Exposure apparatus and method for producing device

Abstract

An exposure apparatus EX includes a recovery port which recovers a liquid, a blow port which is provided outside the recovery port with respect to an optical path space and which blows a gas therefrom, and a gas discharge port which is provided between the recovery port and blow port and which discharges at least a part of the gas blown from the blow port. An exposure apparatus which makes it possible to avoid the leakage of the liquid with which the optical path space of the exposure light between a projection optical system and a substrate is filled is provided.

1 . An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by irradiating an exposure light onto the substrate through a liquid, the exposure apparatus comprising:
 a recovery port which recovers the liquid;   a blow port which is provided outside the recovery port with respect to an optical path space of the exposure light and which blows a gas therefrom; and   a gas discharge port which is provided between the recovery port and the blow port and which discharges at least a part of the gas blown from the blow port.   
   
   
       2 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a projection optical system, wherein the optical path space of the exposure light between the projection optical system and the substrate is filled with the liquid. 
   
   
       3 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the blow port is provided at a position opposite to the substrate. 
   
   
       4 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the blow port blows the gas onto the substrate in an inclined direction toward the optical path space. 
   
   
       5 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the blow port is formed annularly to surround the optical path space. 
   
   
       6 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a flow passage which supplies the gas to the blow port,   
     wherein the flow passage has a first flow passage portion which is connected to the blow port and a second flow passage portion which includes a buffer space greater than the first flow passage portion. 
   
   
       7 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the blow port is formed to have a slit-shaped form having a predetermined length; and   the gas, which is supplied via the buffer space, is blown substantially uniformly from the slit-shaped blow port.   
   
   
       8 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein at least a part of the first flow passage portion is inclined so that a distance with respect to the substrate is decreased at positions nearer to the optical path space. 
   
   
       9 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a first nozzle member and a second nozzle member which is provided outside the first nozzle member with respect to the optical path space, wherein the recovery port is provided for the first nozzle member, and the blow port is provided for the second nozzle member. 
   
   
       10 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second nozzle members is an annular member, and the second nozzle member is arranged to surround the first nozzle member. 
   
   
       11 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the gas discharge port is defined between the first nozzle member and the second nozzle member. 
   
   
       12 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a discharge flow passage which is connected to the gas discharge port between the first nozzle member and the second nozzle member. 
   
   
       13 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the discharge flow passage is connected to an external space. 
   
   
       14 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising a suction device which evacuates a space which forms the discharge flow passage. 
   
   
       15 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein a distance between the first nozzle member and the second nozzle member is greater than a distance between the substrate and a lower surface of the second nozzle member. 
   
   
       16 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the lower surface of the second nozzle member is liquid-repellent. 
   
   
       17 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the second nozzle member has a projection, and the blow port is provided approximately at an end portion of the projection. 
   
   
       18 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the projection is formed substantially continuously to an inner side surface, of the second nozzle member, opposite side to the first nozzle member. 
   
   
       19 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the second nozzle member has a lower surface which is opposite to the substrate and which is disposed inside the blow port with respect to the optical path space. 
   
   
       20 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the blow port, which is provided for the second nozzle member, is movable with respect to the recovery port. 
   
   
       21 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a driving device which drives the second nozzle member. 
   
   
       22 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the driving device adjusts a position of the second nozzle member depending on an affinity between the liquid and an outermost surface of the substrate. 
   
   
       23 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 the substrate is exposed while moving the substrate in a predetermined scanning direction; and   the driving device adjusts a position of the second nozzle member depending on a velocity of the movement.   
   
   
       24 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the driving device adjusts a distance between the second nozzle member and the substrate by driving the second nozzle member. 
   
   
       25 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising an adjusting device which is capable of adjusting a gas blow amount per unit time in which the gas is blown from the blow port. 
   
   
       26 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the adjusting device adjusts the blow amount depending on an affinity between the liquid and an outermost surface of the substrate. 
   
