Apparatus and method for maintaining immersion fluid in the gap under the projection lens using a pad member or second stage during wafer exchange in an immersion lithography machine

摘要

An immersion exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with a light beam. The apparatus includes an optical member through which the light beam is irradiated onto the substrate, a substrate table which holds the substrate and is movable relative to the optical member, and a pad member which is movable relative to the substrate table. The substrate table and the pad member are moved together during a transition from a first state to a second state, the first state being a state in which an immersion liquid is maintained in a space between the optical member and the substrate table, the second state being a state in which the immersion liquid is maintained in a space between the optical member and the pad member. The optical member is kept in contact with the immersion liquid during the transition.

主权项

1. An immersion exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with a light beam, the apparatus comprising:
an optical member through which the light beam is irradiated onto the substrate; a substrate table which holds the substrate and is movable relative to the optical member; a pad member which is independently movable relative to the substrate table in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the optical member and is movable away from below the optical member; and a control system configured to control movement of the substrate table and the pad member (i) to move the pad member, which is positioned away from below the optical member, relative to the substrate table positioned below the optical member so that the pad member is positioned adjacent to the substrate table, and (ii) to move the adjacent substrate table and pad member during a transition from a first state to a second state such that the optical member is constantly in contact with an immersion liquid during the transition, the first state in which the immersion liquid is maintained in a space between the optical member and the substrate table, the second state in which the immersion liquid is maintained in a space between the optical member and the pad member.