Optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

Abstract

An optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus contains a module, which can be fitted in the optical system and removed from it as a unit. The module contains a cavity which can be completely filled with a liquid and hermetically sealed, and a concavely curved optical surface which bounds the cavity at the top during operation of the projection exposure apparatus. This makes it possible to fill the module outside the optical system. The module can be tilted there so that no air bubble, which prevents complete filling, can form below the concavely curved optical surface.

1 - 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate through an immersion region, comprising: an optical element that has a concave surface from which exposure light emerges; and a surface that is provided to surround an optical path of the exposure light, an interface of a liquid of the immersion region being held between the surface and an object, the object being disposed at a position where the object can be irradiated by the exposure light. 
     
     
         58 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein at least one of a liquid immersion condition, which is for forming the immersion region, and a surface condition is set so that the interface of the liquid is held between the object and the surface by a surface tension of the liquid. 
     
     
         59 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 58 , wherein at least one of the liquid immersion condition and the surface condition is set in accordance with an object front surface condition. 
     
     
         60 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 59 , wherein the front surface condition of the object includes a contact angle condition of the liquid at the front surface of the object. 
     
     
         61 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 58 , wherein the surface condition includes at least one of a distance condition between the object and the surface, and the contact angle condition of the liquid at the surface. 
     
     
         62 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 58 , wherein the liquid immersion condition includes a condition related to at least one of a density of the liquid and an amount of the liquid. 
     
     
         63 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 62 , wherein the condition related to the amount of the liquid includes at least one of a distance condition between the object and a position of the concave surface that is farthest from the object, and a condition related to the size of the immersion region in the radial direction. 
     
     
         64 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 57 , further comprising: an adjustment apparatus that adjusts a density of the liquid that is supplied between the concave surface and the object. 
     
     
         65 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein the object includes the substrate. 
     
     
         66 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein the surface is part of a holding member that holds the optical element. 
     
     
         67 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein the surface is part of the optical element. 
     
     
         68 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein a refractive index of the liquid with respect to the exposure light is higher than that of the optical element with respect to the exposure light. 
     
     
         69 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 57 , further comprising: a projection optical system that projects a pattern image onto the substrate; wherein, the optical element that has the concave surface is an element of a plurality of optical elements of the projection optical system that is closest to an image plane of the projection optical system. 
     
     
         70 . An exposure method, comprising: forming an immersion region so that a space between an object and a concave surface of an optical element is filled with a liquid, an interface of the liquid being positioned between the object and a surface, the surface being provided to surround the optical path of exposure light; and exposing a substrate through the immersion region. 
     
     
         71 . An exposure method according to  claim 70 , wherein at least one of a object front surface condition, a surface condition, and a liquid immersion condition, which is for forming the immersion region, is set so that the interface of the liquid is positioned between the object and the surface by a surface tension of the liquid. 
     
     
         72 . An exposure method according to  claim 70 , wherein the object includes the substrate. 
     
     
         73 . A device fabricating method, wherein an exposure method according to  claim 70  is used. 
     
     
         74 . An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate by radiating exposure light onto the substrate, comprising: a projection optical system that projects a pattern image onto the substrate and that comprises a first optical element, the first optical element having a first surface that the exposure light impinges and a second surface from which the exposure light emerges; wherein, the first surface and the second surface are substantially concentric and are spherical surfaces; and the first optical element is an element of a plurality of optical elements of the projection optical system that is closest to an image plane of the projection optical system. 
     
     
         75 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 74 , wherein the space between the substrate and the second surface of the first optical element is filled with a liquid through which the exposure light passes. 
     
     
         76 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 75 , wherein a refractive index of the liquid with respect to the exposure light is higher than that of the first optical element with respect to the exposure light. 
     
     
         77 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 75 , wherein a numerical aperture of the projection optical system is greater than a refractive index of the first optical element with respect to the exposure light. 
     
     
         78 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 75 , further comprising: a third surface that is disposed on the outer side of the second surface with respect to the optical axis of the first optical element; wherein, the liquid is held between the second surface and the substrate, and between the substrate and at least part of the third surface. 
     
     
         79 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 78 , wherein the third surface is provided to oppose the substrate front surface. 
     
     
         80 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 78 , wherein the third surface is formed to be substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the first optical element and to surround the second surface. 
     
     
         81 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 78 , further comprising: a fourth surface, which is provided on the outer side of the third surface with respect to the optical axis of the first optical element and that faces the optical axis. 
     
     
         82 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 81 , wherein the fourth surface is provided at a position that is closer to the substrate front surface than that of the third surface. 
     
     
         83 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 81 , wherein a member that has the fourth surface is a member that is separate from the member that has the third surface. 
     
     
         84 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 78 , wherein a member that has the third surface includes a member that supports the first optical element. 
     
     
         85 . An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate by radiating exposure light onto the substrate, comprising: an optical element that has a concave surface part from which the exposure light emerges; a lower surface that is provided to surround the concave surface part; and a side surface that is provided on the outer side of the lower surface with respect to the optical axis of the optical element and that faces the optical axis. 
     
     
         86 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 85 , further comprising: a support member that supports the optical element; wherein, the lower surface is formed in the optical element or the support member. 
     
     
         87 . An exposure apparatus according to  claim 86 , wherein the member that has the side surface is a member that is separate from the optical element and the support member.