Patent ID: 9298106
Filing Date: 2016-03-29
CPC Classification: G03F,H01L

Claim Text:
1. A wafer stage system with reciprocating wafer stage actuation control, comprising: a wafer stage configured for receiving a wafer; one or more motors configured to actuate the wafer stage in at least one of a first direction or a second direction along at least one axis; a first non-contact magnetic reciprocating mechanism configured to decelerate the wafer stage after the wafer stage is actuated to a desired position in the first direction, the first reciprocating mechanism further configured to store energy captured while decelerating the wafer stage in the first direction, the first reciprocating mechanism further configured to accelerate the wafer stage in the second direction utilizing the energy stored in the first reciprocating mechanism; and a second non-contact magnetic reciprocating mechanism configured to decelerate the wafer stage after the wafer stage is actuated to a desired position in the second direction, the second reciprocating mechanism further configured to store energy captured while decelerating the wafer stage in the second direction, the second reciprocating mechanism further configured to accelerate the wafer stage in the first direction utilizing the energy stored in the second reciprocating mechanism, wherein at least one of the first non-contact magnetic reciprocating mechanism or the second non-contact magnetic reciprocating mechanism are disposed at opposite ends of a scanning path along the at least one axis and include one or more spring mechanisms.