Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method

An exposure apparatus that exposes an object with an energy beam via an optical system supported by a first support member, the apparatus comprising:

• a movable body that holds the object and is movable along a predetermined plane;
• a second support member whose positional relation with the first support member is maintained in a predetermined state;
• a movable body supporting member placed between the optical system and the second support member so as to be apart from the second support member, which supports the movable body at one end and the other end of the movable body in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the second support member when the movable body moves along the predetermined plane;
• a position measuring system which includes a first measurement member that irradiates a measurement surface parallel to the predetermined plane with a measurement beam and receives light from the measurement surface, and which obtains positional information of the movable body within the predetermined plane based on an output of the first measurement member, the measurement surface being arranged at one of the movable body and the second support member and at least a part of the first measurement member being arranged at the other of the movable body and the second support member;
• and
• a drive system which includes a first drive section that applies a drive force on the one end of the movable body and a second drive section that applies a drive force on the other end of the movable body, and relatively drives the movable body with respect to the movable body support member, based on positional information from the position measuring system.

An exposure method in which an object is exposed with an energy beam via an optical system supported by a first support member, the method comprising;

• making a first movable member, which holds the object and is movable along a predetermined plane including at least a first and second axis that are orthogonal to each other, relatively drivable at one end and the other end of the first movable member in a direction parallel to the second axis, be supported by a second movable member which is movable at least along the predetermined plane;
• irradiating a measurement beam on a measurement plane parallel to the predetermined plane provided on one of the first movable member and the second support member, which is placed away from a guide surface forming member that forms a guide surface when the first movable member moves along the predetermined plane on the opposite side of the optical system, with the guide surface forming member in between, and whose positional relation with the first support member is maintained at a predetermined state, and obtaining positional information at least within the predetermined plane of the first movable member, based on an output of a first measurement member which receives light from the measurement plane and has at least a part of the member provided in the other of the first movable member and the second support member;
• and
• applying a drive force whose magnitude and a direction of generation can each be controlled independently to the one end and the other end of the first movable member, in a direction parallel to the first axis and the second axis, a direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane, and a rotational direction around an axis parallel to the first axis, based on positional information which has been obtained.