Abstract:
A weight compensation mechanism for compensating for the weight of a stage movable in at least the vertical direction along a vertical reference plane by using a pulley uses a half hydrostatic bearing as a bearing for supporting the pulley shaft of a pulley. A hydrostatic bearing with a large load-carrying capacity can be provided by halving the hydrostatic bearing, and a weight compensation mechanism applicable even when a heavy load acts can be provided by supporting the pulley shaft by the bearing. The half hydrostatic bearing is preferably formed from a magnetic member and/or electromagnet so as to pre-load the pulley shaft.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to an alignment apparatus, device apparatus, measurement apparatus, and processing apparatus for an exposure apparatus used in the lithography steps in the process of manufacturing a semiconductor or the like, and a weight compensation apparatus and stage apparatus used in the above apparatuses.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    An apparatus called a stepper is conventionally known as an exposure apparatus used in the manufacture of a semiconductor device or the like. The stepper two-dimensionally moves a substrate step by step with respect to a projection optical system for projecting the pattern of a master such as a reticle or mask onto a substrate such as a wafer, and exposing one substrate to the pattern of the master by a plurality of number of times.  
           [0003]    As the integration degree of a semiconductor device or the like increases, higher precision is demanded for a stage apparatus for moving a substrate such as a wafer step by step and aligning it with respect to the projection optical system of the stepper.  
           [0004]    An X-ray exposure apparatus using an exposure beam such as a soft X-ray (charged-particle storage ring radiation) which has recently been developed adopts a vertical stage which vertically holds a substrate such as a wafer and two-dimensionally moves it step by step within a vertical or approximate reference plane. This vertical stage requires, e.g., a counter mass mechanism for compensating for the weight of the stage in order to move the stage in the gravitational direction.  
           [0005]    [0005]FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the pulley weight compensation mechanism of a vertical stage according to a prior art. This mechanism is an X-Y stage having a Y stage  1020  which freely reciprocates along the Y-axis (vertical direction) along a surface plate  1010  standing on a base plate  1010   a , an X stage  1030  which freely reciprocates along the X-axis on the Y stage  1020 , an actuator (not shown) for moving the Y stage  1020  along the Y-axis, and a linear motor (not shown) for moving the X stage  1030  along the X-axis.  
           [0006]    The surface plate  1010  has a guide surface which supports the lower surface of the Y stage  1020  in a non-contact manner via an air pad or the like. A Y guide (yaw guide; not shown) for guiding the Y stage  1020  along the Y-axis is attached to one end of the surface plate  1010 . The Y guide and Y stage  1020  are also held in a non-contact manner via an air pad or the like.  
           [0007]    A weight compensation mechanism  1060  for canceling the weights of the Y stage  1020 , the X stage  1030 , and a wafer or the like (not shown) held by them comprises a belt  1062  which suspends the Y stage  1020  at one end and a counter mass  1061  at the other end, and a pulley  1063  which supports and winds the belt  1062  around it. The weight of the counter mass  1061  is set to be balanced with the weight of the stage movable portion including the Y stage  1020 , the X stage  1030 , and a wafer or the like held by them.  
           [0008]    There is proposed a method using a full radial hydrostatic bearing  1190  as a bearing which supports a pulley  1163 , as shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a view showing a full radial hydrostatic bearing used at a pulley bearing portion according to another prior art. In FIG. 11, reference numeral  1110  denotes a surface plate;  1190   a , a bearing base; and  1190   b , a hydrostatic bearing.  
           [0009]    Since the prior arts use a full radial bearing, if the shaft is not eccentric, the pressures in upper and lower bearing gaps cancel each other, and no load-carrying capacity is applied. That is, because equal power is applied to the shaft from its perimeter, the combination power to the shaft is counterbalanced when there is no eccentricity of the shaft. The full radial bearing requires a relative eccentricity between the shaft and the bearing in order to support the load. In some cases, the eccentric amount may be restricted, and the load-carrying capacity of the hydrostatic bearing may become insufficient. That is, a radial bearing of the perimeter type is suitable for supporting the rotation of the shaft, but it is not suitable for compensating for the weight of the shaft.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    The present invention has been made to overcome the conventional drawbacks, and has as its object to increase the load-carrying capacity of a hydrostatic bearing for supporting a pulley shaft in a weight compensation apparatus using a pulley.  
