Abstract: An apparatus for reducing contamination in immersion lithography includes a wafer chuck assembly having a wafer chuck configured to hold a semiconductor wafer on a support surface thereof. The wafer chuck has a gap therein, the gap located adjacent an outer edge of the wafer, and the gap containing a volume of immersion lithography fluid therein. A fluid circulation path is configured within the wafer chuck so as to facilitate the radial outward movement of the immersion lithography fluid in the gap, thereby maintaining a meniscus of the immersion lithography fluid at a selected height with respect to a top surface of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: The exposure apparatus of the invention includes a chamber 1 housing an exposure apparatus body 6 provided with an illumination optical system 2, a reticle 3, a projection lens 4 and a stage 5, gas supply units 7, 13, 17 and 18 that are disposed in the chamber 1 and supply gas taken in from the outside of the chamber 1 to the vicinities of the reticle 3 and stage 5 and a wet filter 10 which is disposed in the vicinity of a gas intake 8 from which the gas is supplied to the gas supply units 7, 13, 17 and 18 and forms a water film through which the gas passes.