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 linear propulsion machine and system (10) is disclosed that includes a stator (30) having a plurality of teeth (34) and a mover (32) moveable in a linear direction along the stator (30). The mover may include a plurality of spaced apart ferromagnetic strata (40), a plurality of slots (42), a plurality of wire coils (44), and a plurality of magnet layers (46). Each of the slots (42) may be adjacent to at least one of the strata (40). Each coil (44) may be disposed in a slot (42). Each magnet layer (46) may be sandwiched between strata (40) and disposed inside one of the plurality of coils (44). Each coil (44) is disposed perpendicularly to the direction of magnetic flux of the magnet layer (46) around which the coil (44) is wound. In an embodiment, the teeth (34) or the magnet layer (46) may be disposed at an angle.

A linear motor includes a stator including a plurality of salient poles arranged at regular intervals in the Y-axis direction, and a mover movable in the Y-axis direction and facing the stator in the X-axis direction, in which the mover includes a plurality of teeth arranged in the Y-axis direction, three-phase alternate current windings wound around the teeth, a mover magnetic yoke that connects the plurality of teeth, permanent magnets each disposed in a gap between the teeth of identical phase, and magnetic flux barriers each embedded near the base of each tooth of the plurality of teeth, disposed completely within a width of each tooth in the X-axis direction, and spaced apart from the permanent magnet in the X-axis direction.

A reticle transport system having a magnetically levitated transportation stage is disclosed. Such a system may be suitable for use in vacuum environments, for example, ultra-clean vacuum environments. A magnetic levitated linear motor functions to propel the transportation stage in a linear direction along a defined axis of travel and to magnetically levitate the transportation stage

A linear actuator for pumping comprising a stator having an inner opening, a shaft having a plurality of permanent magnets spaced linearly in the axial direction, the shaft disposed in the stator opening and configured to reciprocate linearly in the axial direction relative to the stator, the stator comprising a first stator assembly having a plurality of pole sections spaced linearly in the axial direction and a plurality of coils disposed therebetween, a second stator assembly having a plurality of pole sections spaced linearly in the axial direction and a plurality of coils disposed therebetween, a bearing assembly positioned axially between the first stator assembly and the second stator assembly, and the bearing assembly having a width that is a function of the spacing of the plurality of pole sections of the first stator assembly and the second assembly and the spacing of the plurality of permanent magnets of the shaft.

A linear motor system may include a plurality of track sections that may enable a mover to traverse a track formed by the plurality of track sections. The system may also include a plurality of connection modules, such that each connection module of the plurality of connection modules may physically couple two respective adjacent track sections of the plurality of track sections and communicatively couple the two respective adjacent track sections of the plurality of track section. Each connection module may also electrically couple the two respective adjacent track sections of the plurality of track section.

A magnetic actuator includes a first element and a second element movable with respect to the first element in a movement direction. The first element includes teeth successively in the movement direction, two coils in slots defined by the teeth, and a permanent magnet. The second element includes teeth successively in the movement direction. The teeth of the first and second elements and the permanent magnet are arranged so that the second element is held by magnetic forces in each of three positions also when there are no currents in the coils. The second element can be moved between the three positions by supplying electric currents to the coils. Thus, the second element is held in any of the three positions also when current supply to the magnetic actuator is unintentionally lost.

A transport device has a stator and at least one transport element. The transport device is designed to transport the transport element in a controlled manner relative to the stator, and the stator or the transport element has multiple movable actuating magnets, each of which is connected to the stator or transport element via an actuating element. The actuating element is designed to change the position and/or orientation of the connected actuating magnet relative to the stator or transport element in a controlled manner. The respective other part has at least two stationary magnets fixedly connected to the respective other part. The stator and the transport element are magnetically coupled by means of the stationary magnets and actuating magnets, and the transport device is designed to transport the transport element relative to the stator by the control positioning and/or orientation of the actuating magnets by means of the actuating magnets.

A rotating electrical machine of a brushless wound field type disposed between a stationary case and rotating member that rotates inside the case includes a stator held by the case, including an AC coil that generates a rotating magnetic field with an alternating current, a field core held by the case, the field core including a field coil that generates a magnetic flux with a direct current, a rotor fixed in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the rotating member and held rotatably relative to the stator and field coil, a rotor side core portion that is a part of the rotating member. The magnetic flux of the field coil passes from the field core through the rotor via the second air gap, the stator and rotor via the first air gap, the rotor side core portion, and the field core via the third air gap.

An apparatus for holding, positioning and/or moving an object is described. The apparatus includes a base, and a carrier which is movable relative to the base. The apparatus further includes at least three magnetic bearings, by means of which the carrier is supported on the base in a contactless manner such that the carrier can be displaced with respect to at least one predefined direction, wherein at least two of the magnetic bearings are configured as actively controllable magnetic bearings. The apparatus has at least one damping unit, which is fixed to the carrier or to the base.