           [0011]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a stage apparatus having the weight compensation apparatus.  
           [0012]    The present invention provides a weight compensation apparatus for compensating for a weight of a stage movable along a vertical reference plane, comprising: a pulley; a belt which is wound around and supported by the pulley, and has the stage at one end and a counter mass corresponding to the stage at the other end; and a hydrostatic bearing which has an arcuated bearing portion, and supports a pulley shaft by flowing a fluid into a bearing gap between the bearing portion and the pulley shaft of the pulley.  
           [0013]    The present invention provides a stage apparatus comprising: a stage which moves in at least a vertical direction along a vertical reference plane; a pulley disposed above the stage; a belt which is wound around and supported by said pulley, and has the stage at one end and a counter mass corresponding to the stage at the other end; and a hydrostatic bearing which has an arcuated bearing portion, and supports a pulley shaft by flowing a fluid into a bearing gap between the bearing portion and the pulley shaft of the pulley.  
           [0014]    The present invention provides an exposure apparatus using the stage. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1A is a schematic view showing the main part of a pulley mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1B is a sectional view for explaining an internal structure of the pulley mechanism shown in FIG. 1A;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a view showing an application of a weight compensation mechanism having a half hydrostatic bearing according to the embodiment of the present invention to a stage apparatus;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a view showing the section of the Y guide of the stage apparatus in FIG. 2;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an X-ray exposure apparatus using the stage apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is a view showing the concept of a semiconductor device production system including the exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention when viewed from a given angle;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 is a view showing the concept of the semiconductor device production system including the exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention when viewed from another given angle;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of a user interface in the semiconductor device production system including the exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining the flow of a device manufacturing process by the exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining a wafer process by the exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the pulley weight compensation mechanism of a vertical stage according to a prior art; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 11 is a view showing a full radial hydrostatic bearing used at a pulley bearing portion according to another prior art. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail in accordance with the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to these embodiments.  
       Embodiment of Weight Compensation Mechanism  
       [0030]    [0030]FIG. 1A is a schematic view showing the main part of a pulley mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. A pulley shaft  101  integrated with a pulley  112  is supported by half hydrostatic bearings  103  ( 103   a  and  103   b ), and the half hydrostatic bearings  103   a  and  103   b  are fixed on a base plate  104  which supports the common bearings. A high-pressure fluid flows from an external pressure source (not shown) via the half hydrostatic bearing  103  into a small bearing gap made by the half hydrostatic bearing  103  and pulley shaft  101 , and generates a high static pressure to support the pulley shaft  101 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 1B is a sectional view for explaining an internal structure of the pulley mechanism shown in FIG. 1A. The pulley shaft  101  integrated with the pulley  112  is supported by a half hydrostatic bearing constituted by a half porous member  102  ( 102   a  and  102   b ) and a housing  103  ( 103   a  and  103   b ) which supports it. The half hydrostatic bearing is fixed on the base plate  104  which supports the common bearings. Thrust hydrostatic bearings  111   a  and  111   b  are arranged to restrict the degree of freedom of the pulley  112  in the horizontal direction.  
         [0032]    A high-pressure fluid  106  is supplied from an external pressure source (not shown) to a gas supply path  107 , and flows into the porous member  102  of the half hydrostatic bearing  103  via a gas supply passage  108 . The fluid  106  further flows into the thrust bearings  111   a  and  111   b  via a flow path  109 . The fluid flows into a small bearing gap  105  formed by the half hydrostatic bearing ( 102  and  103 ) and pulley shaft  101  and a small bearing gap  110  formed by the thrust hydrostatic bearings  111   a  and  111   b  and pulley  112 , and generates high static pressures to support the pulley shaft  101  and prevent horizontal offsets of the pulley  112 .  
         [0033]    In the half hydrostatic bearing  103 , compared to the conventional full hydrostatic bearing  1190  shown in FIG. 11, the portion which generates a static pressure in the bearing gap to support the bearing shaft is only the lower half of that of the full hydrostatic bearing  1190 . For this reason, most of static pressures in the upper and lower gaps are canceled, and the load-carrying capacity of the bearing does not decrease. The load-carrying capacity of the half hydrostatic bearing  103  according to this embodiment is almost double that of the conventional hydrostatic bearing  1190 .  
