Abstract: An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate to a pattern. The apparatus includes a channel which causes pure water to flow as a coolant, a temperature adjustment unit which adjusts a temperature of the coolant flowing in the channel, and a UV sterilization unit which performs UV sterilization processing for the coolant flowing in the channel.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a static gas bearing provided upon a first object and configured to form a gas layer between the first object and a second object by use of gas supplied thereto, and to support the first object movably relative to the second object, a plurality of exhaust grooves provided upon the first object and configured to surround the static gas bearing, and a plurality of exhaust flowpassages provided through the first object, connecting to a respective one of the plurality of exhaust grooves, and configured to exhaust gas from a respective one of the plurality of exhaust grooves.

Abstract: A substrate holding device has a substrate holding unit and supporting elements movable to protrude from a substrate-holding surface of the substrate holding unit. The substrate holding unit holds the substrate in a predetermined state with a first holding force after relative positions of the substrate and the substrate holding unit are adjusted while the supporting elements lift the substrate off the substrate-holding surface. Before the relative positions of the substrate and the substrate holding unit are adjusted, the substrate holding device holds the substrate with a second holding force that is smaller than the first holding force and includes a zero holding force. Thus, the substrate holding device is able to align and hold the substrate in a short time.

Abstract: In order to perform a measurement operation of a pattern and a processing operation in parallel while the positions of two substrate stages are accurately measured and wire/hose units are prevented from becoming tangled, a substrate processing apparatus includes an alignment system for measuring the pattern arrangements of the substrates, a processing system disposed separately from the alignment system and used for processing the substrates, substrate stages which are able to support the substrates and move in an xy plane, and position measurement systems which measure the positions of the substrate stages. Four position measurement systems are arranged for the measurement in the x direction, and three position measurement systems are arranged for the measurement in the y direction. One of the position measurement systems for the measurement in the y direction is disposed at a side opposite to the remaining positioning measurement systems across the substrate stages.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which draws a pattern on a substrate with electron beams. The apparatus includes a substrate stage which supports the substrate, a transfer stage which moves the substrate stage, an electromagnetic actuator which moves the substrate stage relative to the transfer stage, a first measurement system which measures a position of the transfer stage, a second measurement system which measures a position of the substrate stage, a controller which controls the electromagnetic actuator on the basis of measurement results obtained by the first and second measurement systems, a deflector which deflects electron beams with which the substrate is irradiated, and a filter which performs filtering for a measurement result obtained by the second measurement system and supplies the filtered measurement result to the deflector.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate to a pattern. The apparatus includes a channel which causes pure water to flow as a coolant, a temperature adjustment unit which adjusts a temperature of the pure water flowing in the channel, and a coolant generation device which generates the pure water flowing in the channel as the coolant with a resistivity of not less than 1 M?·cm.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate to a pattern. The apparatus includes a channel which causes pure water to flow as a coolant, a temperature adjustment unit which adjusts a temperature of the pure water flowing in the channel, and a coolant generation device which generates the pure water flowing in the channel as the coolant with a resistivity of not less than 1 M?·cm.

Abstract: A stage system that can meet enlargement of a stroke and thus, particularly, that can be suitably incorporated into an electron beam exposure apparatus. The stage system includes a first fixed guide having a plane along X and Y directions, a first movable guide to be guided by the first fixed guided (the first movable guide having a Y guide 3f extending in the Y direction), a second fixed guide having a plane along X and Y directions, a second movable guide to be guided by the second fixed guide (the second movable guide having an X guide extending in the X direction), and a central movable member to be guided in the X and Y directions by the Y guide and the X guide.

Abstract: A stage system including a first fixed guide having a first guide surface being parallel to a first direction and a second direction being orthogonal to the first direction, a first movable guide to be guided by the first fixed guide and having three freedoms of straight motions in the first and second directions and a motion in a rotational direction about a third direction being orthogonal to the first and second directions, the first movable guide extending in the second direction, a second fixed guide having a second guide surface being parallel to the first and second directions, a second movable guide to be guided by the second fixed guide and having three freedoms of straight motions in the first and second directions and a motion in a rotational direction about the third direction, the second movable guide having a second guide extending in the first direction, and a movable member to be guided in the first and second directions by the first and second movable guides.

Abstract: In order to perform a measurement operation of a pattern and a processing operation in parallel while the positions of two substrate stages are accurately measured and wire/hose units are prevented from becoming tangled, a substrate processing apparatus includes an alignment system for measuring the pattern arrangements of the substrates, a processing system disposed separately from the alignment system and used for processing the substrates, substrate stages which are able to support the substrates and move in an xy plane, and position measurement systems which measure the positions of the substrate stages. Four position measurement systems are arranged for the measurement in the x direction, and three position measurement systems are arranged for the measurement in the y direction. One of the position measurement systems for the measurement in the y direction is disposed at a side opposite to the remaining positioning measurement systems across the substrate stages.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate to a pattern. The apparatus includes a channel which causes pure water to flow as a coolant, a temperature adjustment unit which adjusts a temperature of the coolant flowing in the channel, and a UV sterilization unit which performs UV sterilization processing for the coolant flowing in the channel.

