Patent ID: 8456618
Filing Date: 2013-06-04
Classification: G03B,G03F

Abstract:
1. A stage apparatus which holds a plate member, the apparatus comprising: a stage; a first positioning member which is placed on said stage, and is configured to contact a lower surface of the plate member to position the plate member in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the plate member; a second positioning member which is placed on said stage, and is configured to contact an upper surface of the plate member to position the plate member in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the plate member, together with said first positioning member; an elastic, first enclosing member configured to form a first enclosed space around said first positioning member; an elastic, second enclosing member configured to form a second enclosed space around said second positioning member; a first suction mechanism and a second suction mechanism configured to respectively suck air from the first enclosed space and air from the second enclosed space so that the plate member is chucked by vacuum absorption; a driving unit configured to move said second positioning member and said second enclosing member from a position where said second positioning member and said second enclosing member face the upper surface of the plate member to a position where said second positioning member and said second enclosing member do not face the upper surface; and a third positioning member configured to position said second positioning member and said second enclosing member at the position where said second positioning member and said second enclosing member face the upper surface of the plate member, wherein said driving unit moves said second positioning member and said second enclosing member in a direction parallel to the plane of the plate member between the position where said second positioning member and said second enclosing member face the upper surface of the plate member and the position where said second positioning member and said second enclosing member do not face the upper surface.