Exposure method and apparatus, maintenance method and device manufacturing method

Abstract

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with an exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid, and includes a flow channel forming member and a substrate stage. The flow channel forming member forms an immersion area of the liquid at an image surface side of the projection optical system. The substrate stage has a wall portion provided so as to surround a support portion which supports the substrate, and a recovery port capable of recovering the liquid in a recess formed at an outside of the wall portion with respect to an optical axis of the projection optical system. When a cleaning is performed, a cleaning liquid is recovered via the recovery port.

1 . An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with an exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid, the exposure apparatus comprising:
 a flow passage-forming member which forms an immersion area of the liquid on an image plane side of the projection optical system; and   a substrate stage having a wall portion provided so as to surround a support portion which supports the substrate, and a recovery port capable of recovering the liquid in a recess formed at an outside of the wall portion with respect to an optical axis of the projection optical system,   wherein a cleaning liquid is recovered via the recovery port during a cleaning.   
     
     
         2 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a controller which moves the substrate stage relative to the immersion area so as to clean the substrate stage. 
     
     
         3 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein, during the cleaning, the controller moves the substrate stage relative to the immersion area such that a locus of the immersion area during the cleaning is different from a locus of the immersion area during exposure of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning is performed during a cleaning period, and the cleaning period includes a period in which exposure of the substrate is not performed. 
     
     
         5 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mask stage which holds a mask having a pattern to be projected onto the substrate formed thereon;
 wherein during the cleaning, the substrate stage is moved while the mask stage is maintained to be stopped.   
     
     
         6 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the support portion is covered by a cover member during the cleaning. 
     
     
         7 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein a side surface of the cover member is liquid-attractive. 
     
     
         8 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein a periphery portion of an upper surface of the cover member is liquid-attractive. 
     
     
         9 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein, during the cleaning, the liquid that flows into the recess via an edge portion of the cover member is recovered via the recovery port. 
     
     
         10 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate stage has a flat surface at an outside of the wall portion with respect to the optical axis, the recess is formed between the flat surface and the wall portion, and the recovery port is arranged in the recess. 
     
     
         11 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the substrate stage is moved relative to the immersion area in a state in which at least a part of the immersion area is formed on the flat surface. 
     
     
         12 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the recovery port is provided at a plurality of positions along the wall portion. 
     
     
         13 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an inside of the recess is liquid-repellent. 
     
     
         14 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate stage includes a supply port via which the cleaning liquid is supplied. 
     
     
         15 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the cleaning liquid supplied via the supply port is recovered via the recovery port of the substrate stage. 
     
     
         16 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning liquid is supplied from the flow passage-forming member. 
     
     
         17 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the cleaning liquid includes an organic solvent. 
     
     
         18 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the cleaning liquid supplied from the flow passage-forming member is recovered via the recovery port provided on the substrate stage. 
     
     
         19 . A cleaning method for an exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with an exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid, the exposure apparatus including a wall portion provided to surround a support portion which supports the substrate and a recovery port capable of recovering the liquid in a recess formed at an outside of the wall portion with respect to an optical axis of the projection optical system, the cleaning method comprising:
 recovering a cleaning liquid via the recovery port during a cleaning.   
     
     
         20 . An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with an exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid, the exposure apparatus comprising:
 a substrate stage which holds the substrate;   a flow passage-forming member which forms an immersion area on an image plane side of the projection optical system;   a controller which moves the substrate stage relative to the immersion area while forming the immersion area with a cleaning liquid, so as to clean the substrate stage during a period in which exposure of the substrate is not performed.