Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided an exposure apparatus capable of minimizing disturbance from the connecting portions of piping systems in a wafer stage (4), dust from pipes, and electrostatic buildup on the surfaces of piping members. The exposure apparatus according to this invention is an exposure apparatus (5) which projects a pattern drawn on the surface of a master onto a substrate through a projection optical system (illumination system unit) (1) and moves both of the master and substrate or only the substrate by the stage apparatus (4) relative to the projection optical system, thereby repeatedly exposing the substrate to the pattern of the master. In the apparatus, a plurality of pipes which are connected to a movable unit of the stage apparatus and have different inner and outer diameters are jointed to each other at partial outer surfaces of the pipes and are integrated into a pipe array (20) or (21).

Abstract: Some of linear motors which constitute an exposure apparatus have coils each obtained by winding a copper foil wire as a foil-like conductor having an insulating layer around a core member in a multilayered structure. The coil is fixed to a positioning portion serving as the coil fixing portion of the linear motor by using the core member. The core member is formed from the same insulating material with low thermal conductivity as that of the positioning portion of a linear motor housing or a material with almost the same linear expansion coefficient.

Abstract: The linear motor includes a Y annular coil (3) which is winded around a stator yoke (5) about a main drive axis in a form of a square cylinder, a Y moving element magnet (6) which two-dimensionally opposes the Y annular coil (3) via a predetermined gap, an X annular coil 11 which is fixed to the Y annular coil (3) via an insulating material (2), and an X moving element magnet (12) which two-dimensionally opposes the X annular coil (11) via a predetermined gap. The linear motor can drive the Y moving element magnet (6) in the main drive axis direction by energizing the Y annular coil (3), and drive the X moving element magnet (12) in the direction perpendicular to the main drive axis direction by energizing the X annular coil (11).

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a base having a reference surface, a moving unit which moves along the reference surface, a static bearing which is provided in the moving unit and which supports the moving unit such that the moving unit can move along the reference surface, and a temperature controller which is provided in the moving unit and which controls the temperature of gas supplied to the static bearing. In the stage apparatus, air fluctuation in the measurement area of interferometers due to gas exhausted from the static bearing and/or distortion caused by heat transmitted to a retainer of a target is suppressed, and the stage positioning accuracy is thereby increased.

Abstract: A plane motor device having a stator unit, a movable unit, and a coil unit at the movable unit and/or the stator unit, in which coil unit a current flows for driving the movable unit. The plane motor device includes a surrounding member surrounding the coil unit, and a cooling channel provided within the surrounding member, for absorbing heat of the coil unit. It is preferable that the surrounding member is divided in the form of modules.

Abstract: A support apparatus includes an optical element, a first support member that supports the optical element, and a second support member that contacts the optical element or the first support member and positions the optical element, wherein the optical element is removably attached to the second support member, or the optical element and the first support member are removably attached to the second support member.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus illuminates a pattern on an original form, introduces light from the pattern to a plate, and exposes the plate. The exposure apparatus includes at least one optical element, and forcing member that applies a force to the at least one optical element in a non-contact manner.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a reflective element for reflecting and introducing light from a light source to a plate, at least one first driver for providing the reflective element with a force and/or a displacement in at least one directions, and at least one second driver for providing the reflective element with a force and/or a displacement in at least one directions, wherein the first and second drives are connected in series to each other.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a movable stage, a chuck device which is arranged on the stage and holds a substrate, a first gas supply device for supplying a gas to a position of the substrate to be exposed, and a plurality of divided planar members which are arranged adjacent to a periphery of the substrate such that at least a part of the divided planar members covers a position measurement mirror of the movable stage, and are flush with or substantially flush with a surface of the substrate or a substrate holding surface of the chuck device.

Abstract: A linear motor apparatus includes a movable member having a magnet, and a coil wound about the magnet so as to generate a drive force for driving the movable member and having a multi-layer structure formed by winding a foil-like conductor and an insulating layer. The foil-like conductor (i) has a plurality of partial coils having identical current application/rotation directions, and the plurality of partial coils are formed in such a way that the foil-like conductor forms a continuous, seamless strip, and (ii) is continuously wound in a multilayered, aligned state to form the coil, and adjacent layers of the foil-like conductor are insulated by the insulating layer.

