IP Library Granted Patent US 12,469,671
Granted Patent B2
US 12,469,671 · App. 17/963,723 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Stage apparatus and charged particle beam apparatus including stage apparatus

Inventors: Akira Nishioka (Tokyo, JP); Motohiro Takahashi (Tokyo, JP); Masaki Mizuochi (Tokyo, JP); Yasuhiro Ando (Tokyo, JP); Raifu Yamamoto (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
H01J37/20H01J37/26H01J37/3007H01J2237/002H01J2237/2007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,469,671
App. No.
17/963,723
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A stage apparatus includes a lower stage that moves in a Y-axis direction, an upper stage that floats from the lower stage and moves at least in an X-axis direction orthogonal to the Y-axis direction, a heat exchanger that cools a Y table of the lower stage with a refrigerant, and a control device that controls an inclination of the lower stage with reference to the Y table cooled by the heat exchanger.

Claims (36)

1 . A stage apparatus comprising:

a first stage configured to move in a first direction;

a second stage configured to float from the first stage and move in a second direction orthogonal to at least the first direction;

a first cooling unit configured to cool a table of the first stage with a refrigerant; and

a control device configured to control an inclination of the second stage with reference to the table of the first stage cooled by the first cooling unit.

2 . The stage apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second cooling unit configured to cool a table of the second stage with the refrigerant, wherein

the refrigerant used for cooling one of the tables of the first stage and the second stage is also used for cooling an other one of the tables of the first stage and the second stage.

3 . The stage apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant is used for cooling the table of the second stage and then used for cooling the table of the first stage.

4 . The stage apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a first refrigerant pipe configured to supply the refrigerant to the second cooling unit; and

a second refrigerant pipe configured to supply the refrigerant supplied to the second cooling unit from the second cooling unit to the first cooling unit.

5 . The stage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second stage floats by magnetic force with respect to the first stage.

6 . The stage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first stage moves in the first direction on a guide rail disposed along the first direction.

7 . The stage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control device measures positions of the second stage at a plurality of places with reference to a vertical surface provided on the table of the first stage, and controls the inclination of the second stage based on a measurement result.

8 . The stage apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a linear scale attached to one of the vertical surface of the first stage and an opposing surface facing the vertical surface of the second stage; and

a sensor that is attached to the vertical surface and an other side of the opposing surface and reads the linear scale, wherein

the control device controls the inclination of the second stage based on a measurement result of the sensor.

9 . The stage apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a mirror bar provided on a table of the second stage, wherein

position coordinates of the second stage are measured based on a laser beam reflected by the mirror bar, and

the control device controls a position of the first stage or the second stage based on the position coordinates.

10 . The stage apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a refrigerant pipe configured to supply the refrigerant to the first cooling unit, wherein

the refrigerant pipe is disposed along the first direction, is disposed along the first direction after making a U-turn, and displaces a portion where the U-turn is made as the first stage moves in the first direction.

11 . The stage apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a refrigerant pipe configured to supply the refrigerant to the first cooling unit, wherein

the refrigerant pipe is connected to a surface of the first stage perpendicular to the first direction.

12 . The stage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first cooling unit includes one pipe built in the table of the first stage and having an inlet and an outlet for the refrigerant.

13 . The stage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first cooling unit includes a heat sink attached to the table of the first stage and having a flow path for the refrigerant.

14 . A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

a charged particle source;

a chuck on which a sample irradiated with a beam emitted from the charged particle source is mounted;

the stage apparatus according to claim 1 , configured to move the chuck; and

a vacuum chamber in which the stage apparatus is installed.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2022
From: NISHIOKA, AKIRA; TAKAHASHI, MOTOHIRO; MIZUOCHI, MASAKI; ANDO, YASUHIRO; YAMAMOTO, RAIFU
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061382/0017 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-181598 · Nov 8, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230143197A1 · May 11, 2023
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