         [0034]    It can be considered that the static pressure in the gap of the bearing accomplishes the function like a spring. Therefore, a conventional full radial hydrostatic bearing  1190  receives the power of the spring from the perimeter of the shaft. As a result, upward power to support the weight of the shaft will not be generated if there is no eccentricity of the shaft. On the other hand, in case of the half hydrostatic bearing of the embodiment, the power of the spring will be applied to the shaft from the lower side, and upward power can be generated for the shaft.  
         [0035]    If the gap of the bearing is narrowed, there is an effect which pushes and shortens the spring, the power of the spring can be enlarged, and the rigidity of the bearing can be improved. As a result, according to the half hydrostatic bearing, if power is given to the direction by which the shaft and the bearing are brought close, the load carrying capacity of the half hydrostatic bearing can be increased.  
         [0036]    Accordingly, it is desirable to install a pre-load mechanism. The pre-load mechanism generates the attraction by generating magnetic force between the shaft and the bearing. For example, in the pre-load mechanism, the pre-load power is generated by installing a permanent magnet and/or the electromagnet on the bearing side, and composing the shaft of magnetic material. A permanent magnet and the like on the bearing side and the half hydrostatic bearing body may be integrated into one body. Also, the permanent magnet and the like can be arranged at the position adjacent to the half hydrostatic bearing.  
         [0037]    In this embodiment, the bearing  103  is a half hydrostatic bearing, but the shape of the bearing portion need not strictly be a semicircle, and suffices to be a hydrostatic bearing having an arcuated bearing portion which supports the pulley shaft.  
       Embodiment of Stage Apparatus  
       [0038]    [0038]FIG. 2 is a view showing an application of a weight compensation mechanism having the half hydrostatic bearing according to the embodiment of the present invention to a stage apparatus. This mechanism is an X-Y stage having a Y stage  220  which freely reciprocates along the Y-axis (vertical or approximate direction) along a surface plate  210  standing on a base plate (not shown), an X stage  230  which freely reciprocates along the X-axis on the Y stage  220 , a pair of Y linear motors  240  serving as a first driving means for moving the Y stage  220  along the Y-axis, and an X linear motor  250  serving as a second driving means for moving the X stage  230  along the X-axis. The left Y linear motor  240  is not illustrated in FIG. 2 in order to describe a Y guide  211  (to be described later).  
         [0039]    The surface plate  210  has an X-Y guide surface  210   a  which supports the lower surface of the Y and X stages  220  and  230  in a non-contact manner via air pads as hydrostatic bearing devices (not shown).  
         [0040]    The Y guide  211  (represented by a broken line) serving as a yaw guide for guiding the Y stage  220  along the Y-axis stands at one end of the surface plate  210  along the X-axis. A Y guide surface  211   a  of the Y guide  211  and the Y stage  220  are held in a non-contact manner via air pads  220   a  (magnetic pads  220   b ) as yaw guide hydrostatic bearing devices. When the two Y linear motors  240  are driven, the Y stage  220  moves along the Y guide  211  on the X-Y guide surface  210   a  of the surface plate  210 .  
         [0041]    The Y stage  220  is formed from a frame made up of a pair of Y sliders  221  and  222 , and an X linear motor stationary element  252  supported by them from two ends. The lower surfaces of the Y sliders  221  and  222  face the X-Y guide surface  210   a  of the surface plate  210 , and are supported in a non-contact manner via air pads or the like, as described above. The left Y slider  222  shown in FIG. 2 is longer than the other, and its side surface  222   a  faces the Y guide surface  211 a of the Y guide  211  and is guided in a non-contact manner via the air pads  220   a  or the like, as described above (see FIG. 3). The Y sliders  221  and  222  are integrally coupled to Y linear motor movable elements  241  via connecting plates  223 . FIG. 3 is a view showing the section of the Y guide  211  of the stage apparatus in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 denote the same parts.  
         [0042]    The X stage  230  is a hollow frame having a top plate  231 , and the X linear motor stationary element  252  extends through the hollow portion. The surface of the top plate  231  forms a work stage which chucks and holds a wafer serving as a work (not shown).  
