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:
Nov. 11, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 25, 2008
Hitoshi Nakano, Tochigi, JP;
Hitoshi Nakano, Tochigi, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An exposure apparatus which has a projection optical system configured to project light from a reticle to a substrate to expose the substrate to light, with a first gap between a final surface of the projection optical system and the substrate being filled with liquid. A substrate stage is configured to hold the substrate and to be moved to position the substrate, a plate has a surface substantially flush with a surface of the substrate held by the substrate stage and configured to be moved independently of the substrate stage, a supply nozzle is configured to supply the liquid, the liquid being supplied to the first gap via the supply nozzle during exposure of the substrate to light, and a recovery nozzle is configured to recover the liquid, the liquid being recovered from the first gap via the recovery nozzle during exposure of the substrate to light. The supply nozzle supplies the liquid to and the recovery nozzle recovers the liquid from, simultaneously, a second gap between the final surface and the plate positioned opposite to the final surface.