Abstract: An exposure apparatus having an optical stand for supporting a projecting optical system and a reticle stage, and a base frame have a plurality of struts for supporting the optical stand via dampers. The plurality of struts of the base frame are joined at their upper ends to increase the rigidity of the base frame, thereby reducing vibration caused by acceleration and deceleration of the reticle stage.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of an original onto a substrate, an original stage for moving the original relative to the projection optical system, a substrate stage for moving the substrate relative to the projection optical system, an alignment detecting system for detecting alignment information related to alignment of at least one of the original and the substrate, a correcting device for correcting the alignment information detected by the alignment detecting system, on the basis of the position of the original stage, and a controller for controlling alignment of at least one of the original and the substrate on the basis of the alignment information as corrected by the correcting device.

Abstract: A scanning exposure apparatus includes a light source, an illumination optical system for forming a secondary light source with light from the light source, and for illuminating a portion of a reticle having a pattern, a projection optical system for projecting the pattern of the reticle as illuminated, onto a wafer, a reticle stage for supporting the reticle and for scanningly moving the reticle in a predetermined scan direction, relative to the projection optical system, a wafer stage for supporting the wafer and for scanningly moving the wafer relative to the projection optical system, and a base for supporting the reticle stage and being supported by dampers, wherein the illumination optical system is divided into a first portion being supported by the base and a second portion supported by a floor, independently from the base, and wherein the predetermined direction of the reticle stage is substantially or approximately parallel to an optical axis direction at a location where the illumination optical sy

Abstract: A substrate holding device includes a vacuum supplying device for supplying a vacuum to a holding surface to hold a substrate, a hollow member surrounding at least a portion of the holding surface and movable between a position in which the holding member protrudes from the holding surface and a position in which the hollow member does not protrude from the holding surface, and a moving mechanism for relatively moving between the hollow member and the holding surface.

Abstract: A scanning exposure apparatus wherein a portion of a pattern of an original is projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system and the original and substrate are scanningly moved relative to the projection optical system, whereby the pattern of the original is transferred onto the substrate. The apparatus includes an original stage for holding the original, a base for supporting the original stage, and a supporting device for supporting the base at three positions, through a damper device and a pillar device. The three positions define an approximately isosceles triangle, and the scan direction is parallel to a straight line that connects a point of intersection of isosceles sides of the triangle and a gravity center thereof.

Abstract: A stage apparatus has a stationary portion, a movable portion and a linear motor for moving the movable portion in a prescribed direction by applying thrust between the stationary and movable portions. A first supporting member supports the stationary portion with a degree of freedom in the direction of movement, and a second supporting member has an axial supporting member for supporting the stationary portion rigidly in the direction of movement and flexibly in other directions. The second supporting member is isolated from the first supporting member in such a manner that vibration will not be transmitted to the first supporting member. The stage is used to scan a master plate in a scanning-type exposure apparatus, and the first supporting member is joined to a lens barrel table on which a projecting optical system is mounted.

Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus in which first and second vacuum clamping devices each have a holding surface for holding a portion of a substrate, a first driving device for rotating the first vacuum clamping device relative to the second vacuum clamping device, and a second driving device for reciprocally moving the first vacuum clamping device between a position in which it protrudes by a predetermined amount from the holding surface of the second vacuum clamping device and a position in which it does not protrude from that holding surface. Also disclosed is a substrate holding device in which a vacuum clamping device creates a vacuum clamp force on the holding surface thereof, a cylindrical delivering member surrounds at least a portion of the holding surface and is reciprocally movable between a position in which it protrudes by a predetermined amount from the holding surface and a position in which it does not protrude from the holding surface, and a driving device for moving the delivering member.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus includes a reticle stage for moving a reticle, a wafer stage for moving a wafer, a projection optical system for projecting a pattern formed on the reticle onto the wafer, a first supporting device for supporting at least one of the reticle stage and the wafer stage, a measurement device for measuring the position of at least one of the reticle and the wafer, a second supporting device for supporting the measurement device and a displacement/deformation absorber, through which the second supporting device is supported by the first supporting device, for absorbing displacement and deformation of the first supporting device. Also disclosed are exposure methods utilizing such a projection exposure apparatus.