         [0043]    The Y linear motors  240  have the Y linear motor movable elements  241  integrally coupled to the Y sliders  221  and  222  of the Y stage  220  via the connecting plates  223 , as described above, and Y linear motor stationary elements  242  which extend through the openings of the Y linear motor movable elements  241 .  
         [0044]    A current supplied to each Y linear motor stationary element  242  generates a thrust along the Y-axis in a corresponding Y linear motor movable element  241 , thus moving the Y and X stages  220  and  230  along the Y-axis.  
         [0045]    The X linear motor stationary element for moving the X stage  230  along the X-axis is fixed inside the top plate  231  of the X stage  230 . A current supplied to the X linear motor stationary element  252  generates a thrust along the X-axis in the X linear motor stationary element, thereby moving the X stage  230  in the X-axis direction along the X linear motor stationary element  252 .  
         [0046]    A counter mass mechanism  260  as a weight compensation mechanism for canceling the weights of the Y stage  220 , X stage  230 , and the like comprises belts  262  as a plurality of connecting members which suspend the Y sliders  221  and  222 , i.e., Y stage  220  at one end and counter masses  261  at the other end, and pulleys  263  which support and wind the belts  262  around them. The weights of the counter masses  261  are set to be balanced with the weight of the stage movable portion including the Y stage  220 , the X stage  230 , and a wafer or the like held by them.  
         [0047]    When the X stage  230  moves along the X-axis, the barycentric position of the stage movable portion including the Y and X stages  220  and  230  changes to unbalance the rotation moment around the Z-axis ω Z-axis). Only the counter mass mechanism  260  cannot absorb this moment, and an excessive load is applied to the Y guide (yaw guide)  211  for guiding the Y stage  220 .  
         [0048]    To prevent this, an actuator  270  as a damper for adjusting the tension and/or effective length of the belt  262  aiming at the damping in accordance with displacement of the X stage  230  is attached to the connecting portion between the Y stage  220  and each belt  262 .  
         [0049]    The tension and/or effective length of each belt  262  can be adjusted by individually controlling the driving amount of the actuator  270  of each of the belts  262  which suspend the two Y sliders  221 , on the basis of position information of the X stage  230 , as will be described later. In this manner, the rotation moment generated along with movement of the X stage  230  is canceled (compensated) to reduce the load of the Y stage  220  on the Y guide  211 .  
         [0050]    The Y- and X-axis positions of the X stage  230  are respectively measured by position sensors  230   c  and  230   d  which receive beams reflected by Y and X measurement mirrors  230   a  and  230   b  integrated with the X stage  230 .  
         [0051]    In FIG. 2, reference numeral  264  denotes a counter mass yaw guide for guiding the counter mass in a non-contact manner; and  261   a  and  261   b , air and magnetic pads as counter mass hydrostatic bearing devices.  
       Embodiment of Exposure Apparatus  
       [0052]    The exposure optical system of an X-ray exposure apparatus using the stage apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an X-ray exposure apparatus using the stage apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, an SR beam  401   b  (charged-particle storage ring radiation) as an X-ray emitted by an SR generator (charged-particle storage ring)  401   a  is a sheet beam, and is scanned along the Y-axis by a mirror  402  apart from the emission point by a predetermined distance. The mirror  402  is not limited to one mirror and may be made up of a plurality of mirrors.  
         [0053]    The SR beam reflected by the mirror  402  passes through a master M such as a mask bearing a pattern made of an X-ray absorber on an X-ray transmission film, and irradiates a wafer W serving as a substrate coated with a resist as a photosensitive agent. The wafer W is held by a wafer chuck  403  (work stage) on the above-described stage apparatus, and moved step by step and aligned by the stage apparatus.  
         [0054]    A shutter  404  for controlling the exposure time is disposed upstream of the master M, and a driving device  404   a  of the shutter  404  is controlled by a shutter controller  404   b.  A beryllium film (not shown) is interposed between the mirror  402  and the shutter  404  to control the mirror side to ultrahigh vacuum and the shutter side to a reduced-pressure atmosphere of helium gas.  
