A substrate handling apparatus for handling a substrate is disclosed. The substrate handling apparatus includes a substrate feeding device to feed the substrate towards an exposure area, a substrate receiving device to receive the substrate from the exposure area, and a substrate stabilization device to maintain, at least in the exposure area, the substrate substantially flat at an exposure height and/or tilt, the substrate stabilization device configured for contactless stabilization of the flexible substrate.

A stage apparatus includes a surface plate as well as a guide shaft fixedly secured to the surface plate, a drive member moving along the guide shaft, and a hydrostatic fluid bearing that forms fluid films in the gap portion between the guide shaft and the drive member. The apparatus further includes: a positional deviation detection sectionfor detecting a relative positional deviation which occurs between the guide shaft and the drive member and which affects the thickness dimensions of the fluid films; and a state decision section for making a decision on the condition of the apparatus itself based on the positional deviation detected by the detection section and outputting information responsive to the decision.

A liquid immersion lithography apparatus includes an optical assembly having a last optical element, a first outlet facing downward, via which an immersion liquid is released, a first inlet via which the immersion liquid is drawn, and a containment member arranged to surround a last portion of the optical assembly. The containment member has (i) a second inlet facing downward, which is arranged radially-outwardly from the first outlet with respect to a space under the last optical element and via which fluid is removed from a gap formed under the containment member, and (ii) a second outlet facing downward, via which gas is supplied to the gap formed under the containment member, the second outlet being arranged radially-outwardly from the second inlet with respect to the space.

An exposure apparatus and method exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid supplied to an immersion area below the projection optical system. First and second movable members move below the projection optical system. The first movable member holds a substrate in a hole of an upper surface of the first movable member. The upper surface outside the hole can maintain at least a part of the immersion area outside the substrate held in the hole. A drive system drives the first and second movable members to move the first and second movable members below the projection optical system relative to the liquid immersion region to replace one member positioned below the projection optical system with the other member such that the liquid immersion area is maintained below the projection optical system.

An arrangement for a lithography apparatus has a component and a weight compensating device to compensate for a weight of the component. The weight compensating device includes a first magnetic device and a second magnetic device. The first magnetic device is designed to exert a first magnetic force on the component. The first magnetic force exceeds the weight of the component. The first magnetic force acts counter to the weight of the component. The second magnetic device is designed to exert a second magnetic force on the component. The second magnetic force acts in the direction of the weight of the component. The first magnetic force corresponds to the sum of the second magnetic force and the weight. The second magnetic device is designed to reduce the second magnetic force at the same time and by the same absolute value as the first magnetic force.

A substrate stage apparatus includes: a fine movement stage movable along the XY plane; an XY two-dimensional stage apparatus (an X beam and an X carriage) which guides the fine movement stage in a direction parallel to the XY plane; a plurality of weight-canceling devices movable in the direction parallel to the XY plane synchronously with the fine movement stage and also working together to support the weight of the fine movement stage; a first Y step guide provided at the +Y side of the X beam in a direction parallel to the Y-axis, that guides a part of the plurality of weight-canceling devices moving in a direction parallel to the X-axis; and a second Y step guide provided at the other side of the X beam in the direction parallel to the Y-axis, that guides the other part of the plurality of weight-canceling devices moving parallel to the X-axis.

A balance mass system shared by a workpiece stage and a mask stage includes a balance mass and an anti-drift and compensation apparatus (16). The balance mass includes a first part (11) for mounting thereon a workpiece stage system, a second part (20) for mounting thereon a mask stage system, and a third part (14) for interconnecting the first part (11) and the second part (20). The first part (11) of the balance mass is floatingly supported on a base frame (1) of a lithography machine, and the third part (14) of the balance mass is in connection with the base frame (1) via the anti-drift and compensation apparatus (16). The anti-drift and compensation apparatus (16) is disposed in proximity to the center of gravity of the balance mass as a whole. This balance mass system can eliminate the need for using an additional support for the mask stage system and allow the construction of a lithography machine with a higher structural compactness, reduced size and weight, and reduced total mass of used balance masses.

An exposure apparatus and method exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid supplied to an immersion area below the projection optical system. First and second movable members move below the projection optical system. The first movable member has a mount area that mounts a substrate located in a hole of an upper surface of the first movable member. The upper surface outside the hole can maintain at least a part of the immersion area outside the substrate mounted in the hole. A drive system drives the first and second movable members to move the first and second movable members below the projection optical system relative to the liquid immersion region to replace one member positioned below the projection optical system with the other member such that the liquid immersion area is maintained below the projection optical system.

A fine-motion module for use in a wafer stage of a photolithography tool includes: a base (201); a fine-motion plate (210); a plurality of vertical motors (203), fixed between the base and the fine-motion plate; a plurality of gravity compensators (202), each having one end fixed on the base and the other end configured to support the fine-motion plate; a plurality of absolute-position sensors (205, 211), configured to measure an absolute position of the fine-motion plate and to adjust pressures in the gravity compensators based on the obtained absolute-position measurements such that the absolute position of the fine-motion plate is changed to a predetermined initial vertical position; and a plurality of relative-position sensors (204, 207), configured to measure a relative position of the fine-motion plate to the base and to control the fine-motion plate based on the obtained relative-position measurements, thereby moving the fine-motion plate to a relative zero position.

A system for positioning, a stage system, a lithographic apparatus, a method for positioning and a method for manufacturing a device in which use is made of a stage system that includes a plurality of gas bearing devices. Each gas bearing device includes: a gas bearing body, which has a free surface, a primary channel which extends through the gas bearing body and has an inlet opening in the free surface, a secondary channel system which extends through the gas bearing body and which has a plurality of discharge openings in the free surface. The flow resistance in the secondary channel system is higher than the flow resistance in the primary channel.