Exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A liquid immersion exposure apparatus comprising:
- an optical element through which an exposure beam passes;
a first table which is movable relative to the optical element, while holding a substrate;
a second table which is movable relative to the optical element while holding a substrate; and
a controller that controls the first and second tables to move so that the optical element is kept in contact with an exposure liquid while the first table and the second table are moved from a first state in which the first table is opposite to the optical element to a second state in which the second table is opposite to the optical element,wherein the controller controls the tables to move from the first state to the second state, while the tables are close together or in contact with each other.
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Abstract
A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes an optical element through which an exposure beam passes, a first table which is movable relative to the optical element, while holding a substrate and a second table which is movable relative to the optical element while holding a substrate. The optical element is kept in contact with an exposure liquid while the first table and the second table are moved from a first state in which the first table is opposite to the optical element to a second state in which the second table is opposite to the optical element.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A liquid immersion exposure apparatus comprising:
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an optical element through which an exposure beam passes; a first table which is movable relative to the optical element, while holding a substrate; a second table which is movable relative to the optical element while holding a substrate; and a controller that controls the first and second tables to move so that the optical element is kept in contact with an exposure liquid while the first table and the second table are moved from a first state in which the first table is opposite to the optical element to a second state in which the second table is opposite to the optical element, wherein the controller controls the tables to move from the first state to the second state, while the tables are close together or in contact with each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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8. A liquid immersion exposure apparatus comprising:
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an optical element through which an exposure beam passes; a first table which is movable relative to the optical element, while holding a substrate; a second table which is movable relative to the optical element while holding a substrate; and a controller that controls the first and second tables to move so that the optical element is kept in contact with an exposure liquid while the first table and the second table are moved from a first state in which the first table is opposite to the optical element to a second state in which the second table is opposite to the optical element, wherein the controller controls the tables to move from the first state to the second state, while at least one of the tables is positioned below the optical element such that the optical element is kept in contact with the exposure liquid, and while the tables are close together or in contact with each other. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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21. A liquid immersion system comprising:
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an optical element through which an exposure beam passes; a first table that is capable of moving while holding a substrate; a second table that is capable of moving while holding a substrate; and a controller that controls the first and second tables to move from a first state to a second state so that, below the optical element, a liquid is maintained in contact with the optical element while one of the first and second tables is being replaced by the other of the first and second tables, wherein the controller controls the tables to move from the first state to the second state, while the tables are close together or in contact with each other.
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22. A liquid immersion system comprising:
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a projection system through which an exposure beam passes; a first table that is capable of moving while holding a substrate; a second table that is capable of moving while holding a substrate; and a controller that controls the first and second tables to move from a first state to a second state so that a liquid is maintained in contact with the projection system while one substrate is being exchanged for another substrate below the projection system, wherein the controller controls the tables to move from the first state to the second state, while the tables are close together or in contact with each other.
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23. A liquid immersion exposure apparatus comprising:
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an optical element through which an exposure beam passes; a first table which is movable relative to the optical element, while holding a substrate; a second table which is movable relative to the optical element while holding a substrate; and control means for controlling the first and second tables to move from a first state to a second state so that at least one of the first and second tables is positioned below the optical element to maintain a liquid in contact with the optical element while one of the first and second tables is being replaced by the other of the first and second tables below the optical element, wherein the control means controls the tables to move from the first state to the second state, while the tables are close together or in contact with each other.
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Specification