Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device production method

Claim 2

The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object includes the substrate.

Claim 3

An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate while moving the substrate in a predetermined direction, the exposure apparatus comprising: a first surface which is provided opposite to a surface of an object arranged at a position capable of being irradiated with the exposure light beam and which is provided to surround an optical path space for the exposure light beam; a second surface which is provided opposite to the surface of the object and which is provided outside the first surface with respect to the optical path space for the exposure light beam in the predetermined direction; and a recovery port which recovers a liquid for filling the optical path space for the exposure light beam therewith, wherein: the first surface is provided substantially in parallel to the surface of the object; the second surface is provided at a position separated farther from the surface of the object than the first surface; and the recovery port is provided on the second surface, and a size of the recovery port is smaller than a size of the exposure light beam as viewed in a cross section.

Claim 4

The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the first surface and the second surface are provided in a predetermined positional relationship to prevent the liquid, which exists between the surface of the object and the second surface, from being separated from the second surface.

Claim 5

An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate while moving the substrate in a predetermined direction, the exposure apparatus comprising: a first surface which is provided opposite to a surface of an object arranged at a position capable of being irradiated with the exposure light beam and which is provided to surround an optical path space for the exposure light beam; a second surface which is provided opposite to the surface of the object and which is provided outside the first surface with respect to the optical path space for the exposure light beam in the predetermined direction; and a recovery port which recovers a liquid for filling the optical path space for the exposure light beam therewith, wherein: the first surface is provided substantially in parallel to the surface of the object; the second surface is provided at a position separated farther from the surface of the object than the first surface; and the first surface and the second surface are provided in a predetermined positional relationship to prevent the liquid, which exists between the surface of the object and the second surface, from being separated from the second surface.

Claim 6

The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, and 5, wherein the second surface is provided substantially in parallel to the surface of the object, and a difference in height is provided between the first surface and the second surface.

Claim 7

The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the difference in height is not more than 1 mm.

Claim 8

An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate while moving the substrate in a predetermined direction, the exposure apparatus comprising: a first surface which is provided opposite to a surface of an object arranged at a position capable of being irradiated with the exposure light beam and which is provided to surround an optical path space for the exposure light beam; a second surface which is provided opposite to the surface of the object and which is provided outside the first surface with respect to the optical path space for the exposure light beam in the predetermined direction; and a recovery port which recovers a liquid for filling the optical path space for the exposure light beam therewith, wherein: the first surface is provided substantially in parallel to the surface of the object; the second surface is provided substantially in parallel to the surface of the object at a position separated farther from the surface of the object than the first surface; and a difference in height provided between the first surface and the second surface is not more than 1 mm.

Claim 9

The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, and 5, wherein the second surface is an inclined surface in which a distance with respect to the surface of the object is increased at positions separated farther from the optical path space for the exposure light beam in the predetermined direction.

Claim 10

The exposure apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second surface is provided continuously to the first surface.

Claim 11

The exposure apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an angle, which is formed by the first surface and the second surface, is not more than 10 degrees.

Claim 12

An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate while moving the substrate in a predetermined direction, the exposure apparatus comprising: a first surface which is provided opposite to a surface of an object arranged at a position capable of being irradiated with the exposure light beam and which is provided to surround an optical path space for the exposure light beam; a second surface which is provided opposite to the surface of the object and which is provided outside the first surface with respect to the optical path space for the exposure light beam in the predetermined direction; and a recovery port which recovers a liquid for filling the optical path space for the exposure light beam therewith, wherein: the first surface is provided substantially in parallel to the surface of the object; the second surface is provided at a position separated farther from the surface of the object than the first surface, the second surface being an inclined surface in which a distance with respect to the surface of the object is increased at positions separated farther from the optical path space for the exposure light beam in the predetermined direction; and an angle, which is formed by the first surface and the second surface, is not more than 10 degrees.

Claim 13

The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 12, wherein the first surface and the second surface have liquid-attracting property with respect to the liquid respectively.

Claim 14

The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 12, wherein a contact angle between the first surface and the liquid is substantially equal to a contact angle between the second surface and the liquid.

Claim 15

The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 12, further comprising: a third surface which is provided opposite to the surface of the object and which is provided outside the first surface with respect to the optical path space for the exposure light beam in a direction intersecting with the predetermined direction, wherein: the third surface is provided at a position separated farther from the surface of the object than the first surface; and the first surface and the third surface are provided in a predetermined positional relationship to prevent the liquid, which exists between the surface of the object and the third surface, from being separated from the third surface.

Claim 16

The exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the recovery port is provided between the third surface and the optical path space for the exposure light beam.

Claim 17

The exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the third surface is an inclined surface in which a distance with respect to the surface of the object is increased at positions separated farther from the optical path space for the exposure light beam in the direction intersecting with the predetermined direction.

Claim 18

The exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the third surface has liquid-attracting property with respect to the liquid.

