Method and apparatus to allow a plurality of stages to operate in close proximity

摘要

According to one aspect of the present invention, a stage apparatus includes a first stage, a first magnet arrangement, and a stator arrangement that includes a first coil having a first width. The first magnet arrangement is associated with the first stage, and includes a first quadrant and a second quadrant or, more generally, a first sub-array and a second sub-array. The first quadrant has at least one first magnet arranged parallel to a first axis, and the second quadrant has at least one second magnet arranged parallel to a second axis. The first quadrant is adjacent to the second quadrant relative to the first axis, and is spaced apart from the second quadrant by a distance relative to the second axis. The stator arrangement is configured to cooperate with the first magnet arrangement to drive the first stage.

主权项

1. A stage apparatus comprising:
a first stage; a first magnet array, the first magnet array being associated with the first stage; and a stator arrangement, the stator arrangement being arranged to cooperate with the first magnet array to drive the first stage, wherein the stator arrangement includes a plurality of coils, the plurality of coils including a first coil of a first type, a second coil of a second type, a third coil of the first type, and a fourth coil of the second type, the first coil and the fourth coil being in a first plane, the second coil and the third coil being in a second plane, wherein the first coil is stacked over the second coil and the fourth coil is stacked over the third coil, wherein the first coil and the third coil are arranged to provide a force in a first direction along a first axis, and the second coil and the fourth coil are arranged to provide a force in a second direction along a second axis.