       Embodiment of Semiconductor Production System  
       [0055]    A production system for a semiconductor device (semiconductor chip such as an IC or LSI, liquid crystal panel, CCD, thin-film magnetic head, micromachine, or the like) using the exposure apparatus which exploits the above-described stage apparatus will be exemplified. A trouble remedy or periodic maintenance of a manufacturing apparatus installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, or maintenance service such as software distribution is performed by using, e.g., a computer network outside the manufacturing factory.  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 5 shows the overall system cut out at a given angle. In FIG. 5, reference numeral  501  denotes a business office of a vendor (apparatus supply manufacturer) which provides a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. Assumed examples of the manufacturing apparatus are semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses for various processes used in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, such as pre-process apparatuses (lithography apparatus including an exposure apparatus, resist processing apparatus, and etching apparatus, annealing apparatus, film formation apparatus, planarization apparatus, and the like) and post-process apparatuses (assembly apparatus, inspection apparatus, and the like). The business office  501  comprises a host management system  508  for providing a maintenance database for the manufacturing apparatus, a plurality of operation terminal computers  510 , and a LAN (Local Area Network)  509  which connects the host management system  508  and computers  510  to build an intranet. The host management system  508  has a gateway for connecting the LAN  509  to Internet  505  as an external network of the business office, and a security function for limiting external accesses.  
         [0057]    Reference numerals  502  to  504  denote manufacturing factories of the semiconductor manufacturer as users of manufacturing apparatuses. The manufacturing factories  502  to  504  may belong to different manufacturers or the same manufacturer (pre-process factory, post-process factory, and the like). Each of the factories  502  to  504  is equipped with a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses  506 , a LAN (Local Area Network)  511  which connects these apparatuses  506  to construct an intranet, and a host management system  507  serving as a monitoring apparatus for monitoring the operation status of each manufacturing apparatus  506 . The host management system  507  in each of the factories  502  to  504  has a gateway for connecting the LAN  511  in the factory to the Internet  505  as an external network of the factory. Each factory can access the host management system  508  of the vendor  501  from the LAN  511  via the Internet  505 . The security function of the host management system  508  authorizes access of only a limited user. More specifically, the factory notifies the vendor via the Internet  505  of status information (e.g., the symptom of a manufacturing apparatus in trouble) representing the operation status of each manufacturing apparatus  506 , and receives response information (e.g., information designating a remedy against the trouble, or remedy software or data) corresponding to the notification, or maintenance information such as the latest software or help information. Data communication between the factories  502  to  504  and the vendor  501  and data communication via the LAN  511  in each factory adopt a communication protocol (TCP/IP) generally used in the Internet. Instead of using the Internet as an external network of the factory, a dedicated network (e.g., ISDN) having high security which inhibits access of a third party can be adopted. Also the user may construct a database in addition to the one provided by the vendor and set the database on an external network, and the host management system may authorize access to the database from a plurality of user factories.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 6 is a view showing the concept of the overall system of this embodiment that is cut out at a different angle from FIG. 5. In the above example, a plurality of user factories having manufacturing apparatuses and the management system of the manufacturing apparatus vendor are connected via an external network, and production management of each factory or information of at least one manufacturing apparatus is communicated via the external network. In the example of FIG. 6, a factory having manufacturing apparatuses of a plurality of vendors and the management systems of the vendors for these manufacturing apparatuses are connected via the external network of the factory, and maintenance information of each manufacturing apparatus is communicated. In FIG. 6, reference numeral  601  denotes a manufacturing factory of a manufacturing apparatus user (semiconductor device manufacturer) where manufacturing apparatuses for various processes, e.g., an exposure apparatus  602 , resist processing apparatus  603 , and film formation apparatus  604  are installed in the manufacturing line of the factory. FIG. 6 shows only one manufacturing factory  601 , but a plurality of factories are networked in practice. The respective apparatuses in the factory are connected to a LAN  606  to build an intranet, and a host management system  605  manages the operation of the manufacturing line. The business offices of vendors (apparatus supply manufacturers) such as an exposure apparatus manufacturer  610 , resist processing apparatus manufacturer  620 , and film formation apparatus manufacturer  630  comprise host management systems  611 ,  621 , and  631  for executing remote maintenance for the supplied apparatuses. Each host management system has a maintenance database and a gateway for an external network, as described above. The host management system  605  for managing the apparatuses in the manufacturing factory of the user, and the management systems  611 ,  621 , and  631  of the vendors for the respective apparatuses are connected via the Internet or dedicated network serving as an external network  600 . If a trouble occurs in any one of a series of manufacturing apparatuses along the manufacturing line in this system, the operation of the manufacturing line stops. This trouble can be quickly solved by remote maintenance from the vendor of the apparatus in trouble via the Internet  600 . This can minimize the stop of the manufacturing line.  
