Exposure Apparatus with Component from which Liquid is Protected and/or Removed and Device Fabricating Method

Abstract

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by filling a liquid between a projection optical system and the substrate, and projecting the image of a pattern onto the substrate through the projection optical system and the liquid, and includes a liquid removing mechanism that intermittently blows a gas against a reference member, movable mirror, and the like, to which the liquid is adhered in order to remove that liquid.

1 . A stage system used in an exposure apparatus having a projection optical system, the stage system comprising:
 a substrate holding member that is movable in the exposure apparatus, the substrate holding member including:
 (i) a holder portion that is configured to hold a substrate to be exposed via the projection optical system through a liquid in the exposure apparatus, 
 (ii) an outer side surface facing in a direction radially outward with respect to the holder portion, 
 (iii) an edge portion having an end part of an upper surface of the substrate holding member, the edge portion being provided below an end surface of the projection optical system, the edge portion protruding laterally beyond the outer side surface in the direction radially outward of the outer side surface with respect to the holder portion, and 
 (iv) a surrounding portion that surrounds the holder portion and is located between the substrate and the edge portion when the substrate is held by the holder portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The stage system according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the edge portion and the upper surface of the substrate held by the holder portion are disposed in a substantially same plane. 
     
     
         3 . The stage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the edge portion is configured to hold the liquid of a liquid immersion area. 
     
     
         4 . The stage system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an optical path between a lower end surface of the projection optical system and an upper surface of the substrate is filled with the liquid of a liquid immersion area,   less than an entirety of the upper surface of the substrate is covered by the liquid immersion area during exposure of the substrate in the exposure apparatus, and   the liquid immersion area is moved relative to the substrate during the exposure.   
     
     
         5 . The stage system according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the surrounding portion is substantially in a same plane as a surface of the substrate when the substrate is held on the substrate holding member. 
     
     
         6 . The stage system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a shot area of the substrate held on the substrate holding member is exposed while moving the substrate holding member in the exposure apparatus.   
     
     
         7 . The stage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the edge portion has a groove on a lower surface of the edge portion. 
     
     
         8 . The stage system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a vibrating apparatus including a piezoelectric device attached to the edge portion. 
     
     
         9 . The stage system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of piezoelectric devices provided at a plurality of prescribed positions to generate a traveling wave in the edge portion. 
     
     
         10 . The stage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the surrounding portion and the edge portion are disposed side by side. 
     
     
         11 . The stage system according to  claim 1 , wherein a part of the edge portion projects outside the substrate holding member. 
     
     
         12 . An exposure apparatus comprising:
 a projection optical system;   a substrate holding member that is movable in the exposure apparatus, the substrate holding member including:
 (i) a holder portion that is configured to hold a substrate to be exposed via the projection optical system through a liquid in the exposure apparatus, 
 (ii) an outer side surface facing in a direction radially outward with respect to the holder portion, 
 (iii) an edge portion having an end part of an upper surface of the substrate holding member, the edge portion being provided below an end surface of the projection optical system, the edge portion protruding laterally beyond the outer side surface in the direction radially outward of the outer side surface with respect to the holder portion, and 
 (iv) a surrounding portion that surrounds the holder portion and is located between the substrate and the edge portion when the substrate is held by the holder portion. 
   
     
     
         13 . A device manufacturing method comprising:
 exposing a substrate by using the exposure apparatus according to  claim 12 ; and   processing the exposed substrate.   
     
     
         14 . An exposure method comprising:
 holding a substrate on a substrate holding member which has a holder portion to hold the substrate;   supplying a liquid onto the substrate such that an optical path between a lower end surface of a projection optical system and an upper surface of the substrate is filled with the supplied liquid forming a liquid immersion area; and   exposing the substrate held on the substrate holding member with an exposure beam through the liquid immersion area, while moving the substrate holding member, wherein
 the liquid immersion area is moved relative to the substrate during the exposure, and 
 the substrate holding member further includes:
 an outer side surface facing in a direction radially outward with respect to the holder portion, 
 an edge portion having an end part of an upper surface of the substrate holding member, the edge portion being provided below an end surface of the projection optical system, the edge portion protruding laterally beyond the outer side surface in the direction radially outward of the outer side surface with respect to the holder portion, and 
 a surrounding portion that surrounds the holder portion and is located between the substrate and the edge portion when the substrate is held by the holder portion. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The exposure method according to  claim 14 , further comprising vibrating the edge portion with a piezoelectric device to promote removal of the liquid from the edge portion.