Immersion lithographic apparatus rinsing outer contour of substrate with immersion space

A method used in an immersion lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:

• rinsing at least part of an immersion space with a rinsing liquid, the immersion space extending between at least part of a substrate held by a substrate holder on one side and part of a projection system on an opposite side during the rinsing, and
• projecting a patterned beam of radiation through the projection system and an immersion liquid in the immersion space, wherein
• during the rinsing, the immersion space reaches or includes an outer contour of the substrate and an inner contour of a surface that encircles the substrate held by the substrate holder and the immersion space is moved along a circular path that follows substantially all of the outer contour of the substrate along a gap between the outer contour of the substrate and the inner contour of the surface,
• the rinsing liquid is provided during the movement of the immersion space along the gap such that the rinsing liquid covers only a portion of a top surface of the substrate and covers only a portion of the gap, and
• the rinsing is performed at a different time from a time when the projecting is performed.

An immersion lithographic apparatus comprising:

• a substrate holder;
• a projection system by which a patterned beam of radiation is projected through a first liquid;
• an immersion system having a liquid supply inlet and a liquid recovery outlet;
• and
• a controller configured to control the immersion system and a substrate stage that moves the substrate holder such that:
• during a cleaning process, the immersion system forms an immersion area of a second liquid between part of a substrate having a substantially circular outer contour held by the substrate holder on one side and part of the projection system on an opposite side, and the substrate holder is moved such that the immersion area is moved along a curved path that follows the outer contour of the substrate along a gap formed between the outer contour of the substrate held by the substrate holder and an inner contour of a surface that encircles the substrate held by the substrate holder,
• the movement of the immersion area is continued without projecting the patterned beam of radiation until the immersion area comes into contact with substantially all of the substantially circular outer contour of the held substrate,
• the second liquid is provided during the movement of the immersion area along the gap such that the second liquid covers only a portion of a top surface of the substrate and the second liquid covers only a portion of the gap, and
• the cleaning process is performed at a different time from a time when the projection of the patterned beam is performed.

A method used in an immersion lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:

• projecting a patterned beam of radiation through a projection system and a first liquid during an exposure process,
• forming an immersion area of a second liquid between part of a substrate having a substantially circular outer contour held by a substrate holder on one side and part of the projection system on an opposite side during a cleaning process;
• and
• moving the immersion area of the second liquid along a curved path that follows the outer contour of the substrate along a gap formed between the outer contour of the substrate held by the substrate holder and an inner contour of a surface that encircles the substrate held by the substrate holder by moving the substrate holder during the cleaning process, wherein
• the movement of the immersion area is continued without projecting the patterned beam of radiation until the immersion area comes into contact with substantially all of the substantially circular outer contour of the held substrate,
• the second liquid is provided during the movement of the immersion area along the gap such that the second liquid covers only a portion of a top surface of the substrate and the second liquid covers only a portion of the gap, and
• the cleaning process is performed at a different time from a time when the projecting is performed.