Patent ID: 8432072

Claim:
An actuator for applying independently controlled forces to a stage along a first axis, along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, and along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, the actuator comprising: a magnetic component including a plurality of magnets arranged in a first magnet array along the first axis and a second magnet array along the first axis that produce a magnetic field, the first magnet array and the second magnet array being spaced apart along the second axis to define a magnet gap; a conductor component that is positioned near the magnetic component in the magnetic field and in the magnet gap, the conductor component interacting with the first magnet array and the second magnet array when current is directed to the conductor component; wherein the conductor component and the magnetic component are displaced relative to each other along the third axis; wherein the conductor component includes a first endturn and a second endturn, and wherein different percentages of the first endturn and the second endturn lie within the magnetic field of the magnetic component at all times during the movement of the stage along the first axis, along the second axis and along the third axis; and a control system that directs current to the conductor component to generate a controllable force along the first axis, a controllable force along the second axis, and a controllable force along the third axis.