Abstract: A stage device includes a movable body, movable along a guide surface, for moving an element mounted on the movable body, a static pressure bearing, having at least one pad, for guiding the movable body along the guide surface, the at least one pad being attached to the movable body at a first position, and a linear motor, having a movable part and a relatively stationary part, for moving the movable body, the movable part of the linear motor being attached to the movable body at a second position. The movable body has a hollow structure at at least one of the first position and the second position. The hollow structure has an enclosure structure or a rib structure.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to prevent a decrease in purge pressure in exposure and an increase in oxygen concentration caused by a purge error near the periphery of a wafer or reticle. To achieve this object, an exposure apparatus includes a movable stage, a chuck device which is arranged on the stage and holds a substrate, a first gas supply device for supplying gas to a position of the substrate to be exposed, and a plurality of divided planar members which are arranged adjacent to the periphery of the substrate, and are flush with or almost flush with the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Some of linear motors which constitute an exposure apparatus have coils each obtained by winding a copper foil wire as a foil-like conductor having an insulating layer around a core member in a multilayered structure. The coil is fixed to a positioning portion serving as the coil fixing portion of the linear motor by using the core member. The core member is formed from the same insulating material with low thermal conductivity as that of the positioning portion of a linear motor housing or a material with almost the same linear expansion coefficient.

Abstract: A linear motor increases the space factor of a copper wire with respect to a coil section, increases the current density of a driving current supplied to a coil, and realizes higher speed and lower power consumption of a stage apparatus. In an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to a pattern drawn on a master surface, a linear motor with a coil formed by winding a foil-like conductor in a multilayered structure is used for driving a stage which supports a master or substrate, and for damping of the main body structure by cutting off transmission of a reaction force from the stage.

Abstract: To dispose an air cleaner having a large capacity under a fuel tank without changing the capacity and mounting height of the fuel tank. An air cleaner is disposed under a fuel tank in such a manner as to be housed in a space surrounded by a head box and right and left main frames. Independent air cleaner elements and are disposed in parallel in the air cleaner and are connected to independent intake passages A and B, respectively. The intake passages A and B form a dirty room formed in a front portion of a case main body, and are disposed on the left and right sides of water drip walls integrally formed on the bottom of the case main body. The right and left water drip walls are each formed into an approximately V-shape in a plan view and project in the intake passages. The water drip walls also separate an intake pipe opened upwardly in the clean room C from the intake passages A and B.

Abstract: A stage system includes a movable stage having a static bearing and a magnet preloading mechanism, and a base having a guiding surface for guiding the movable stage. The base has an accumulated structure including a first layer of a magnetic material provided at the guiding surface, and a second layer of a non-magnetic material.

Abstract: A stage device includes a movable body, movable along a guide surface, for moving an element mounted on the movable body, a static pressure bearing, having at least one pad, for guiding the movable body along the guide surface, the at least one pad being attached to the movable body at a first position, and a linear motor, having a movable part and a relatively stationary part, for moving the movable body, the movable part of the linear motor being attached to the movable body at a second position. The movable body has a hollow structure at at least one of the first position and the second position. The hollow structure has an enclosure structure or a rib structure.

Abstract: A stage device includes a movable body, movable along a guide surface, for moving an element mounted on the movable body, a static pressure bearing, having at least one pad, for guiding the movable body along the guide surface, the at least one pad being attached to the movable body at a first position, and a linear motor, having a movable part and a relatively stationary part, for moving the movable body, the movable part of the linear motor being attached to the movable body at a second position. The movable body has a hollow structure at at least one of the first position and the second position. The hollow structure has an enclosure structure or a rib structure.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting, in a slit, a pattern of an original onto a substrate, the original being held by a stage and being moved in a scan direction, along a straight line, a scanning device for relatively and scanningly moving the original and the substrate relative to the projection optical system, such that in association with the projection optical system the pattern of the original is transferred to the substrate, and a movable member being movable along the same straight line as that of the scan direction of the stage. In a scan exposure, the stage and the movable member move in synchronism with each other, along the same straight line and in directions opposite to each other.

Abstract: A magnetooptical information recording/reproducing apparatus is provided with a floating slider for supporting a magnetic head for applying a magnetic field modulated according to information to a magnetooptical information recording medium. The floating slider is adapted to be retracted from the recording medium according to the kind of the medium by a retraction device, so that the floating slider is free from damages on the slider or in the medium loaded in the apparatus.