Lyophobic Run-Off Path to Collect Liquid for an Immersion Lithography Apparatus

Abstract

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by radiating a light onto the substrate through an optical assembly and a liquid provided on the substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a stage assembly which is movable relative to the optical assembly, the stage assembly including a support which supports the substrate, a first subregion which substantially encircles the support, and a second subregion which substantially encircles the first subregion. The first subregion includes a first surface having a first characteristic and the second subregion includes a second surface having a second characteristic which is different from the first characteristic.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.