Nikon Corporation

Ryuichi Hoshika

Hiroyuki Nagasaka

Shigeru Hirukawa

Hiroaki Takaiwa

Hitoshi Ishizawa

Tomoharu Fujiwara

Kenichi Shiraishi

Takao Kokubun

An exposure apparatus (EX) is an apparatus which exposes a substrate (P) by irradiating exposure light (EL) onto the substrate (P) via a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (). The exposure apparatus (EX) has a substrate table (PT) for holding the substrate (P), and a plate member () having a liquid repellent flat surface (A) is replaceably provided to the substrate table (PT) to prevent the liquid from remaining, maintaining excellent exposure accuracy.

Exposure apparatus, exposure method, method for producing device, and optical part

A liquid immersion device that has an mixing mechanism that mixes and dissolves a predetermined substance for adjusting specific resistance of the liquid, which is supplied onto a liquid repellent film on the surface of an object (member) of a projection optical system placed on the light emitting side of projection optical system, and an liquid immersion area is formed by supplying the liquid in which the predetermined liquid is dissolved onto the liquid repellent film.

Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light onto the substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid. The exposure apparatus has a stage which includes a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a detachable member detachably disposed on the stage so that its upper surface contacts an immersion region, and a sensor having a light transmissive member. The detachable member, on which an opening is formed in the upper surface, is disposed on the stage so that the light transmissive member is arranged within the opening.

An optical element includes a base material, a liquid-repellent member provided on at least a part of a surface of the base material, and a light-reducing member provided between the base material and the liquid-repellent member to protect the liquid-repellent member from radiation of light by reducing the light. The optical element is usable for a liquid immersion exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate through a liquid. It is possible to avoid any inflow of the liquid in a liquid immersion area into an unexpected place via the optical element.

Growing community of inventors

Sagamihara, Japan

Ryuichi Hoshika