Exposure apparatus and device fabricating method

Abstract

An exposure apparatus can suppress the occurrence of residual liquid. An exposure apparatus includes: a first stage that holds the substrate and is movable; a second stage that is movable independently of the first stage; and a liquid immersion mechanism that forms a liquid immersion region of a liquid on an upper surface of at least one stage of the first stage and the second stage; wherein, a recovery port that is capable of recovering the liquid is provided to the upper surface of the second stage.

1 . A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 a substrate stage configured to support a substrate and a second stage;   a liquid confinement system configured to at least partly confine liquid in a space between a projection system and the substrate stage, a substrate supported by the substrate stage, or both;   the substrate stage and the second stage constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation to perform a joint movement wherein the liquid in the liquid confinement structure is transferred from being confined by the substrate or the substrate stage or both to being confined by the second stage, the liquid crossing an edge of the substrate stage and an opposing edge of the second stage,   wherein the substrate stage, the second stage, or both, comprises a channel system in fluid communication with an opening defined by the edge of the stage, the channel system constructed and arranged to generate a fluid flow along the edge during the joint movement, the fluid flow including liquid from the liquid confinement structure.   
     
     
         2 . A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 a substrate stage configured to support a substrate and a second stage;   a liquid confinement system configured to at least partly confine liquid in a space between a projection system and the substrate stage, a substrate supported by the substrate stage, or both;   the substrate stage and the second stage constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation to perform a joint movement wherein the liquid in the liquid confinement structure is transferred from being confined by the substrate or the substrate stage or both to being confined by the second stage, the liquid crossing an edge of the substrate stage and an opposing edge of the second stage,   wherein the substrate stage, the second stage, or both, comprises a gutter located under the edge of the respective stage, the gutter constructed and arranged to collect liquid from the liquid confinement structure flowing down one or both edges during the joint movement.   
     
     
         3 . A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 a substrate stage configured to support a substrate and a second stage;   a liquid confinement system configured to at least partly confine liquid in a space between a projection system and the substrate stage, a substrate supported by the substrate stage, or both;   the substrate stage and the second stage constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation to perform a joint movement wherein the liquid in the liquid confinement structure is transferred from being confined by the substrate or the substrate stage or both to being confined by the second stage, the liquid crossing an edge of the substrate stage and an opposing edge of the second stage,   wherein the substrate stage, the second stage, or both, comprises a fluid extraction system constructed and arranged to collect liquid flowing between the edges during the joint movement.   
     
     
         4 . A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 a substrate stage configured to support a substrate, the substrate stage having an edge;   a further stage having a corresponding edge, the corresponding edge constructed and arranged to mutually co-operate with the edge when the substrate stage and the further stage are arranged adjacently to define a gap; and   a liquid confinement structure configured to at least partly confine immersion liquid in a space between a projection system and a substrate, the substrate stage, or both,   wherein, during a joint movement of the substrate stage and the further stage, confinement of liquid in the space by the substrate stage, the substrate or both is replaced by the further stage, and   the substrate stage, the further stage, or both, comprises a fluid extraction system constructed and arranged to collect immersion liquid in the gap during the joint movement.   
     
     
         5 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the fluid extraction system comprises a gutter constructed and arranged to collect immersion liquid under the substrate stage, the further stage or both flowing from the gap before, during and/or after joint movement. 
     
     
         6 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the gutter is attached to the substrate stage and/or the further stage. 
     
     
         7 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the gutter is located under the edge of the stage to which it is attached. 
     
     
         8 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the fluid extraction system comprises a channel system comprised in the substrate stage, the further stage or both and which is in fluid communication with an opening defined in the edge, the corresponding edge or both, the channel system constructed and arranged to generate a fluid flow along the gap during the joint movement. 
     
     
         9 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the fluid flow comprises liquid and gas away from the gap. 
     
     
         10 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a positioning system comprising a motor to move the substrate stage and/or the further stage and constructed and arranged to control the motor during the joint movement so that the distance between the edge and the corresponding edge is controlled. 
     
     
         11 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the distance between the edge and the corresponding edge is controlled to be in the range of 0 to 1 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the positioning system comprises an interferometer system comprising a mirror located on the edge or the corresponding edge. 
     
     
         13 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the mirror is on a surface staggered away from the edge or the corresponding edge. 
     
     
         14 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the mirror is located in a protective niche defined in the edge or the corresponding edge. 
     
     
         15 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the mirror is located underneath the fluid extraction system. 
     
     
         16 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the further stage is a substrate stage configured to support a further substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the further stage is an actuated closing stage. 
     
     
         18 . A device manufacturing method, comprising:
 supporting a substrate on a substrate table, wherein the substrate table is laterally movable with respect to an adjacent table;   at least partly confining immersion liquid in a space between a projection system and the substrate table, the substrate or both;   jointly moving the substrate table with the adjacent table, the adjoining edges of the substrate table and the adjacent table mutually cooperating to define a gap, so that the liquid in the space is contained by the adjacent table instead of the substrate table; and   collecting immersion liquid in the gap during joint movement using a fluid extraction system.   
     
     
         19 . The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the mirror is in a niche of the stage in order to protect the mirror.