A fluid handling structure, a lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method

An immersion system comprising a fluid handling structure configured to contain immersion fluid to a region, the fluid handling structure having, at a boundary of a space:

• at least one gas knife opening in a radially outward direction from the space;
• at least one gas supply opening in the radially outward direction from the at least one gas knife opening relative to the space;
• and
• a gas supply system configured to supply gas through the at least one gas knife opening and the at least one gas supply opening, wherein the gas supply system is configured to supply gas so that gas exits the at least one gas knife opening at a higher gas velocity than gas exiting the at least one gas supply opening and configured to dynamically control gas supplied to the at least one gas knife opening and/or at least one gas supply opening depending on a certain positional characteristic associated with the fluid handling structure.

A device manufacturing method comprising projecting a projection beam of radiation via an immersion fluid onto a substrate in a lithographic apparatus comprising an immersion system, wherein the immersion system comprises a fluid handling structure configured to contain the immersion fluid to a region, the fluid handling structure having, at a boundary of a space:

• at least one gas knife opening in a radially outward direction from the space;
• and
• at least one gas supply opening in the radially outward direction from the at least one gas knife opening relative to the space;
• and
• the method comprising supplying substantially pure CO2 gas through the at least one gas knife opening and the at least one gas supply opening so as to provide an atmosphere of substantially pure CO2 gas adjacent to, and radially outward of, the space, or
• the method comprising supplying gas through the at least one gas knife opening and the at least one gas supply opening, wherein gas exits the at least one gas knife opening at a higher gas velocity than gas exiting the at least one gas supply opening, and dynamically controlling gas supplied to the at least one gas knife opening and/or at least one gas supply opening depending on a certain positional characteristic associated with the fluid handling structure.

A lithographic apparatus comprising an immersion system comprising a fluid handling structure configured to contain immersion fluid to a region, the fluid handling structure having, at a boundary of a space:

• at least one gas knife opening in a radially outward direction from the space;
• and
• at least one gas supply opening in the radially outward direction from the at least one gas knife opening relative to the space;
• and
• the immersion system further comprising:
• a gas supply system configured to supply substantially pure CO2 gas through the at least one gas knife opening and the at least one gas supply opening so as to provide an atmosphere of substantially pure CO2 gas adjacent to, and radially outward of, the space, or
• a gas supply system configured to supply gas through the at least one gas knife opening and the at least one gas supply opening, wherein the gas supply system is configured to supply gas so that gas exits the at least one gas knife opening at a higher gas velocity than gas exiting the at least one gas supply opening and configured to dynamically control gas supplied to the at least one gas knife opening and/or the at least one gas supply opening depending on a certain positional characteristic associated with the fluid handling structure.

A fluid handling structure configured to contain immersion fluid to a region, the fluid handling structure having, at a boundary of a space:

• at least one gas knife opening in a radially outward direction from the space;
• and
• at least one gas supply opening in the radially outward direction from the at least one gas knife opening relative to the space, wherein the at least one gas supply opening comprises a mesh, a sieve, porous material and/or array of holes;
• and
• a gas supply system configured to supply gas through the at least one gas knife opening and the at least one gas supply opening, wherein the gas supply system is configured to supply gas so that gas exits the at least one gas knife opening at a higher gas velocity than gas exiting the at least one gas supply opening and configured to dynamically control gas supplied to the at least one gas knife opening and/or the at least one gas supply opening depending on a certain positional characteristic associated with the fluid handling structure.