IMMERSION OBJECTIVE OPTICAL SYSTEM, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, DEVICE FABRICATION METHOD, AND BOUNDARY OPTICAL ELEMENT

摘要

In a liquid immersion type projection optical system for forming an image of a first plane (R) on a second plane (W), an optical path between the optical system and the second plane is filled with a liquid (Lm) having the refractive index larger than 1.5, and the optical system has a boundary optical element (Lb) whose surface on the first plane side is in contact with a gas and whose surface on the second plane side is in contact with the liquid. The optical system satisfies the condition of 3.2 < Nb EEb/|Rb| < 4.0, where Rb is a radius of curvature of the surface on the first plane side of the boundary optical element, Eb an effective diameter of the surface on the first plane side of the boundary optical element, and Nb a refractive index for used light, of an optical material forming the boundary optical element.