Claim 19

The exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a contact angle between the first surface and the liquid is subsequently equal to a contact angle between the third surface and the liquid.

Claim 20

The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 12, wherein the first surface has a rectangular outer shape in which the direction intersecting with the predetermined direction is a longitudinal direction.

Claim 21

The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 12, further comprising: an optical member through which the exposure light beam passes; a predetermined member which has an opening through which the exposure light beam passes and which is provided between the optical member and the object; and a supply port which supplies the liquid to a space between the optical member and the predetermined member, wherein: the first surface is formed on the predetermined member to surround the opening; and the liquid is supplied from the supply port to fill the optical path space for the exposure light beam between the optical member and the object with the liquid.

Claim 22

The exposure apparatus according to claim 21, wherein a width of the first surface in the predetermined direction is smaller than a width of the opening in the predetermined direction.

Claim 23

The exposure apparatus according to claim 21, wherein a first recess is formed in the vicinity of the supply port on a surface, of the predetermined member, facing the optical member.

Claim 24

The exposure apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a gas discharge port which is provided in the vicinity of a predetermined space between the optical member and the predetermined member, and which communicates the predetermined space and an external space.

Claim 25

The exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein a second recess is formed in the vicinity of the gas discharge port on a surface, of the predetermined member, facing the optical member.

Claim 26

The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 12, further comprising: an optical member through which the exposure light beam passes; a predetermined member which has an opening through which the exposure light beam passes and which is provided between the optical member and the object; a gas discharge port which is provided in the vicinity of a predetermined space between the optical member and the predetermined member, and which communicates the predetermined space and an external space; and a second recess which is formed in the vicinity of the gas discharge port on a surface, of the predetermined member, facing the optical member.

Claim 27

The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 12, further comprising: a substrate stage which is movable while holding the substrate and which has an upper surface capable of retaining the liquid between the first surface and the second surface, wherein: a movable range of the substrate stage is set to make an end of the upper surface of the substrate stage to be movable in the predetermined direction to a position closer to the optical path space for the exposure light beam than an end of the second surface in a state in which a liquid immersion area is formed on at least one of the upper surface of the substrate stage and a surface of the substrate held by the substrate stage.

Claim 28

An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate while moving the substrate in a predetermined direction, the exposure apparatus comprising: a substrate stage which is movable while holding the substrate; and a nozzle member which has a lower surface arranged to surround an optical path space for the exposure light beam and to face an upper surface of the substrate stage and which is capable of retaining a liquid between the lower surface and the upper surface of the substrate stage, wherein: a movable range of the substrate stage is controlled to move an end of the upper surface of the substrate stage in the predetermined direction to a position closer to the optical path space for the exposure light beam than an end of the lower surface of the nozzle member in a state in which the liquid is retained between the lower surface of the nozzle member and at least one of the upper surface of the substrate stage and a surface of the substrate held by the substrate stage.

Claim 29

The exposure apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the nozzle member has at least one of a supply port which supplies the liquid for filling the optical path space for the exposure light beam therewith and a recovery port which recovers the liquid in the optical path space.

Claim 30

An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate through a liquid while moving the substrate in a predetermined direction, the exposure apparatus comprising: a liquid immersion mechanism which forms a liquid immersion area of the liquid on the substrate; and a recovery port which is provided in the liquid immersion mechanism to recover the liquid on the substrate, wherein: the recovery port is provided outside an extending area which extends in the predetermined direction with respect to an optical path space for the exposure light beam which passes through the liquid.

Claim 31

The exposure apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the recovery port is provided on each of both sides of the extending area in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

Claim 32

The exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein: the liquid immersion mechanism has a lower surface which is provided opposite to the substrate and which is provided to surround the optical path space; the lower surface includes the extending area; and the recovery port is provided on a portion of the lower surface.

Claim 33

The exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the extending area has a first surface which is provided substantially in parallel to a surface of the substrate, and a second surface which is separated farther from the surface of the substrate than the first surface.

Claim 34

The exposure apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the second surface is inclined with respect to the first surface.

Claim 35

The exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the extending area is provided on each of both sides of the optical path space in the predetermined direction.

Claim 37

An exposure method for exposing a substrate, the exposure method comprising: providing a liquid on the substrate; exposing the substrate by radiating an exposure light beam through the liquid onto the substrate while moving the substrate in a predetermined direction; and recovering the liquid outside an extending area which extends in the predetermined direction with respect to an optical path space for the exposure light beam which passes through the liquid.

Claim 38

The exposure method according to claim 37, wherein the liquid is recovered outside the extending area while moving the substrate in the predetermined direction.

Claim 39

The exposure method according to claim 37, further comprising supplying the liquid while moving the substrate in the predetermined direction.

Claim 40

A method for producing a device, comprising: exposing a substrate by using the exposure method as defined in claim 37; developing the exposed substrate; and processing the developed substrate.