Abstract: A stage control apparatus for controlling a stage on which a substrate can be placed and moved generates a target value relating to a vertical direction of the stage based upon substrate surface position information that corresponds to unevenness of the surface of the substrate and generates a drive command signal of the stage based upon a deviation signal between the target value generated and a measured position of the stage. A target frequency is decided upon a spatial frequency possessed by the unevenness of the substrate surface. In order to generate the drive command signal, use is made of a signal obtained by amplifying a component of the target frequency of the deviation signal.

Abstract: An active damping apparatus for damping vibration due to driving of a stage and/or counter-mass mounted on an isolation table in an exposure device for the manufacture of semiconductor devices has a setting unit for selecting the stage and/or the counter-mass to drive and setting a control mode according to what is to be driven. The apparatus further has a control input switch that sets up a control loop for inputting control target values for driving the stage and/or the counter-mass to an isolation table controller so as to offset the drive reaction torque generated by the movement of the stage and/or counter-mass.

Abstract: A stage alignment apparatus includes a first moving member which moves in a first direction, a second moving member which moves in a second direction different from the first direction, a stage which is slidably supported by the first moving member and the second moving member and is guided in the first and second directions, a first control section which controls a posture of the first moving member in a third direction, the third direction being a direction rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, and a second control section which controls a posture of the second moving member in the third direction on the basis of a signal which controls the posture of the first moving member in the third direction.

Abstract: A supporting apparatus includes a supporting member configured to support a movable member, an acceleration sensor configured to detect acceleration of the supporting member, an actuator configured to drive the supporting member, a memory configured to memorize offset data for the acceleration sensor, an offset unit configured to offset an output of the acceleration sensor in accordance with the offset data in the memory, a discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether the offset data should be renewed or not on the basis of an output of the acceleration sensor, and a renewing unit configured to renew the offset data on the basis of the result of the discrimination made by the discrimination unit.

Abstract: A stage control apparatus for controlling a stage on which a substrate can be placed and moved generates a target value relating to a vertical direction of the stage based upon substrate surface position information that corresponds to unevenness of the surface of the substrate and generates a drive command signal of the stage based upon a deviation signal between the target value generated and a measured position of the stage. A target frequency is decided upon a spatial frequency possessed by the unevenness of the substrate surface. In order to generate the drive command signal, use is made of a signal obtained by amplifying a component of the target frequency of the deviation signal.

Abstract: A supporting apparatus includes a supporting member configured to support a movable member, an acceleration sensor configured to detect acceleration of the supporting member, an actuator configured to drive the supporting member, a memory configured to memorize offset data for the acceleration sensor, an offset unit configured to offset an output of the acceleration sensor in accordance with the offset data in the memory, a discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether the offset data should be renewed or not on the basis of an output of the acceleration sensor, and a renewing unit configured to renew the offset data on the basis of the result of the discrimination made by the discrimination unit.

Abstract: An anti-vibration system includes a supporting member for supporting a driving mechanism, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration of the supporting member, a driving unit for driving the supporting member, a storing unit for memorizing offset data to be used for offsetting an output of the acceleration sensor, an offset unit for offsetting an output of the acceleration sensor in accordance with the offset data memorized in the storing unit, a control unit for producing a driving signal in relation to the driving unit, on the basis of an output of the offset unit, a renewing unit for renewing the offset data during a non-driving period of the driving mechanism, on the basis of an output of the acceleration sensor, a discrimination unit for discriminating whether the offset data should be renewed or not, during the non-driving period of the driving mechanism, on the basis of an output of the acceleration sensor, in which the renewing unit renews the offset data in response to an affirmative discrimina

Abstract: A stage alignment apparatus includes a first moving member which moves in a first direction, a second moving member which moves in a second direction different from the first direction, a stage which is slidably supported by the first moving member and the second moving member and is guided in the first and second directions, a first control section which controls a posture of the first moving member in a third direction, the third direction being a direction rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, and a second control section which controls a posture of the second moving member in the third direction on the basis of a signal which controls the posture of the first moving member in the third direction.

Abstract: A supporting apparatus includes a supporting member configured to support a movable member, an acceleration sensor configured to detect acceleration of the supporting member, an actuator configured to drive the supporting member, a memory configured to memorize offset data for the acceleration sensor, an offset unit configured to offset an output of the acceleration sensor in accordance with the offset data in the memory, a discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether the offset data should be renewed or not on the basis of an output of the acceleration sensor, and a renewing unit configured to renew the offset data on the basis of the result of the discrimination made by the discrimination unit.