   
       27 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein:
 the substrate is exposed while moving the substrate in a predetermined scanning direction; and   the adjusting device adjusts the blow amount depending on a velocity of the movement.   
   
   
       28 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the recovery port is formed annularly to surround the optical path space. 
   
   
       29 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a supply port which is provided at the inside of the recovery port with respect to the optical path space and which supplies the liquid. 
   
   
       30 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a blow operation of the blow port is continued during the exposure for the substrate. 
   
   
       31 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a cleaning device which cleans the gas to be supplied to the blow port. 
   
   
       32 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the cleaning device has a supply mechanism which supplies the gas in a form of foam to a cleaning liquid, and the gas is cleaned by passing the gas through the cleaning liquid. 
   
   
       33 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein the cleaning device includes:
 a container which accommodates the cleaning liquid;   a porous member which is arranged in the cleaning liquid;   a supply tube which supplies the gas into the porous member; and   a collecting mechanism which collects the gas released from the porous member and allowed to pass through the cleaning liquid.   
   
   
       34 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a storage device which stores an exposure condition including a gas blow amount in which the gas is blown from the blow port. 
   
   
       35 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the gas blow amount is determined depending on an affinity between the substrate and the liquid. 
   
   
       36 . A method for producing a device, comprising:
 exposing a substrate by using the exposure apparatus as defined in  claim 2 ;   developing the exposed substrate; and   processing the developed substrate.   
   
   
       37 . An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by irradiating an exposure light onto the substrate through a liquid, the exposure apparatus comprising:
 a recovery port which recovers the liquid; and   a suction port which is provided at the outside of the recovery port with respect to an optical path space of the exposure light and which sucks only a gas.   
   
   
       38 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 37 , further comprising a projection optical system, wherein the optical path space of the exposure light between the projection optical system and the substrate is filled with the liquid. 
   
   
       39 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the suction port is formed annularly to surround the optical path space. 
   
   
       40 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the suction port is provided at a position opposite to the substrate. 
   
   
       41 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 40 , wherein the recovery port is provided at a position opposite to the substrate, and the recovery port and the suction port are provided at height positions, which are approximately same with respect to the substrate, respectively. 
   
   
       42 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 38 , further comprising a nozzle member and a suction member, wherein the recovery port is provided for the nozzle member, and the suction port is provided for the suction member. 
   
   
       43 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein a flow of the gas, which is directed to the optical path space, is generated by sucking the gas via the suction port to prevent the liquid from leaking to outside of a predetermined space including the optical path space. 
   
   
       44 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 38 , further comprising a porous member which is arranged at the suction port. 
   
   
       45 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein the porous member is liquid-repellent. 
   
   
       46 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein a hole, which is formed in the porous member, is formed to have a tapered shape which is gradually widened at positions separated farther from the substrate. 
   
   
       47 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein a surface, of the porous member, which is opposite to the substrate, is substantially flat. 
   
   
       48 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein a predetermined negative pressure space is formed on one side of the porous member to suck only the gas from a space on the other side of the porous member. 
   
   
       49 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 38 , further comprising a blow port which is provided at further outside of the suction port with respect to the optical path space and which blows the gas therefrom. 
   
   
       50 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 49 , wherein the blow port blows the gas toward the optical path space. 
   
   
       51 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 49 , wherein the blow port is formed to surround the optical path space. 
   
   
       52 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the recovery port is formed annularly to surround the optical path space. 
   
   
       53 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 38 , further comprising a supply port which supplies the liquid to inside of the recovery port with respect to the optical path space. 
   
   
       54 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the exposure is performed while relatively moving the projection optical system and the substrate. 
   
   
       55 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein a suction operation of the suction port is continued during the exposure for the substrate. 
   
   
       56 . A method for producing a device, comprising:
 exposing a substrate by using the exposure apparatus as defined in  claim 38 ;   developing the exposed substrate; and   processing the developed substrate.