Immersion system, exposure apparatus, exposing method, and device fabricating method

Claim 2

An immersion system used in an immersion exposure, comprising: a first member, which is disposed around an optical path of exposure light and has a first surface that faces in a first direction, the optical path between an optical member and a substrate being filled with a liquid, a space between the first surface and a front surface of an object being capable of holding a liquid; a second member that has a liquid recovery port, which is disposed on the outer side of the first surface with respect to the optical path of the exposure light, at least part of a liquid between the liquid recovery port and the front surface of the object being recovered via the liquid recovery port; a first drive apparatus that is capable of moving the first member in at least the first direction; and a second drive apparatus that is capable of moving the second member in at least the first direction independently of the first member.

Claim 3

An immersion system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of: a positional relationship between the front surface of the object and the first surface in the first direction; and a positional relationship between the front surface of the object and the liquid recovery port in the first direction is adjusted in accordance with a movement condition of the object.

Claim 4

An immersion system according to claim 2 , wherein the first surface and the liquid recovery port are moved relative to one another in accordance with the movement condition of the object.

Claim 5

An immersion system according to claim 2 wherein the movement condition includes a movement velocity of the object in a direction substantially parallel to the first surface.

Claim 6

An immersion system according to claim 2 , wherein the movement condition includes a linear distance of continuous movement of the object in a direction substantially parallel to the first surface.

Claim 7

An immersion system according to claim 1 , wherein during the movement of the object in a direction substantially parallel to the first surface, at least one of the first surface and the liquid recovery port is moved in the first direction.

Claim 8

An immersion system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of: a positional relationship between the front surface of the object and the first surface in the first direction; and a positional relationship between the front surface of the object and the liquid recovery port in the first direction is adjusted in accordance with a supply condition of the liquid.

Claim 9

An immersion system according to claim 7 , wherein the supply condition includes an amount of liquid supplied per unit of time.

Claim 10

An immersion system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of: a positional relationship between the front surface of the object and the first surface in a direction parallel to the first direction; and a positional relationship between the front surface of the object and the liquid recovery port in the first direction is adjusted in accordance with a distance between the emergent surface of the optical member and the front surface of the object in the first direction.

Claim 11

An immersion system according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the emergent surface and the first surface in the first direction is different from a distance between the emergent surface and the liquid recovery port in the direction parallel to the first direction.

Claim 12

An immersion system according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of: a position of the first surface in the first direction; and a position of the liquid recovery port in the first direction is adjusted so that a distance between the front surface of the object and the liquid recovery port is greater than the distance between the front surface of the object and the first surface.

Claim 13

An immersion system according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid recovery port includes a first liquid recovery area and a second liquid recovery area, which is disposed on the outer side of the first surface with respect to the optical path of the exposure light.

Claim 14

An immersion system according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first liquid recovery area and the second liquid recovery area includes a front surface of a porous member, and at least part of the liquid between the liquid recovery port and the object is recovered via the porous member.

Claim 15

An immersion system according to claim 12 wherein the first liquid recovery area faces in the first direction, and at least part of the second liquid recovery area faces in a direction other than the first direction.

Claim 16

An exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first member has a liquid supply port that supplies the liquid to the optical path, and the liquid supply port faces in a direction other than the first direction.

Claim 17

An immersion system according to claim 1 , wherein the first member is disposed around the optical path.

Claim 18

An immersion system according to claim 1 , wherein the second member is disposed around the optical path.

Claim 19

An immersion system according to claim 17 , wherein the liquid recovery port is disposed around the optical path.

Claim 20

An immersion system according to claim 1 , wherein the object includes the substrate.

Claim 21

An immersion system used in an immersion exposure, comprising: a first member, which is disposed around an optical path of exposure light and has a first surface that faces in a first direction, the optical path between an optical member and a substrate being filled with a liquid, a space between the first surface and a front surface of an object being capable of holding a liquid; a second member that has a liquid recovery port, which is disposed on the outer side of the first surface with respect to the optical path of the exposure light, at least part of a liquid between the liquid recovery port and the front surface of the object being recovered via the liquid recovery port; and a drive apparatus that is capable of controlling a relative movement between a first member and a second member in at least the first direction; wherein, the liquid recovery port has a first recovery area and a second recovery area, which is disposed on the outer side of the first surface with respect to the optical path of the exposure light, a distance between a front surface of the object and the first recovery area in the first direction is greater than a distance between the front surface of the object and the second recovery area in the first direction, and a positional relationship between the first recovery area and the first surface in the first direction can be adjusted.

Claim 22

An immersion system used in an immersion exposure, comprising: a first member, which is disposed around an optical path of exposure light and has a first surface that faces in a first direction, the optical path between an optical member and a substrate being filled with a liquid, a space between the first surface and a front surface of an object being capable of holding a liquid; a second member that has a liquid recovery port, which is disposed on the outer side of the first surface with respect to the optical path of the exposure light, at least part of a liquid between the liquid recovery port and the front surface of the object being recovered via the liquid recovery port; and a drive apparatus that is capable of controlling a relative movement between a first member and a second member in at least the first direction; wherein, the liquid recovery port has a first recovery area and a second recovery area, which is disposed on the outer side of the first surface with respect to the optical path of the exposure light, a distance between a front surface of the object and the first recovery area in the first direction is greater than a distance between the front surface of the object and the second recovery area in the first direction, and a positional relationship between the first recovery area and the first surface in the first direction can be adjusted.

Claim 23

An immersion system according to claim 20 , wherein at least one of the first liquid recovery area and the second liquid recovery area includes a front surface of a porous member, and at least part of the liquid between the liquid recovery port and the object is recovered via the porous member.

Claim 24

An immersion system according to claim 20 wherein the first liquid recovery area faces in the first direction, and at least part of the second liquid recovery area faces in a direction other than the first direction.

Claim 25

An immersion system according to claim 20 wherein the first liquid recovery area and at least part of the second liquid recovery area are substantially parallel.

Claim 26

An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with exposure light through a liquid, comprising: an immersion system according to claim 1 .

Claim 27

A device fabricating method, comprising: exposing a substrate using an exposure apparatus according to claim 24 ; and developing the exposed substrate.

Claim 28

An exposing method that exposes a substrate with exposure light through a liquid, the method comprising: filling an optical path of the exposure light between the optical member and the substrate with the liquid using an immersion system according to claim 1 ; and radiating the exposure light to the substrate through the optical member and the liquid.

Claim 29

A device fabricating method, comprising: exposing a substrate using an exposing method according to claim 26 ; and developing the exposed substrate.