Alignment apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method using exposure apparatus

Abstract

An alignment apparatus includes driving means having a movable element and a stator, a measurement unit which measures a position of a moving member moved by the driving means using measurement light, and a discharging unit to discharge gas existing in an optical path of the measurement light. The discharging unit is provided to the stator.

1 . An alignment apparatus comprising:
 a driving unit having a movable element and a stator;   a measurement unit which measures a position of a moving member which moves in a horizontal plane by said driving unit using light;   a gas supply unit which supplies gas of which a temperature is adjusted to an optical path of said measurement unit; and   a discharging unit to discharge said gas existing in the optical path of the light,   wherein the stator has two planes which are parallel to the horizontal plane of the moving member and opposite to each other and said discharging unit is provided to said stator and discharges the gas through a space sandwiched between the two planes.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said discharging unit has a discharging flow passage in said stator. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said discharging units are provided and have a different discharging amount depending on a discharging position of the gas. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said measurement unit measures the position of said moving member using a laser beam. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said discharging unit has a plurality of discharging flow passages. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said discharging unit has a discharging flow passage for discharging the gas in a direction parallel to a moving direction of the moving member. 
   
   
       7 . An exposure apparatus which exposes a pattern of a master to a substrate, comprising an alignment apparatus which aligns the master or the substrate, said alignment apparatus including:
 a driving unit having a movable element and a stator;   a measurement unit which measures a position of a moving member which holds the master or the substrate and moves in a horizontal plane by said driving unit using light;   a gas supply unit which supplies gas of which a temperature is adjusted to an optical path of said measurement unit; and   a discharging unit to discharge said gas existing in the optical path of the light,   wherein the stator has two planes which are parallel to the horizontal plane of the moving member and opposite to each other and said discharging unit is provided to said stator and discharges the gas through a space sandwiched between the two planes.   
   
   
       8 . A device manufacturing method comprising steps of:
 exposing a substrate using an exposure apparatus; and   developing the substrate,   wherein said exposure apparatus comprises an alignment apparatus which aligns the master or the substrate, said alignment apparatus includes a driving unit having a movable element and a stator, a measurement unit which measures a position of a moving member which holds the master or the substrate and moves in a horizontal plane by said driving unit using light, a gas supply unit which supplies gas of which a temperature is adjusted to an optical path of said measurement unit, and a discharging unit to discharge said gas existing in the optical path of the light, the stator has two planes which are parallel to the horizontal plane of the moving member and opposite to each other and said discharging unit is provided to said stator and discharges the gas through a space sandwiched between the two planes.   
   
   
       9 . An alignment apparatus comprising:
 a driving unit having a movable element and a stator;   a measurement unit which measures a position of a moving member which moves in a horizontal plane by said driving unit using light;   a gas supply unit which supplies gas of which a temperature is adjusted to an optical path of said measurement unit; and   a discharging unit to discharge said gas existing in the optical path of the light,   wherein said discharging unit is provided to said stator so as to discharge the gas in a direction parallel to the horizontal plane of the moving member.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said measurement unit measures the position of said moving member using a laser beam. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said discharging unit has a discharging flow passages and discharges the gas in a direction parallel to the horizontal plane of the moving member. 
   
   
       12 . An exposure apparatus which exposes a pattern of a master onto a substrate, comprising an alignment apparatus which aligns the master or the substrate, said alignment apparatus including:
 a driving unit having a movable element and a stator;   a measurement unit which measures a position of a moving member which holds the master or the substrate and moves in a horizontal plane by said driving unit using light;   a gas supply unit which supplies gas of which a temperature is adjusted to an optical path of said measurement unit; and   a discharging unit to discharge said gas existing in the optical path of the light,   wherein said discharging unit is provided to said stator so as to discharge the gas in a direction parallel to the horizontal plane of the moving member.   
   
   
       13 . A device manufacturing method comprising steps of:
 exposing a substrate using an exposure apparatus; and   developing the substrate,   wherein said exposure apparatus comprises an alignment apparatus which aligns the master or the substrate, said alignment apparatus includes a driving unit having a movable element and a stator, a measurement unit which measures a position of a moving member which holds the master or the substrate and moves in a horizontal plane by said driving unit using light, a gas supply unit which supplies gas of which a temperature is adjusted to an optical path of said measurement unit, and a discharging unit to discharge said gas existing in the optical path of the light, said discharging unit is provided to said stator so as to discharge the gas in a direction parallel to the horizontal plane of the moving member.