A support for a movable element includes a stator element, a gravity compensator field inducing element mounted on the stator element, the gravity compensator field inducing element configured to apply a translational force to the movable element by controlling a magnetic field in a gap between the stator element and the movable element, and a plurality of torque compensator field inducing elements mounted on the stator element, the torque compensator field inducing elements configured to apply a torque to the movable element by controlling a magnetic field in the gap between the stator element and the movable element, the torque being about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of the translational force applied by the gravity compensator field inducing element.

A stage includes a base plate extending in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, a moving frame disposed on the base plate and movable in the first direction or in a direction opposite to the first direction, and an error compensation portion disposed between the base plate and the moving frame and including a guide rail extending in the first direction and an electromagnet portion disposed on the guide rail and covering at least a portion of the guide rail.

An individual mirror of a pupil facet mirror of an illumination optical unit of a projection exposure apparatus is mounted so as to be pivotable about two pivot axes. A ratio of the pivotability of the individual mirror about the two pivot axes is at least 2:1.

An exposure device or tool and a method for preparing circuits on curved surfaces, belonging to the technical field of exposure devices and tools, are disclosed. By expanding the designed pattern on the curved surface into multiple, continuous pattern blocks, the original curved pattern is converted into a flat pattern. Based on the flat pattern, a corresponding mask is designed, with the pattern areas retained. Subsequently, using the exposure device or tool, a photoresist on the curved surface is selectively exposed to light, thereby transferring the pattern from the mask to the curved surface. In this exposure process, rotation of the sample stage and horizontal movement of the mask, combined with the light from a light source, allow for the transfer of the pattern from the mask onto the curved sample or workpiece.

The invention relates to an actuator device for use in a positioning system, wherein the actuator device is linearly movable within a plane with respect to a supporting structure of the positioning system as well as such a positioning system implementing such an actuator device. In an example of the actuator device according to the invention, it comprises a carrier having a longitudinal and a transversal dimension; and multiple groups of coil assemblies mounted in the carrier, each group of coil assemblies being structured to orientate the carrier in at least one degree of freedom. The single design actuator device according to the invention has limited constructional dimensions and allows high accuracy as to motion and position in multiple degrees of freedom.