Volentine & Whitt, PLLC
Magnetic levitation wafer stage, and method of using the stage in an exposure apparatus
A magnetic levitation wafer stage is used to align a wafer in an exposure apparatus of photolithographic equipment. The wafer stage includes a base, a table supported on the base and whose entire top surface exhibits magnetism of a single polarity, and motors for moving the table in the X and Y directions relative to the base. Alternatively, the wafer stage includes a wafer table having a main body and a number of electromagnets disposed in an upper portion of the main body, and electronics that selectively supply current in either direction through coils of the electromagnets respectively and independently of one another. In the exposure process, the bottom surface of the substrate is provided with a magnetic substance such that the substrate exhibits magnetism of a given polarity. The substrate is delivered to and set on the table of the stage. There, the substrate is levitated by a magnetic force of repulsion between the substrate and the table. The substrate can be moved horizontally while the substrate remains levitated above the table of the stage.
Samsung Electric Co., Ltd.
G F
G03F F16C
inventional inventional
Seok-Kyun
Lee