Abstract: A method of supporting or mounting a precision instrument for supporting a mask and a wafer in a vacuum container is disclosed. The method is particularly applicable to an SOR X-ray exposure apparatus wherein the mask and the wafer are disposed in a desired level of the reduced pressure, and exposure energy such as X-rays contained in synchrotron radiation is projected onto the wafer through the mask to print the pattern of the mask onto the wafer. In x-y-z coordinates with the x direction being vertical, the precision instrument is hung at at least two points which are spaced in the x direction, to the inside wall of the vacuum container. At one of the supporting points, the precision instrument is given latitude of x, y and z direction movement, and at the other supporting point, the precision instrument is fixed or is given latitude only in the x direction.

Abstract: A stage device includes a first, fine-motion driving system for moving a movable stage through a first range; and a second, relatively rough-motion driving system for moving the movable stage through a second range which is substantially of the same extent as the first range.

Abstract: A substrate conveying system includes an attracting device for attracting a substrate with reduced pressure, a moving device for relatively moving the substrate relative to the attracting device, and a detecting device for detecting the pressure of the attracting device during the relative movement of the substrate to thereby obtain positional information related to the substrate.

Abstract: A wavelength compensator includes a reference vacuum tube having closed ends, wherein a laser beam enters the reference vacuum tube from one of the ends thereof and is reflected by the other end backwardly, an interference device for causing interference of the laser beam to produce an interference beam, and a light receiving device for receiving the interference beam which bears information related to a change in wavelength of the laser beam. The wavelength compensator further includes a specific arrangement which is effective to reduce vacuum deterioration of the reference vacuum tube.

Abstract: A supporting device for supporting a member having an inside movable portion includes a main frame, a supporting reference plate on which the member is to be placed and a plurality of driving mechanisms each being disposed between the main frame and the supporting reference plate and each having a high-rigidity displacement providing element and a low-rigidity supporting element of low damping factor, disposed in series.

Abstract: A wafer table includes a wafer holding surface for holding a wafer by attraction; a flow passageway through which a temperature adjusting medium flows to remove any heat in the wafer table; a temperature measuring system for measuring the temperature of the wafer held by the wafer holding surface; a temperature adjusting system disposed between the wafer holding surface and the flow passageway; a temperature setting system for setting a temperature related to the wafer held by the wafer holding surface; a flow rate controlling system for controlling the flow rate of the temperature adjusting medium to be circulated through the flow passageway; and a temperature controlling system for controlling the operation of the temperature adjusting system related to heat, on the basis of a value set by the temperature setting system and a value measured by the temperature measuring system.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes a plurality of position limiting devices provided along the direction of conveyance and a selecting device operable to select one of or those of the plurality of position limiting devices which are effective in view of a target position, before a start of conveyance. The selecting device is further operable to select, again, one of or those of the plurality of position limiting devices which are effective in view of the current position of an article being conveyed, after a start of conveyance.

Abstract: A vacuum-attraction holding device includes a holding base having an attracting surface, for holding a substrate thereon; a suction passageway formed in the base, for supplying a vacuum to the holding base to attract the substrate to the attracting surface; and a pressure sensor provided in the base and being communicated with the suction passageway.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of semiconductor devices wherein a radiation beam including first and second beams is projected from a synchrotron orbit radiation source into an ambience maintained substantially at a vacuum, includes the steps of directing the radiation beam to a wafer through a window effective to isolate the ambience to thereby print a circuit pattern on an X-ray sensitive layer on the wafer with the first beam, providing a support for supporting the window having an opening, extracting the second beam through the opening, and detecting and correcting any deviation of the first beam with respect to the wafer.

Abstract: A device for holding a substrate includes a holding system for holding a substrate by attraction and a guard system for preventing dropping of the substrate held by the holding system, the guard system being out of contact with the substrate as the same is held by the holding system.

Abstract: An X-ray exposure system for exposing a semiconductor wafer to a mask with X-rays contained in synchrotron radiation, is disclosed. In this system, the mask and the wafer are held on a main frame so that their surfaces extend substantially parallel to a vertical axis. The main frame suspends from a supporting frame through a plurality of air mounts, each being vertically displaceable. The supporting frame is placed on the same reference surface as that of an SOR ring that produces synchrotron radiation. By using these air mounts, any tilt of the mask and the wafer relative to the irradiation region of the synchrotron radiation, as well as the position of the mask and the wafer in the vertical direction, with respect to the irradiation region, can be controlled and maintained constant. Thus, accurate pattern printing is ensured.

Abstract: A device for feeding a stage in a direction, the device including: first driving system for relatively coarsely feeding the stage, the first driving system having a piston and a cylinder combined in an assembly; locking system for selectively inhibiting relative movement between the piston and the cylinder at least in the aforementioned direction; and second driving system for relatively finely feeding the stage with an aid of the piston and the cylinder.