APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR KEEPING IMMERSION FLUID ADJACENT TO OPTICAL ASSEMBLY DURING SUBSTRATE EXCHANGE IN IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY MACHINE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for keeping immersion fluid in a space between a projection optical system and one or more objects when a wafer table moves away from the projection optical system.

SOLUTION: An optical assembly 16 projects an image onto a substrate 208 supported near the optical assembly by a substrate table 204. An insertion member 226 can be inserted into a space between the optical assembly and the substrate, the substrate table, or both, and divides immersion liquid 212 into a first portion between the optical assembly and the insertion member and a second portion between the insertion member and the substrate, the substrate table, or both. The insertion member keeps contact with the first portion of the optical assembly when the substrate moves away from near the optical assembly.

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