PROBING CONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MECHANISM WITH MULTIPLE DEGREES OF FREEDOM

A probing control apparatus for use in aligning an object comprises: a mechanism having n-degrees of freedom and adapted for controlling the object; n pieces of actuators for actuating the mechanism; detecting means for detecting change in the output from the object in response to the operation of each actuator; and control means for computing a command for each actuator in accordance with a change in the output detected by the detecting means and amount of movement of the mechanism, and for controlling each actuator in accordance with the command such that the output from the object takes the maximum value.