         [0059]    Each manufacturing apparatus in the semiconductor manufacturing factory comprises a display, a network interface, and a computer for executing network access software and apparatus operating software which are stored in a storage device. The storage device is a built-in memory, hard disk, or network file server. The network access software includes a dedicated or general-purpose web browser, and provides a user interface having a window as shown in FIG. 7 on the display. While referring to this window, the operator who manages manufacturing apparatuses in each factory inputs, in input items on the windows, pieces of information such as the type of manufacturing apparatus  701 , serial number  702 , subject of trouble  703 , occurrence date  704 , degree of urgency  705 , symptom  706 , remedy  707 , and progress  708 . The pieces of input information are transmitted to the maintenance database via the Internet, and appropriate maintenance information is sent back from the maintenance database and displayed on the display. The user interface provided by the web browser realizes hyperlink functions  710 ,  711 , and  712 , as shown in FIG. 7. This allows the operator to access detailed information of each item, receive the latest-version software to be used for a manufacturing apparatus from a software library provided by a vendor, and receive an operation guide (help information) as a reference for the operator in the factory. Maintenance information provided by the maintenance database also includes information concerning the present invention described above. The software library also provides the latest software for implementing the present invention.  
         [0060]    A semiconductor device manufacturing process using the above-described production system will be explained. FIG. 8 shows the flow of the whole manufacturing process of the semiconductor device. In step  1  (circuit design), a semiconductor device circuit is designed. In step  2  (mask formation), a mask having the designed circuit pattern is formed. In step  3  (wafer manufacture), a wafer is manufactured by using a material such as silicon. In step  4  (wafer process) called a pre-process, an actual circuit is formed on the wafer by lithography using a prepared mask and the wafer. Step  5  (assembly) called a post-process is the step of forming a semiconductor chip by using the wafer manufactured in step  4 , and includes an assembly process (dicing and bonding) and packaging process (chip encapsulation). In step  6  (inspection), inspections such as the operation confirmation test and durability test of the semiconductor device manufactured in step  5  are conducted. After these steps, the semiconductor device is completed and shipped (step  7 ). For example, the pre-process and post-process are performed in separate dedicated factories, and maintenance is done for each of the factories by the above-described remote maintenance system. Information for production management and apparatus maintenance is communicated between the pre-process factory and the post-process factory via the Internet or dedicated network.  
         [0061]    [0061]FIG. 9 shows the detailed flow of the wafer process. In step  11  (oxidation), the wafer surface is oxidized. In step  12  (CVD), an insulating film is formed on the wafer surface. In step  13  (electrode formation), an electrode is formed on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step  14  (ion implantation), ions are implanted in the wafer. In step  15  (resist processing), a photosensitive agent is applied to the wafer. In step  16  (exposure), the above-mentioned exposure apparatus exposes the wafer to the circuit pattern of a mask. In step  17  (developing), the exposed wafer is developed. In step  18  (etching), the resist is etched except for the developed resist image. In step  19  (resist removal), an unnecessary resist after etching is removed. These steps are repeated to form multiple circuit patterns on the wafer. A manufacturing apparatus used in each step undergoes maintenance by the remote maintenance system, which prevents a trouble in advance. Even if a trouble occurs, the manufacturing apparatus can be quickly recovered. The productivity of the semiconductor device can be increased in comparison with the prior art.  
         [0062]    In this fashion, the weight compensation mechanism of the embodiment can be applied even when the load on the pulley is large, which widens the range of applications to the stage apparatus.  
         [0063]    The stage apparatus can be suitably used for an exposure apparatus, measurement apparatus, and processing apparatus.  
         [0064]    As has been described above, the present invention can increase the load-carrying capacity of a hydrostatic bearing for supporting a pulley shaft in the weight compensation apparatus using the pulley.  
         [0065]    As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the claims.