The present invention provides a control method of a driving apparatus that repeatedly performs a process of driving a target object in a predetermined range by a linear motor, wherein the linear motor includes a stator in which a plurality of coils are arrayed, and a mover provided with the target object, the control method comprising: changing a position of the stator with respect to the predetermined range at an arbitrary timing; and determining, in accordance with the changed position of the stator, output ratios of the plurality of coils in the process.

A semiconductor substrate stage for carrying a substrate is provided. The semiconductor substrate stage includes a base layer, a magnetic shielding layer disposed on the base layer, a carrier layer disposed on the magnetic shielding layer, and a receiver disposed on the carrier layer. The receiver is configured to receive a microwave signal from a signal source electrically isolated from the receiver, and the microwave signal is used for controlling the movement of the semiconductor substrate stage.

A semiconductor substrate stage for carrying a substrate is provided. The semiconductor substrate stage includes a base layer, a magnetic shielding layer disposed on the base layer, a carrier layer disposed on the magnetic shielding layer, a receiver disposed on the carrier layer, a storage layer disposed between the base layer and the magnetic shielding layer, and a magnetic shielding element disposed on the carrier layer and surrounding the receiver.

An electromagnetic device includes a first member having a first end face, a second member having a second end face facing the first end face through an air gap, and a coil wound around one of the first member and the second member. Each of the first member and the second member is formed from a laminated body of a plurality of steel plates, and a magnetic circuit formed from the first member and the second member includes a changing part at which a lamination direction of the laminated body changes at a right angle to generate a magnetic flux along a plane direction of each of the plurality of steel plates.

The present invention provides a control method of a driving apparatus that repeatedly performs a process of driving a target object in a predetermined range by a linear motor, wherein the linear motor includes a stator in which a plurality of coils are arrayed, and a mover provided with the target object, the control method comprising: changing a position of the stator with respect to the predetermined range at an arbitrary timing; and determining, in accordance with the changed position of the stator, output ratios of the plurality of coils in the process.

A method for positioning a substage (9), supported by a main stage (5), relative to a reference object, the substage moveable in a direction (7) between a first and second position relative to the main stage. The method includes positioning the first stage using a passive force system that is activated by positioning the main stage. The passive force system includes two magnet systems (119, 121), each magnet system being configured to apply a force in the direction to the first stage with respect to the second stage in a non-contact manner, the forces resulting in a resultant force applied to the first stage in the direction by the passive force system. A magnitude and/or a direction of the resultant force depends on the position of the first stage relative to the second stage, and the first stage has a zero-force position between the first and second position in which the resultant force is zero.

A movable body apparatus has: a substrate holder holding a substrate and can move in the X and Y-axes directions; a Y coarse movement stage movable in the Y-axis direction; a first measurement system acquiring position information on the substrate holder by heads on the substrate holder and a scale on the Y coarse movement stage; a second measurement system acquiring position information on the Y coarse movement stage by heads on the Y coarse movement stage and a scale; and a control system controlling the position of the substrate holder based on position information acquired by the first and second measurement systems. The first measurement system irradiates a measurement beam while moving the heads in the X-axis direction with respect to the scale, and the second measurement system irradiates a measurement beam while moving the heads in the Y-axis direction with respect to the scale.

The present invention provides a stage driving apparatus for driving a stage, comprising: a linear motor including a stator which includes a coil array obtained by alternately arraying first phase coils and second phase coils, and a movable element placed on the stage; and a control unit configured to control the linear motor by controlling an energization state of the coil array, wherein in a stopping period during which the stage is stopped in a predetermined position, the control unit holds a position of the stage in the predetermined position by turning on the first phase coil among the coil array, and generates heat by turning on the second phase coil arranged in a position where no thrust is given to the movable element among the coil array.

Described herein is a magnetically levitated linear transportation stage which utilizes a permanent magnet bias flux to generate a passive magnetic/suspension force/torque in a first set of directions orthogonal to a direction of transportation stage travel, a motor flux which forms a traveling wave along a direction of transportation stage travel and a suspension control force orthogonal to the direction of transportation stage travel. Such a magnetically levitated linear transportation stage is suitable for use in in-vacuum transportation tasks such as in conjunction with photo lithography systems (e.g. extreme ultra violet (EUV) machines).

A stage device includes a stage capable of moving in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to each other, a scale arranged in the stage so as to extend in the first direction, an optical assembly arranged so as to face the scale in at least a part of a movable range of the stage and extending in the second direction, and an interferometer configured to transmit measurement light and reference light to the optical assembly, and receive the measurement light and the reference light returning from the optical assembly. The optical assembly is configured to apply the measurement light from the interferometer to the scale, and return the measurement light returning from the scale and the reference light to the interferometer.