Patent ID: 7468783

Claim:
An exposure apparatus comprising: a table configured to be movable on a base guide in a first direction and to place a reticle thereon; a repulsion force generation unit having a first magnet provided to an end of said table in the first direction, and a movable second magnet provided to an end of said base guide in the first direction, thereby exerting a repulsion force generated by said first and second magnets upon said table at an end of a moving stroke of said table in the first direction; a driving unit configured to reciprocally drive said table in the first direction while said repulsion force generation unit exerts the repulsion force on said table; and a control unit configured to retreat said second magnet to a position where the repulsion force generated by said first and second magnets do not act upon said table when moving said table to a change operation position for changing a reticle.