Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device

Abstract

An exposure apparatus includes (i) a projection optical system, (ii) a substrate stage having a substrate holder on which a substrate is held, which is movable while holding the substrate with the substrate holder, and (iii) a reference member having a first reference and a second reference for performing an alignment process, the reference member being provided on the substrate stage. At least part of an upper surface of the reference member includes a liquid repellent material. The substrate is aligned based on information obtained from the alignment process. The substrate is exposed through liquid in a liquid immersion area formed locally on an upper surface of the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exposure apparatus comprising:
 a projection optical system;   a substrate stage having a substrate holder on which a substrate is held, which is movable while holding the substrate with the substrate holder; and   a reference member having a first reference and a second reference for performing an alignment process, the reference member being provided on the substrate stage,   wherein:   at least part of an upper surface of the reference member includes a liquid repellent material,   the substrate is aligned based on information obtained from the alignment process, and   the substrate is exposed through liquid in a liquid immersion area formed locally on an upper surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate stage is movable to effect a switching between a wet state in which the liquid is disposed on the reference member and a dry state in which the liquid is not disposed on the reference member. 
     
     
         3 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the substrate stage has a recess in which the substrate is held, and   the substrate stage has an upper surface which is substantially flush with an upper surface of the reference member, and   the substrate is held in the recess such that the upper surface of the substrate is substantially flush with the upper surface of the substrate stage.   
     
     
         4 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate stage has a recess in which the reference member is arranged. 
     
     
         5 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate stage is movable from a first state in which the upper surface of the reference member is opposed to the projection optical system to a second state in which the upper surface of the substrate is opposed to the projection optical system, while the liquid is retained on an image plane side of the projection optical system. 
     
     
         6 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the liquid is retained between the reference member and the projection optical system to obtain information for aligning the image and the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate stage is movable from a first state in which the upper surface of the substrate is opposed to the projection optical system to a second state in which the upper surface of the reference member is opposed to the projection optical system, while the liquid is retained on an image plane side of the projection optical system. 
     
     
         8 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the liquid is retained between the reference member and the projection optical system to obtain information for aligning the image and the substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the projection optical system projects an image of a pattern of a mask illuminated with illumination light. 
     
     
         10 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a first detecting system arranged apart from the projection optical system, which detects an alignment mark on the substrate held by the substrate stage not through the liquid and which detects the first reference of the reference member not through the liquid. 
     
     
         11 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the first reference of the reference member is detected with the first detecting system before the reference member comes into contact with the liquid. 
     
     
         12 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the first reference of the reference member is detected with the first detecting system before the liquid is retained between the reference member and the projection optical system.