Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method for producing device

Abstract

An exposure apparatus has a projection optical system having a last optical element disposed at an end portion of the projection optical system, a substrate stage having a holding portion on which a substrate is held, the substrate stage being movable in a plane perpendicular to a first axis direction parallel to an optical axis of the last optical element of the projection optical system, a liquid supply system which has supply ports arranged at different positions in the first direction, and a liquid recovery system which has recovery ports arranged at different positions in the first direction. The position of each liquid supply port of the liquid supply ports is arranged in the first axis direction with respect to the position of a respective liquid recovery port of the liquid recovery ports.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exposure apparatus comprising:
 a projection optical system having a last optical element disposed at an end portion of the projection optical system;   a substrate stage having a holding portion on which a substrate is held, the substrate stage being movable in a plane perpendicular to a first axis direction parallel to an optical axis of the last optical element of the projection optical system;   a liquid supply system which has supply ports arranged at different positions in the first direction; and   a liquid recovery system which has recovery ports arranged at different positions in the first direction,   wherein   the position of each liquid supply port of the liquid supply ports is arranged in the first axis direction with respect to the position of a respective liquid recovery port of the liquid recovery ports, and   the substrate is exposed via a liquid of a liquid immersion area formed on a part of the substrate and filling a space between a surface of the substrate and the last optical element.