Abstract: A stage system that can meet enlargement of a stroke and thus, particularly, that can be suitably incorporated into an electron beam exposure apparatus. The stage system includes an X driving member (3) being movable along an X direction, a Y driving member (2) being movable along a Y direction, an X-Y movable member being movable in the Y direction relative to the X driving member, through a Y lateral static-pressure bearing (44), and also being movable in the X direction relative to the Y driving member through an X lateral static-pressure bearing, wherein a fluid discharged from the X lateral static-pressure bearing is combined with a fluid discharged from the Y lateral static-pressure bearing, and wherein the combined fluid is discharged from a discharging bore (53?) formed in the X driving member.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate to a pattern. The apparatus includes a channel which causes pure water to flow as a coolant, a temperature adjustment unit which adjusts a temperature of the pure water flowing in the channel, and a coolant generation device which generates the pure water flowing in the channel as the coolant with a resistivity of not less than 1 M?·cm.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with a predetermined pattern using one or a plurality of electron beams. The apparatus includes a substrate stage on which a substrate is mounted, a transfer stage which drives the substrate stage on an X-Y plane, an electromagnetic actuator which drives the substrate stage in a rotation direction about a Z-axis with respect to the transfer stage, and a measuring system which measures a position of the substrate stage in the rotation direction about the Z-axis using a measuring beam along a direction perpendicular to the plurality of electron beams.

Abstract: Disclosed is a static gas bearing system and a vacuum stage system having the same, wherein the gas bearing system includes a gas bearing for supporting a structure without contact thereto, and a plurality of exhaust grooves disposed in plural stages to surround the gas bearing, the exhaust groove having associated exhaust flowpassages which are independent of each other, and the exhaust flowpassages being connected to a vacuum pump outside a vacuum chamber in which a vacuum stage is accommodated, through a wall of the vacuum chamber. When the exhaust grooves are numbered as first-stage, second-stage, third-stage . . . and n-th stage, in an order from one exhaust groove closest to the gas bearing, the conductance of at least the exhaust flowpassage associated with the n-th stage exhaust groove, which is outermost one, is made greater than the conductance of the exhaust flowpassage associated with the first-stage exhaust groove, closest to the static gas bearing.

Abstract: In order to perform a measurement operation of a pattern and a processing operation in parallel while the positions of two substrate stages are accurately measured and wire/hose units are prevented from becoming tangled, a substrate processing apparatus includes an alignment system for measuring the pattern arrangements of the substrates, a processing system disposed separately from the alignment system and used for processing the substrates, substrate stages which are able to support the substrates and move in an xy plane, and position measurement systems which measure the positions of the substrate stages. Four position measurement systems are arranged for the measurement in the x direction, and three position measurement systems are arranged for the measurement in the y direction. One of the position measurement systems for the measurement in the y direction is disposed at a side opposite to the remaining positioning measurement systems across the substrate stages.

Abstract: In order to perform a measurement operation of a pattern and a processing operation in parallel while the positions of two substrate stages are accurately measured and wire/hose units are prevented from becoming tangled, a substrate processing apparatus includes an alignment system for measuring the pattern arrangements of the substrates, a processing system disposed separately from the alignment system and used for processing the substrates, substrate stages which are able to support the substrates and move in an xy plane, and position measurement systems which measure the positions of the substrate stages. Four position measurement systems are arranged for the measurement in the x direction, and three position measurement systems are arranged for the measurement in the y direction. One of the position measurement systems for the measurement in the y direction is disposed at a side opposite to the remaining positioning measurement systems across the substrate stages.

Abstract: A substrate holding device has a substrate holding unit and supporting elements movable to protrude from a substrate-holding surface of the substrate holding unit. The substrate holding unit holds the substrate in a predetermined state with a first holding force after relative positions of the substrate and the substrate holding unit are adjusted while the supporting elements lift the substrate off the substrate-holding surface. Before the relative positions of the substrate and the substrate holding unit are adjusted, the substrate holding device holds the substrate with a second holding force that is smaller than the first holding force and includes a zero holding force. Thus, the substrate holding device is able to align and hold the substrate in a short time.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stage system that can meet enlargement of a stroke and thus, particularly, that can be suitably incorporated into an electron beam exposure apparatus. The stage system includes an X driving member (3) being movable along an X direction, a Y driving member (2) being movable along a Y direction, an X-Y movable member being movable in the Y direction relative to the X driving member, through a Y lateral static-pressure bearing (44), and also being movable in the X direction relative to the Y driving member through an X lateral static-pressure bearing, wherein a fluid discharged from the X lateral static-pressure baring is combined with a fluid discharged from the Y lateral static-pressure bearing, and wherein the combined fluid is discharged from a discharging bore (53?) formed in the X driving member.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stage system that can meet enlargement of a stroke and thus, particularly, that can be suitably incorporated into an electron beam exposure apparatus. The stage system includes a first fixed guide (1a, 1c) having a plane along X and Y directions, a first movable guide (3) to be guided by the first fixed guided (the first movable guide having a Y guide 3f extending in Y direction), a second fixed guide (1b, 1d) having a plane along X and Y directions, a second movable guide (2) to be guided by the second fixed guide (the second movable guide having an X guide 2f extending in X direction), and a central movable member (4) to be guided in the X and Y directions by the Y guide (3f) and X guide (2f).