US Patent:
20100283979, Nov 11, 2010
Inventors:
Katsushi Nakano - Kumagaya-shi, JP
Munetaka Sugimoto - Kumagaya-shi, JP
Shigeru Aoki - Portland OR, US
Shin Hirokawa - Fukaya-shi, JP
Assignee:
NIKON CORPORATION - TOKYO
International Classification:
G03B 27/52
Abstract:
An exposure apparatus successively exposes each substrate of a plurality of substrates included in a lot with exposure light through a liquid. The exposure apparatus comprises: a movable substrate holding member that holds the substrate at a position whereto the exposure light can be radiated; and a liquid immersion member that is capable of forming an immersion space such that the liquid is held between the liquid immersion member and the substrate held by the substrate holding member and an optical path of the exposure light is filled with the liquid; wherein, before the start of exposure of a first substrate in the lot, the immersion space is formed between the liquid immersion member and a movable member, which is different from the first substrate, and at least one of the liquid immersion member and the movable member is cleaned.
