Substrate holding device, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

Abstract

A substrate holding apparatus which can prevent a liquid from entering into a rear surface side of a substrate. A substrate holding apparatus is provided with a base material, a first holding portion formed on the base material to hold the substrate, and a second holding portion formed on the base material to hold a plate member by surrounding the circumference of a processing substrate held by the first holding portion. The second holding portion holds the plate member so as to form a second space on the side of the rear surface of the plate member. On the rear surface of the plate member, an absorbing member is arranged to absorb the liquid entered from a gap between the substrate held by the first holding portion and the plate member held by the second holding portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via liquid, the exposure apparatus comprising:
 a projection optical system to project an image of an object;   a stage to move the substrate with respect to a projection area where the image of the object is projected by the projection optical system; and   a liquid immersion mechanism to supply liquid onto a part of the stage to locally form a liquid immersion region such that the liquid immersion region includes the projection area,   wherein the liquid immersion mechanism comprises a nozzle member having a supply port from which liquid is supplied onto the stage, the supply port being provided on a lower surface of the nozzle member, the lower surface of the nozzle member being arranged so as to face the stage,   wherein the stage comprises a substrate holder to hold the substrate, the substrate holder including a plurality of supporting portions to support the substrate, a first circumferential wall provided surrounding the supporting portions, and a second circumferential wall provided surrounding the first circumferential wall, and   wherein the first circumferential wall and the second circumferential wall are arranged so as to face the substrate while the substrate is supported by the supporting portions.   
     
     
         2 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle member has a recovery port to recover liquid, which is supplied via the supply port onto the stage, the recovery port being provided on the lower surface of the nozzle member. 
     
     
         3 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein, at the lower surface of the nozzle member, the recovery port is arranged to an outside of the supply port with respect to an optical axis of the projection optical system. 
     
     
         4 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein, at the lower surface of the nozzle member, both the supply port and the recovery port are arranged at each side of the optical axis of the projection optical system in a first direction, which is orthogonal to the optical axis. 
     
     
         5 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein, at the lower surface of the nozzle member, the recovery port is arranged so as to surround the supply port. 
     
     
         6 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the nozzle member is arranged so as to surround an optical path of light from the projection optical system. 
     
     
         7 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the projection optical system comprises a lens element, which is arranged such that the lens element is in contact with the liquid immersion region, and the nozzle member is arranged so as to surround a side surface of the lens element. 
     
     
         8 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stage comprises a suction port, which is provided to an outside of the first circumferential wall with respect to the supporting portions, the suction port being arranged to recover liquid, which is supplied via the supply port onto the stage and infiltrates into an inside of the stage via a gap between the stage and the substrate that is supported by the supporting portions. 
     
     
         9 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the suction port comprises a first suction port provided between the first circumferential wall and the second circumferential. 
     
     
         10 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the suction port comprises a second suction port provided to an outside of the second circumferential with respect to the supporting portions. 
     
     
         11 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the stage comprises a passageway, which is connected to the suction port, and in which liquid from the suction port flows. 
     
     
         12 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate holder comprises a gas passageway, which is connected to an internal space surrounded by the first circumferential wall to suction a gas in the internal space, and the substrate holder is arranged to hold the substrate in a state in which the internal space is negatively pressurized via the gas passageway. 
     
     
         13 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of an upper surface of the first circumferential wall and an upper surface of the second circumferential wall has a height lower than the height of an upper surface of the supporting portions. 
     
     
         14 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the height of the upper surface of the second circumferential wall is lower than the height of the upper surface of the first circumferential wall. 
     
     
         15 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stage has an upper surface, and the supporting portions are arranged to support the substrate such that a surface of the substrate is at substantially a same height as the upper surface of the stage. 
     
     
         16 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stage has an upper surface arranged such that the upper surface surrounds the substrate while the substrate is supported by the supporting portions. 
     
     
         17 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stage has an upper surface having liquid-repellent. 
     
     
         18 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the substrate holder has liquid-repellent. 
     
     
         19 . A device manufacturing method comprising:
 exposing a pattern on the substrate by use of an exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 ; and   assembling a device from the substrate on which the pattern is exposed.