Exposure condition determination method, exposure method, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method involving detection of the situation of a liquid immersion region

Abstract

A method, for determining an exposure condition for exposing a substrate held on a holder by irradiating the substrate with exposure light via an immersion liquid, includes: moving an object held on the holder relative to a liquid immersion area formed under a projection system under a movement condition and an immersion condition; obtaining information on a leakage of the immersion liquid which may be caused when moving the object held on the holder under the movement condition; and determining the exposure condition for exposing the substrate based on the obtained information.

1 . A method for determining an exposure condition for exposing a substrate held on a holder by irradiating the substrate with exposure light via an immersion liquid, the method comprising:
 moving, before exposing the substrate, an object held on the holder relative to a liquid immersion area formed under a projection system under a movement condition and an immersion condition, the object having a surface condition that is substantially the same as that of a surface of the substrate;   obtaining, before exposing the substrate, information on a leakage of the immersion liquid which may be caused when moving the object held on the holder under the movement condition; and   determining, before exposing the substrate, the exposure condition for exposing the substrate based on the obtained information,   wherein:   the immersion condition includes a per-unit-time liquid supply amount and a per-unit-time liquid recovery amount; and   the exposure condition includes a movement trajectory for exposing the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . A method for determining an exposure condition for exposing a substrate held on a holder by irradiating the substrate with exposure light via an immersion liquid, the method comprising:
 moving, before exposing the substrate, an object held on the holder relative to a liquid immersion area formed under a projection system under a movement condition and an immersion condition, the object having a surface condition that is substantially the same as that of a surface of the substrate;   obtaining, before exposing the substrate, information on a leakage of the immersion liquid which may be caused when moving the object held on the holder under the movement condition; and   determining, before exposing the substrate, the exposure condition for exposing the substrate based on the obtained information,   wherein:   the immersion condition includes a per-unit-time liquid supply amount and a per-unit-time liquid recovery amount; and   the exposure condition includes at least one of a moving speed, a moving distance, and a moving direction.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 exposing the object via the immersion liquid; and   unloading the object from the holder after the exposing the object.   
     
     
         4 . An exposure method comprising:
 the method of  claim 1 , performed to thereby determine the exposure condition for exposing the substrate; and   exposing the substrate via the immersion liquid under the determined exposure condition.   
     
     
         5 . The exposure method according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 exposing the object via the immersion liquid, prior to the exposing the substrate;   unloading the object from the holder, after the exposing the object; and   prior to the exposing the substrate, loading the substrate onto the holder.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining the information on the leakage is performed by detecting leakage of the immersion liquid into a region on the object around an initial position of the immersion liquid. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 exposing the object via the immersion liquid; and   unloading the object from the holder after the exposing the object.   
     
     
         8 . An exposure method comprising:
 the method of  claim 2 , performed to thereby determine the exposure condition for exposing the substrate; and   exposing the substrate via the immersion liquid under the determined exposure condition.   
     
     
         9 . The exposure method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 exposing the object via the immersion liquid, prior to the exposing the substrate;   unloading the object from the holder, after the exposing the object; and   prior to the exposing the substrate, loading the substrate onto the holder.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the obtaining information on the leakage is obtained by detecting leakage of the immersion liquid into a region on the object around an initial position of the immersion liquid. 
     
     
         11 . An exposure apparatus configured to perform liquid immersion exposure on a substrate, comprising:
 a substrate holder configured to hold an object;   a driver configured to drive the substrate holder;   a liquid immersion mechanism configured to form an immersion liquid on an object held on the substrate holder; and   a detection device configured to, before the liquid immersion exposure on the substrate is performed, observe leakage of the immersion liquid on the object under an immersion condition when the object is moved by the substrate holder under a movement condition, to thereby obtain information on leakage of the immersion liquid.   
     
     
         12 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the object has a surface condition that is substantially the same as that of a surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the detection device is configured to detect leakage of the immersion liquid into a region on the object around an initial position of the immersion liquid when the immersion liquid is formed on the object, to obtain the information on the leakage. 
     
     
         14 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a controller configured to determine leakage of the immersion liquid based on the information on the leakage of the immersion liquid. 
     
     
         15 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a controller configured to determine an exposure condition for performing the liquid immersion exposure on the substrate based on the information on the leakage of the immersion liquid. 
     
     
         16 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the immersion condition includes a per-unit-time liquid supply amount and a per-unit-time liquid recovery amount; and   the exposure condition includes a movement trajectory for exposing the substrate   
     
     
         17 . A system comprising the exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , and further comprising:
 a processor configured to determine leakage of the immersion liquid based on the information on the leakage of the immersion liquid.   
     
     
         18 . A system comprising the exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , and further comprising:
 a processor configured to determine an exposure condition for performing the liquid immersion exposure on the substrate based on the information on the leakage of the immersion liquid.   
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the immersion condition includes a per-unit-time liquid supply amount and a per-unit-time liquid recovery amount; and   the exposure condition includes a movement trajectory for exposing the substrate   
     
     
         20 . A method of using the exposure apparatus of  claim 11 , to determine an exposure condition for performing the liquid immersion exposure, comprising:
 using the exposure apparatus to obtain the information on leakage of the immersion liquid obtained by the detection device observing the leakage of the immersion liquid on the object when the object is held and moved by the substrate holder under a movement condition; and   determining the exposure condition based on obtained the information on the leakage of the immersion liquid, wherein   the immersion condition includes a per-unit-time liquid supply amount and a per-unit-time liquid recovery amount, and   the exposure condition includes a movement trajectory for exposing the substrate.