Load-lock technique

An exposure apparatus for performing an exposure of a substrate to a patterned radiation, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a load-lock chamber having a housing configured to enclose a first space and to accommodate a substrate, said load-lock chamber including:
• (i) an exhaust pipe configured to exhaust a gas in the first space;
• (ii) a first gate valve provided in said housing and configured to openably close to separate the first space and a second space outside said housing;
• (iii) a second gate valve provided in said housing and configured to openably close to separate the first space and a third space outside said housing, wherein a pressure in the third space is lower than that in the second space during the exposure of the substrate;
• and
• (iv) a capacity changing system configured to move a first portion of said housing to change a capacity of said housing, said capacity changing system being configured to change the capacity so that the capacity of said housing when gas in the first space is exhausted through said exhaust pipe is smaller than the capacity of said housing when the substrate is conveyed from the second space to the first space through said first gate valve;
• and
• (b) a main chamber in which the exposure is performed, said main chamber being configured to enclose the third space.

A load-lock method comprising steps of:

• conveying a substrate into a housing;
• reducing capacity of the housing after said conveying step;
• and
• reducing pressure inside the housing after said capacity reducing step.