Exposure apparatus, liquid holding method, and device manufacturing method

Abstract

An exposure apparatus includes a first member disposed at least in a part of a periphery of an optical path of the exposure light, and has a first face that faces an upper face of the object through a first gap and holds the liquid between the upper face of the object and the first face, a second member disposed at an outer side of the first face with respect to the optical path and has a second face facing the upper face of the object through a second gap, a first supply port disposed at an outer side of the second face and supplies a fluid, and a first suction port disposed between the first face and the second face, and suctions at least part of gas in an outer space of the second member via a gap between the second face and the upper face of the object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liquid immersion space forming member for a liquid immersion exposure apparatus, the liquid immersion space forming member comprising:
 an aperture through which an exposure beam is projected;   a liquid supply opening via which a liquid is supplied;   a suction opening via which the supplied liquid is collected, the suction opening being provided radially inward of the liquid supply opening with respect to the aperture; and   an undersurface provided between the liquid supply opening and the suction opening,   wherein liquid supply via the liquid supply opening and liquid collection via the suction opening are controlled such that the supplied liquid flows on the undersurface between the liquid supply opening and the suction opening, and such that a gas flows to the suction opening between the supplied liquid flowing on the undersurface and an upper surface of an object located below the liquid immersion space forming member.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 1 , further comprising a controller that controls supply of the liquid to the liquid supply opening and suction through the suction opening such that the supplied liquid flows on the undersurface between the liquid supply opening and the suction opening, and the gas flows to the suction opening between the supplied liquid flowing on the undersurface and the upper surface of the object. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 1 , further comprising an immersion liquid supply opening that supplies an immersion liquid to the liquid immersion space. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 3 , wherein the liquid to be supplied from the liquid supply opening is water and the immersion liquid to be supplied from the immersion liquid supply opening is water. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 3 , wherein the immersion liquid to be supplied from the immersion liquid supply opening is different from the liquid to be supplied from the liquid supply opening. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 5 , wherein the liquid supplied from the liquid supply opening has a higher viscosity than a viscosity of the immersion liquid. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 1 , further comprising a gas supply opening that supplies a gas. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 7 , wherein the gas supply opening is arranged radially outward of the liquid supply opening with respect to the aperture. 
     
     
         9 . The liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 8 , wherein the gas supplied from the gas supply opening flows to the suction opening between the supplied liquid flowing on the undersurface and the upper surface of the object. 
     
     
         10 . The liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 1 , wherein the object includes a substrate to be exposed in the liquid immersion exposure apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . A liquid immersion exposure apparatus comprising:
 a substrate stage that holds a substrate;   the liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 1  located above the substrate stage; and   an optical member having an emission face from which the exposure beam is emitted,   
       wherein only a portion of an upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate stage is covered with an immersion liquid in the liquid immersion space formed using the liquid immersion space forming member, and
 the substrate is exposed with the exposure beam through the immersion liquid. 
 
     
     
         12 . The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the liquid immersion space forming member has an immersion liquid supply opening that supplies the immersion liquid. 
     
     
         13 . The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to  claim 12 , the immersion liquid is supplied from the immersion liquid supply opening to a gap between the optical member and the liquid immersion space forming member. 
     
     
         14 . The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the liquid to be supplied from the liquid supply opening is water and the immersion liquid to be supplied from the immersion liquid supply opening is water. 
     
     
         15 . The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the immersion liquid is different from the liquid to be supplied from the liquid supply opening. 
     
     
         16 . The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein further comprising a gas supply opening that supplies a gas and the gas supply opening is arranged radially outward of the liquid supply opening with respect to the aperture. 
     
     
         17 . The liquid immersion space forming member according to  claim 16 , wherein the gas supplied from the gas supply opening flows to the suction opening between the supplied liquid flowing on the undersurface and at least one of an upper surface of the substrate and an surface of the substrate stage during a period in which the substrate is exposed. 
     
     
         18 . A device manufacturing method comprising:
 exposing the substrate using the liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to  claim 5 ; and   developing the exposed substrate.   
     
     
         19 . An immersion liquid holding method used in an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with an exposure beam through an immersion liquid on the substrate, comprising;
 projecting the exposure beam onto the substrate through an aperture in a liquid immersion space forming member;   supplying a liquid different from the immersion liquid via a liquid supply opening of the liquid immersion space forming member; and   collecting the supplied liquid via a suction opening of the liquid immersion space forming member, the suction opening being provided radially inward of the liquid supply opening with respect to the aperture,   wherein liquid supply via the liquid supply opening and liquid collection via the suction opening are controlled such that the supplied liquid flows on an undersurface between the liquid supply opening and the suction opening, and such that a gas flows to the suction opening between the supplied liquid flowing on the undersurface and an upper surface of an object located below the liquid immersion space forming member.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the immersion liquid is supplied from an immersion liquid supply opening of the liquid immersion space forming member. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the liquid to be supplied from the liquid supply opening is water and the immersion liquid to be supplied from the immersion liquid supply opening is water. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the immersion liquid to be supplied from the immersion liquid supply opening is different from the liquid to be supplied from the liquid supply opening. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 supplying a gas from a gas supply opening.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the gas supply opening is arranged radially outward of the liquid supply opening with respect to the aperture. 
     
     
         25 . A device manufacturing method comprising:
 exposing the substrate via at least part of the immersion liquid held using the immersion liquid holding method according to  claim 19 ; and   developing the exposed substrate.