Immersion exposure apparatus and method with detection of liquid on members of the apparatus

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• a projection optical system including a final optical element disposed most closely to an image surface of the projection optical system;
• a stage system having a first stage and a second stage which are movable such that a distance between the first and second stages is changed;
• a nozzle member having an opening through which an exposure light can pass, a liquid supply opening via which immersion liquid is supplied, and a liquid recovery opening via which the supplied immersion liquid is collected,
• a detecting device disposed below the image surface of the projection optical system, by which a leakage of the immersion liquid is detected;
• and
• a controller,
• wherein:
• a liquid immersion area of the immersion liquid is formed under the final optical element while supplying the immersion liquid via the liquid supply opening and collecting the supplied immersion liquid via the liquid recovery opening,
• the controller controls the stage system such that the first and second stages come close to each other and to move the close first and second stages so as to move the liquid immersion area between an upper surface of the first stage and an upper surface of the second stage, and
• a substrate held by one of the first and second stages is exposed with the exposure light through the liquid immersion area covering a portion of an upper surface of the substrate.

A twin-stage exposure method, comprising:

• providing a projection optical system including a final optical element disposed most closely to an image surface of the projection optical system;
• providing a stage system having a first stage and a second stage which are movable such that a distance between the first and second stages is changed;
• providing a nozzle member having an opening through which an exposure light from the projection optical system can pass, a liquid supply opening via which immersion liquid is supplied, and a liquid recovery opening via which the supplied immersion liquid is collected;
• providing a detecting device disposed below the image surface of the projection optical system, by which a leakage of the immersion liquid is detected;
• and
• providing a controller;
• forming a liquid immersion area of the immersion liquid under the final optical element while supplying the immersion liquid via the liquid supply opening and collecting the supplied immersion liquid via the liquid recovery opening;
• causing the controller to control the stage system such that the first and second stages come close to each other and to move the close first and second stages so as to move the liquid immersion area between an upper surface of the first stage and an upper surface of the second stage, and
• exposing a substrate held by one of the first and second stages with the exposure light through the liquid immersion area covering a portion of an upper surface of the substrate.

A method of manufacturing an exposure apparatus, comprising:

• forming a projection optical system including a final optical element disposed most closely to an image surface of the projection optical system;
• forming a stage system having a first stage and a second stage which are movable such that a distance between the first and second stages is changed;
• forming a nozzle member having an opening through which an exposure light from the projection optical system can pass, a liquid supply opening via which an immersion liquid is supplied, and a liquid recovery opening via which supplied immersion liquid is collected;
• forming a detecting device disposed below the image surface of the projection optical system, by which a leakage of the immersion liquid is detected;
• and
• forming a controller that controls the stage system such that the first and second stages come close to each other and to move the close first and second stages so as to move a liquid immersion area of the immersion liquid between an upper surface of the first stage and an upper surface of the second stage,
• wherein:
• the liquid immersion area of the immersion liquid is adapted to be formed under the final optical element while supplying the immersion liquid via the liquid supply opening and collecting the supplied immersion liquid via the liquid recovery opening, and
• wherein one of the first and second stages is adapted to hold a substrate to be exposed with the exposure light through the liquid immersion area covering a portion of an upper surface of the substrate.