Abstract: A stage alignment apparatus includes a first moving member which can move in a first direction, a second moving member which can move in a second direction different from the first direction, a stage which is slidably supported by the first moving member and the second moving member and is guided in the first and second directions, a first control section which controls a posture, in a third direction different from the first and second directions, of the first moving member, and a second control section which controls a posture, in the third direction, of the second moving member on the basis of a signal which controls the posture of the first moving member. The second control section controls the posture of the second moving member on the basis of a signal which controls the posture of the first moving member filtered by a predetermined filter.

Abstract: An active damping apparatus for damping vibration due to driving of a stage and/or counter-mass mounted on an isolation table in an exposure device for the manufacture of semiconductor devices has a setting unit for selecting the stage and/or the counter-mass to drive and setting a control mode according to what is to be driven. The apparatus further has a control input switch that sets up a control loop for inputting control target values for driving the stage and/or the counter-mass to an isolation table controller so as to offset the drive reaction torque generated by the movement of the stage and/or counter-mass.

Abstract: An active damping apparatus including an isolation table mounting a stage and a counter-mass, an isolation table controller operatively connected to the isolation table for supporting the isolation table and adjusting a position and an attitude of the isolation table, a setting unit operatively connected to the controller and adapted to select a combination of the stage and/or the counter-mass to be driven and to set a drive control mode according to what is to be driven, and a control input switch operatively connected to the setting unit and adapted to select a control loop that inputs into the isolation table controller a control target value for adjusting the drive of that which is to be driven according to the drive control mode selected by the setting unit. The active damping apparatus damps vibration by driving the stage and/or counter-mass mounted on the isolation table so as to offset a drive reaction torque and a counter-mass movement moment.

Abstract: A stage control apparatus for controlling a motion of a stage. The apparatus includes a filter unit which eliminates a resonance frequency component contained in an input signal and outputs a control signal for controlling a motion of the stage, a generating unit which generates a frequency spectrum of a motion signal concerning a motion of the stage, a calculating unit which calculates coefficients of the filter unit based on the frequency spectrum, and a setting unit which sets the coefficients calculated by the calculation unit as the coefficients of the filter unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is an anti-vibration technique and, specifically, an anti-vibration system and an offset data renewing method. The anti-vibration system according to an aspect of the present invention includes a supporting member for supporting a driving mechanism, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration of the supporting member, a driving unit for driving the supporting member, a storing unit for memorizing offset data to be used for offsetting an output of the acceleration sensor, an offset unit for offsetting an output of the acceleration sensor in accordance with the offset data memorized in the storing unit, a control unit for producing a driving signal in relation to the driving unit, on the basis of an output of the offset unit, and a renewing unit for renewing the offset data during a non-driving period of the driving mechanism, on the basis of an output of the acceleration sensor.

Abstract: An anti-vibration apparatus includes a table, a pneumatic spring for applying a force to the table, an electromagnetic actuator for applying a force to the table, and a first generator which generates a driving signal for the electromagnetic actuator based on at least one of a target position and a target speed with respect to a movable object on the table.

Abstract: An active damping apparatus for damping vibration due to driving of a stage and/or counter-mass mounted on an isolation table in an exposure device for the manufacture of semiconductor devices has a setting unit for selecting the stage and/or the counter-mass to drive and setting a control mode according to what is to be driven. The apparatus further has a control input switch that sets up a control loop for inputting control target values for driving the stage and/or the counter-mass to an isolation table controller so as to offset the drive reaction torque generated by the movement of the stage and/or counter-mass.

Abstract: When driving a stage (2), which is guided by an X moving member (3) and a Y moving member (4) that can move in directions perpendicular to each other, respectively, the posture of the Y moving member (4) is controlled on the basis of a signal which controls the posture of the X moving member (3).

Abstract: A stage control apparatus which constitutes at least part of a control system for controlling a stage in alignment operation, including a compensator which generates a signal for controlling to drive the stage to a target position, a resonance elimination unit which has variable cutoff characteristics and eliminates a resonance frequency component contained in an output signal from the compensator to output the signal as a control signal for controlling the stage, and an adjustment unit which sets the cutoff characteristics of the resonance elimination unit, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the cutoff characteristics of the resonance elimination unit on the basis of a signal generated in the control system.

Abstract: In addition to first and second pneumatic springs, first and second electromagnetic actuators are provided, and a target position and target speed of a stage are feed-forwarded to them. At this time, the first and second pneumatic springs and the first and second electromagnetic actuators divide a frequency band with predetermined filters.

Abstract: A position control apparatus which controls a position of a stage. The apparatus includes an input device for inputting a reference locus for the stage, the reference locus including a group of scanning sections, each of which includes an acceleration section, a settling section associated with a provisional settling time, and a section for constant speed scanning, the stage settling to a constant speed in each settling section, a storage medium storing information regarding actual settling times, each of which corresponds to each scanning section, a correction device for correcting the reference locus on the basis of the information on the actual settling times, and a driving device for moving the stage in accordance with the reference locus corrected by the correction device.