The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 05, 2019
Filed:
Nov. 28, 2017
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Masahiko Yasuda, Itabashi-ku, JP;
Taro Sugihara, Shinagawa-ku, JP;
NIKON CORPORATION, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An exposure method and apparatus expose a substrate with illumination light via a projection optical system and a liquid of a liquid immersion area formed under the projection optical system. A second stage on which the substrate is held and a third stage are relatively moved, based on outer periphery positional information of the second stage, in order to cause the second stage to come close, from one side in a first direction, to the third stage that faces the projection optical system. The second and third stages that have come close together are moved from the one side to an other side in the first direction with respect to the projection optical system to place the second stage to face the projection optical system instead of the third stage while substantially maintaining the liquid immersion area under the projection optical system.