Pattern forming apparatus, mark detecting apparatus, exposure apparatus, pattern forming method, exposure method, and device manufacturing method

An exposure method of exposing a substrate with an illumination light via a projection optical system and a liquid, the method comprising:

• by a liquid immersion member that is provided to surround a lens disposed closest to an image plane side, of a plurality of optical elements of the projection optical system, locally forming a liquid immersion area with the liquid under the lens;
• holding a mask illuminated with the illumination light, with a first stage disposed above the projection optical system, the first stage being moved in at least a first direction within a predetermined plane in scanning exposure in which the mask and the substrate are each moved relative to the illumination light in the first direction, positional information of the first stage being measured by a first measurement system, and the predetermined plane being orthogonal to an optical axis of the projection optical system;
• holding the substrate with a second stage of the second stage and a third stage that are movable on a base member disposed below the projection optical system and the liquid immersion member, the second stage having a holder to hold the substrate, the third stage having at least one measurement member to detect the illumination light via the projection optical system and the liquid of the liquid immersion area, and the second stage being moved in at least the first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction within the predetermined plane in an exposure operation of the substrate in which the scanning exposure is performed;
• detecting positional information of the substrate in a third direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane, with a detection system disposed spaced apart from the projection optical system in the first direction;
• measuring positional information of the second and the third stages, with a second measurement system different from the first measurement system, the second measurement system having an encoder system that has a plurality of optical units respectively irradiating a plurality of scale members disposed substantially parallel to the predetermined plane with measurement beams, and that measures positional information of the second stage in directions of six degrees of freedom including the first, the second and the third directions, and each of the plurality of scale members having a reflective grating that is periodic in a direction parallel to the predetermined plane;
• moving the first and the second stages based on measurement information of the first and the second measurement systems so that, in the exposure operation of the substrate held by the second stage placed facing the projection optical system, the scanning exposure and focus-leveling control of a pattern image of the mask and the substrate based on detection information of the detection system are performed, the pattern image being projected via the projection optical system and the liquid of the liquid immersion area, and in order to perform the scanning exposure via the projection optical system and the liquid of the liquid immersion area, from an area located on one side in the first direction, of a plurality of areas on the substrate, the second stage being moved relative to the projection optical system from an other side to the one side in the first direction;
• moving the third stage from the other side to the one side in the first direction so that the third stage comes close, from the other side in the first direction, to the second stage placed facing the projection optical system;
• and
• moving the second and the third stages that have come close together relative to the liquid immersion member from the other side to the one side in the first direction so that the third stage is placed to face the projection optical system instead of the second stage while substantially maintaining the liquid immersion area under the lens,
• wherein in each of the exposure operation and a detection operation of the substrate by the detection system, the positional information of the second stage is measured by the encoder system.

A making method of an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with an illumination light via a projection optical system and a liquid, the method comprising:

• providing a liquid immersion member that surrounds a lens disposed closest to an image plane side, of a plurality of optical elements of the projection optical system, and locally forms a liquid immersion area with the liquid under the lens;
• providing a first stage system having a first stage and a first drive system, the first stage being disposed above the projection optical system and holding a mask illuminated with the illumination light, the first drive system including a first motor to drive the first stage, the first stage being moved in at least a first direction within a predetermined plane in scanning exposure in which the mask and the substrate are each moved relative to the illumination light in the first direction, and the predetermined plane being orthogonal to an optical axis of the projection optical system;
• providing a base member disposed below the projection optical system and the liquid immersion member;
• providing a second stage system having a second stage and a third stage that are disposed on the base member and a second drive system that includes a second motor to drive the second and the third stages, the second stage having a holder to hold the substrate, the third stage having at least one measurement member to detect the illumination light via the projection optical system and the liquid of the liquid immersion area, and the second stage being moved in at least the first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction within the predetermined plane in an exposure operation of the substrate in which the scanning exposure is performed;
• providing a detection system that is disposed spaced apart from the projection optical system in the first direction, and detects positional information of the substrate in a third direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane;
• providing a measurement device having a first measurement system that measures positional information of the first stage and a second measurement system that measures positional information of the second and the third stages, the second measurement system having an encoder system that has a plurality of optical units respectively irradiating a plurality of scale members disposed substantially parallel to the predetermined plane with measurement beams, and that measures positional information of the second stage in directions of six degrees of freedom including the first, the second and the third directions, and each of the plurality of scale members having a reflective grating that is periodic in a direction parallel to the predetermined plane;
• and
• providing a controller coupled to the first and the second stage systems, the detection system and the measurement device, the controller controlling the second drive system so that a detection operation of the substrate by the detection system is performed, and also controlling the first and the second drive systems based on measurement information of the first and the second measurement systems so that, in the exposure operation, the scanning exposure and focus-leveling control of a pattern image of the mask and the substrate based on detection information of the detection system are performed, and the pattern image being projected via the projection optical system and the liquid of the liquid immersion area,
• wherein in each of the exposure operation and the detection operation, the positional information of the second stage is measured by the encoder system,
• wherein in the exposure operation, in order to perform the scanning exposure via the projection optical system and the liquid of the liquid immersion area, from an area located on one side in the first direction, of a plurality of areas on the substrate held by the second stage placed facing the projection optical system, the controller controls the second drive system so that the second stage is moved relative to the projection optical system from an other side to the one side in the first direction, and
• wherein the controller controls the second drive system so that:
• the third stage is moved from the other side to the one side in the first direction in order to cause the third stage to come close, from the other side in the first direction, to the second stage placed facing the projection optical system;
• and
• the second and the third stages that have come close together are moved relative to the liquid immersion member from the other side to the one side in the first direction in order to place the third stage to face the projection optical system instead of the second stage while substantially maintaining the liquid immersion area under the lens.