotation device includes an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder positioned inside the outer cylinder, a motor for rotating the inner cylinder, a magnetic bearing for magnetically levitating the inner cylinder, and a substrate holder disposed on the inner cylinder. The motor is a radial motor including a motor stator mounted on the outer cylinder, and a motor rotor mounted on the inner cylinder. The magnetic bearing is a radial magnetic bearing including a magnetic bearing stator mounted on the outer cylinder, and a magnetic bearing rotor mounted on the inner cylinder. The magnetic bearing is configured to magnetically levitate the inner cylinder with an attractive force between the magnetic bearing stator and the magnetic bearing rotor.

Abstract: An advanced substrate rotation device is provided. A substrate rotation device is disclosed. The substrate rotation device includes an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder positioned inside the outer cylinder, a motor for rotating the inner cylinder, a magnetic bearing for magnetically levitating the inner cylinder, and a substrate holder disposed on the inner cylinder. The motor is a radial motor including a motor stator mounted on the outer cylinder, and a motor rotor mounted on the inner cylinder. The magnetic bearing is a radial magnetic bearing including a magnetic bearing stator mounted on the outer cylinder, and a magnetic bearing rotor mounted on the inner cylinder. The magnetic bearing is configured to magnetically levitate the inner cylinder with an attractive force between the magnetic bearing stator and the magnetic bearing rotor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vibration isolation system which can prevent transmission of vibration from a transfer unit or other unit to a vacuum chamber, and can accurately perform positioning of the vacuum chamber connected to an elastic member having a simple structure and a transfer space therein. The present invention includes a vacuum chamber (11) placed on a vibration isolation unit, a transfer chamber (13) having a transfer space through which a work is transferred into the vacuum chamber (11), an elastic member (15) for connecting the vacuum chamber (11) and the transfer chamber (13), an actuator (24, 24) for elastically supporting the vacuum chamber (11) with respect to a fixed-side member, a position sensor (22) for detecting a displacement of the vacuum chamber (11) with respect to the fixed-side member, and a control unit (23) for controlling the actuator (24) based on output of the position sensor.

Abstract: A micro-positioning apparatus enables stable and rapid positioning of a stage on which a specimen is placed. The apparatus has a stage for placing a specimen to be radiated with a beam, actuators for levitating the stage and controlling a movement of the stage, a first position sensor for measuring a relative displacement between the stage and the actuators, a second position sensor for measuring a relative displacement between an actual radiation position of the beam on the specimen and a target radiation position, and a controller for positioning the stage so as to decrease the relative displacement detected by the second sensor.

Abstract: There is provided a polishing apparatus comprising an attitude controller for controlling an attitude or orientation of a turntable having a polishing surface and/or a carrier for holding an article to be polished in a sliding contact relation with the polishing surface. The turntable and carrier are connected to their drive shafts through universal joints. The attitude controllers control angles of tilting of the turntable and the carrier relative to their drive shafts.

Abstract: A dressing apparatus dresses the polishing surface of a turntable while controlling the orientation of a dresser body with electromagnetic forces, thereby allowing an increase in the degree of flatness of the polishing surface of the turntable. A polishing apparatus having the dressing apparatus is also provided. The dressing apparatus includes a dresser body which dresses the polishing surface by contacting it. A pressing device presses the dresser body against the polishing surface of the turntable. An orientation controller controls the orientation of the dresser body by utilizing electromagnetic forces.

Abstract: A damper device has a magnet and at least two yokes facing the magnet across gaps. The magnet and the two yokes jointly provide a magnetic circuit such that a magnetic flux flowing from a first magnetic pole of the magnet is divided across one of the gaps into magnetic fluxes which flow into entrance sides of the yokes and back from exit sides of the yokes across another of the gaps into a second magnetic pole of the magnet. The two yokes are mechanically connected rigidly to each other, and a spring means elastically holds the one of the gaps between the first magnetic pole and the entrance sides of the yokes. One of the magnet and the yokes is adapted to be connected to a vibratable member. When the gaps are differentially varied in length by vibration of the vibratable member, the divided magnetic fluxes are changed to generate eddy currents in the yokes and the magnetic poles.

Abstract: A filter circuit is provided for two-axis signals which has good filtering characteristics such as steep filter characteristics in a narrow bandwidth without transformation from a stationary coordinate system into a rotating coordinate system and vice versa. Input signals related to orthogonal two axes are represented by a complex variable (U=Ux+jUy: Ux, Uy are respective quantities of Laplace transformation), and a transfer function of a lowpass or highpass filter of real coefficients is represented by F(s). A complex coefficient transfer function produced by replacing the Laplace operator “s” in the transfer function F(s) with “s−j&ohgr;” is represented by F(s−j&ohgr;).

Abstract: The polishing apparatus can control the attitude of the top ring with respect to a surface of a turntable of a polishing apparatus is controlled so as to provide a uniform polish surface pressure across the entire polish surface. The polishing apparatus includes the turntable having an abrading surface, a top ring for holding an object to be polished to keep the object surface in moving contact with the abrading surface while rotating the turntable and the top ring, a magnetic bearing assembly for supporting a rotation shaft of the top ring by means of a thrust bearing device and at least one radial bearing device, and an attitude controller for controlling an orientation of the top ring with respect to the turntable through the magnetic bearing assembly.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus can control the attitude of the top ring with respect to a surface of a turntable of a polishing apparatus is controlled so as to provide a uniform polish surface pressure across the entire polish surface. The polishing apparatus includes the turntable having an abrading surface, a top ring for holding an object to be polished to keep the object surface in moving contact with the abrading surface while rotating the turntable and the top ring, a magnetic bearing assembly for supporting a rotation shaft of the top ring by means of a thrust bearing device and at least one radial bearing device, and an attitude controller for controlling an orientation of the top ring with respect to the turntable through the magnetic bearing assembly.