A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes an optical element via which a patterned beam is projected onto a substrate in an exposure operation, a liquid supply system having a supply port from which exposure liquid is supplied, and a member which has a surface and which is different from the substrate. In the exposure operation, the liquid supply system supplies the exposure liquid from the supply port to a space between the optical element and the substrate. In a cleaning operation, the member is moved to a position at which the surface of the member faces the optical element, and the liquid supply system supplies the exposure liquid from the supply port to a space between the optical element and the surface of the member.

Claims

36 · 3 independent · depth 5

36 granted claims

›1.independentA method used in a liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a substrate is exposed, the method comprising:nsupplying an exposure liquid from a sup…+15

›2.↳ 1The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning operation is performed after the exposure operation.d2

›3.↳ 1The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning operation is performed before the exposure operation.d2

›4.↳ 1The method according to claim 1, wherein the first member is moved to a position at which the exposure liquid is supplied onto the surface of the firs…d2+4

›5.↳ 1The method according to claim 1, wherein the exposure apparatus includes a movable stage which is movable below the supply port, and wherein the first…d2+6

›6.↳ 5The method according to claim 5, wherein the first member is arranged at a position which is different from a position at which the substrate is to be…d3+4

›16.↳ 5The method according to claim 5, wherein the exposure apparatus further includes another movable stage on which the substrate is held.d3

›15.↳ 1The method according to claim 1, wherein the first member includes a plate which is the same size as the substrate.d2

›17.independentA liquid immersion exposure apparatus comprising:nan optical element via which a patterned beam is projected onto a substrate in an exposure operation…+1

›19.independentA liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a substrate is exposed, the apparatus comprising:na first member which has a surface, the first member …+17

›20.↳ 19The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first member is movable below the supply port.d2

›21.↳ 19The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first member is arranged at a position which is different from a position at which the substrate is h…d2+5

›26.↳ 19The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a second member, wherein the exposure liquid is supplied to a space between the substrate and …d2+3

›30.↳ 19The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first member includes a plate which is the same size as the substrate.d2

›31.↳ 19The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising another movable stage on which the substrate is held.d2

›33.↳ 19The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising:na component which contacts with the exposure liquid; anda liquid-removing system by which a r…d2+1

›35.↳ 19A device manufacturing method comprising:nexposing a substrate through an exposure liquid from the supply port of the apparatus defined in claim 19; a…d2

›36.↳ 19The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising:na liquid recovery system having a first recovery port; andan optical element from which the p…d2

Classifications

4 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section G — Physics

G03B27/42
G03B27/53

USPC · US Patent Classification

355/53355/30

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3.3 y

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Hung Henry Nguyen

art unit 2882 · TC 2800

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1 priority documents

›Priority documents — 1

Type	Document	Date
related publication	US 20080225250 A1	18 Sep 2008

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