Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device

Abstract

A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which an exposure beam passes. A projection system includes a first element closest to an image surface and a second element which is second closest to the image surface. The first element has a first surface facing the image surface, a second surface facing a lower surface of the second element, an inclined outer surface extending upwardly and radially outwardly from the first surface and facing an inner surface of the nozzle member, and a flange portion provided above the inclined outer surface. A support member supports the flange portion of the first element. A substrate stage has a holder for holding a substrate to be exposed and moves the substrate below and relative to the nozzle member and the projection system.

1 . A projection system used in a liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a liquid immersion area is formed on a portion of an upper surface of a substrate by using a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which an exposure beam passes, the projection system comprising:
 a first optical element closest to an image surface; and   a second optical element which is second closest to the image surface, wherein:   the first optical element has (i) a first surface facing the image surface, (ii) a second surface facing a lower surface of the second optical element, (iii) an inclined outer surface extending upwardly and radially outwardly from the first surface and facing an inner surface of the nozzle member, and (iv) a flange portion provided above the inclined outer surface, the flange portion being made of an optical material of the first optical element,   a distance between the first surface and the second surface on an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the first surface and which intersects the first surface is not less than 15 mm; and   the flange portion of the first optical element is supported by a support member.   
     
     
         2 . The projection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the axis is an optical axis of the first optical element. 
     
     
         3 . The projection system according to  claim 1 , wherein an outer size of the second surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis is not less than twice an outer size of the first surface in the direction. 
     
     
         4 . A projection system for a liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a liquid immersion area is formed on a portion of an upper surface of a substrate by using a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which an exposure beam passes, the projection system comprising:
 a first optical element closest to an image surface; and   a second optical element which is second closest to the image surface, wherein:   the first optical element has (i) a first surface facing the image surface, (ii) a second surface facing a lower surface of the second optical element, (iii) an inclined outer surface extending upwardly and radially outwardly from the first surface and facing an inner surface of the nozzle member, and (iv) a flange portion provided above the inclined outer surface, the flange portion being made of an optical material of the first optical element,   an outer size of the second surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the first optical element is not less than twice an outer size of the first surface in the direction; and   the flange portion of the first optical element is supported by a support member.   
     
     
         5 . The projection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical material of the first optical element is calcium fluorite or silica glass. 
     
     
         6 . The projection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second optical element is a plano-convex lens having a convex upper surface. 
     
     
         7 . The projection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flange portion has a lower surface facing downwardly, and the lower surface of the flange portion is parallel to the first surface. 
     
     
         8 . The projection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flange portion has a lower surface facing downwardly, and the lower surface of the flange portion is supported by the support member. 
     
     
         9 . The projection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flange portion has a lower surface facing downwardly, and the lower surface of the flange portion is disposed opposite to an upper surface of the nozzle member. 
     
     
         10 . The projection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the first surface and the second surface on the axis is larger than a distance between the first surface and the image surface on the axis. 
     
     
         11 . The projection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second optical element is supported by the support member. 
     
     
         12 . The projection system according to  claim 11 , wherein the second optical member has a flange portion which is supported by the support member. 
     
     
         13 . An exposure apparatus comprising:
 a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which an exposure beam passes;   a support member;   the projection system according to  claim 1  disposed with the inclined outer surface of the first optical element facing an inner surface of the nozzle member and the flange portion of the first optical element supported by the support member; and   a substrate stage which has a holder for holding a substrate to be exposed and which moves the substrate below and relative to the nozzle member and the projection system,   wherein the substrate held on the holder is exposed by projecting the exposure beam onto the substrate via the opening of the nozzle member through an immersion liquid between the first surface of the first optical element and the substrate.   
     
     
         14 . A device manufacturing method comprising:
 exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to  claim 13 , and   processing the exposed substrate.   
     
     
         15 . A liquid immersion exposure method in which a substrate is exposed by an exposure beam through an immersion liquid between the substrate and a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which the exposure beam passes, the method comprising:
 projecting the exposure beam through the projection system of  claim 1 ;   supporting the flange portion of the first optical element by a support member; and   holding the substrate to be exposed by a holder of a substrate stage which moves the substrate below and relative to the nozzle member and the projection system,   wherein the substrate held on the holder is exposed by projecting the exposure beam onto the substrate via the opening of the nozzle member through the immersion liquid between the first surface of the first optical element and the substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The projection system according to  claim 4 , wherein the optical material of the first optical element is calcium fluorite or silica glass. 
     
     
         17 . The projection system according to  claim 4 , wherein the second optical element is a plano-convex lens having a convex upper surface. 
     
     
         18 . The projection system according to  claim 4 , wherein the flange portion has a lower surface facing downwardly, and the lower surface of the flange portion is parallel to the first surface. 
     
     
         19 . The projection system according to  claim 4 , wherein the flange portion has a lower surface facing downwardly, and the lower surface of the flange portion is supported by the support member. 
     
     
         20 . The projection system according to  claim 4 , wherein the flange portion has a lower surface facing downwardly, and the lower surface of the flange portion is disposed opposite to an upper surface of the nozzle member. 
     
     
         21 . The projection system according to  claim 4 , wherein a distance between the first surface and the second surface on the optical axis is larger than a distance between the first surface and the image surface on the optical axis. 
     
     
         22 . The projection system according to  claim 4 , wherein the second optical element is supported by the support member. 
     
     
         23 . The projection system according to  claim 22 , wherein the second optical member has a flange portion which is supported by the support member. 
     
     
         24 . An exposure apparatus comprising:
 a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which an exposure beam passes;   a support member;   the projection system according to  claim 4  disposed with the inclined outer surface of the first optical element facing an inner surface of the nozzle member and the flange portion of the first optical element supported by the support member; and   a substrate stage which has a holder for holding a substrate to be exposed and which moves the substrate below and relative to the nozzle member and the projection system,   wherein the substrate held on the holder is exposed by projecting the exposure beam onto the substrate via the opening of the nozzle member through an immersion liquid between the first surface of the first optical element and the substrate.   
     
     
         25 . A device manufacturing method comprising:
 exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to  claim 24 , and   processing the exposed substrate.   
     
     
         26 . A liquid immersion exposure method in which a substrate is exposed by an exposure beam through an immersion liquid between the substrate and a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which the exposure beam passes, the method comprising:
 projecting the exposure beam through the projection system of  claim 4 ;   supporting the flange portion of the first optical element by a support member; and   holding the substrate to be exposed by a holder of a substrate stage which moves the substrate below and relative to the nozzle member and the projection system,   wherein the substrate held on the holder is exposed by projecting the exposure beam onto the substrate via the opening of the nozzle member through the immersion liquid between the first surface of the first optical element and the substrate.   
     
     
         27 . A projection system used in a liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a liquid immersion area is formed on a portion of an upper surface of a substrate by using a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which an exposure beam passes, the projection system comprising:
 a first optical element closest to an image surface; and   a second optical element which is second closest to the image surface, wherein:   the first optical element has (i) a first surface facing the image surface, (ii) a second surface facing a lower surface of the second optical element, (iii) an inclined outer surface extending upwardly and radially outwardly from the first surface and facing an inner surface of the nozzle member, and (iv) a projection provided above the inclined outer surface, the projection being made of an optical material of the first optical element,   a distance between the first surface and the second surface on an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the first surface and which intersects the first surface is not less than 15 mm; and   the projection of the first optical element is supported by a support member.   
     
     
         28 . The projection system according to  claim 27 , wherein the axis is an optical axis of the first optical element. 
     
     
         29 . The projection system according to  claim 27 , wherein an outer size of the second surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis is not less than twice an outer size of the first surface in the direction.