Immersion lithographic apparatus with a barrier between a projection system and a liquid confinement structure

A device manufacturing method, comprising:

• projecting a beam of radiation, through a liquid, onto a radiation-sensitive substrate using a projection system, the projection system having a surface through which the beam is projected toward the substrate;
• at least partly confining the liquid to an immersion space defined by the surface of the projection system, a liquid confinement structure and the substrate, wherein the surface of the projection system contacts the immersion liquid and is furthest from the substrate;
• removing, in an upward direction, at least some of the liquid from the immersion space using an outlet opening in the liquid confinement structure;
• allowing at least some of the liquid through an opening of a gap between the liquid confinement structure and the projection system, and into the gap;
• and
• substantially sealing the gap at a location away from the opening using a barrier at the location, the barrier located above the surface of the projection system, the barrier extending from the projection system to the liquid confinement structure, the barrier being compliant substantially to prevent transmission of forces between the projection system and the liquid confinement structure, and one end of the barrier being attached to only one of the projection system and the liquid confinement structure and the other end of the barrier being a free end.

A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

• a projection system having an optical axis;
• a liquid confinement structure configured at least partly to confine immersion liquid to an immersion space defined by a bottom-most surface of the projection system, the liquid confinement structure and a substrate and/or a substrate table, the liquid confinement structure and the projection system defining a gap therebetween and the liquid confinement structure configured to allow at least some of the immersion liquid through an opening of the gap and into the gap;
• an inlet to supply the immersion liquid to the immersion space, the inlet configured to supply the immersion liquid in a substantially horizontal direction from an opening of the inlet;
• and
• a barrier located away from the opening of the gap and above the opening of the inlet, the barrier extending from the projection system to the liquid confinement structure to substantially seal the gap, wherein the barrier is compliant substantially to prevent transmission of forces between the projection system and the liquid confinement structure, and wherein one end of the barrier is attached to only one of the projection system and the liquid confinement structure and the other end of the barrier is a free end and the one end and/or the other end of the barrier is outward relative to the optical axis of the opening of the inlet.