Exposure apparatus, movable body apparatus, flat-panel display manufacturing method, and device manufacturing method

Abstract

In a substrate stage, when a Y coarse movement stage moves in the Y-axis direction, an X coarse movement stage, a weight cancellation device, and an X guide move integrally in the Y-axis direction with the Y coarse movement stage, and when the X coarse movement stage moves in the X-axis direction on the Y coarse movement stage, the weight cancellation device move on the X guide in the X-axis direction integrally with the X coarse movement stage. Because the X guide is provided extending in the X-axis direction while covering the movement range of the weight cancellation device in the X-axis direction, the weight cancellation device is constantly supported by the X guide, regardless of its position. Accordingly, a substrate can be guided along the XY plane with good accuracy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exposure apparatus of a scanning type which moves an object subject to exposure in a first direction parallel to a horizontal plane with a predetermined first stroke with respect to an energy beam for exposure at the time of exposure processing, the apparatus comprising:
 a first movable body which is movable by the predetermined first stroke at least in the first direction;   a second movable body which guides movement of the first movable body in the first direction and is movable by a second stroke along with the first movable body in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction within the horizontal plane;   an object holding member which holds the object and is movable in a direction at least parallel to the horizontal plane with the first movable body;   a weight cancellation device which supports the object holding member from below and cancels weight of the object holding member; and   a support member which extends in the first direction, and supports the weight cancellation device from below, and also is movable in the second direction by the second stroke in a state supporting the weight cancellation device from below.