Abstract: An exposure apparatus is equipped with a fine movement stage that can hold a liquid with a projection optical system when the stage is at a position facing an outgoing surface of the projection optical system, and a blade that comes into proximity within a predetermined distance of the fine movement stage when the fine movement stage is holding the liquid with the projection optical system, and moves along with the fine movement stage while maintaining the proximity state, and then holds the liquid with the projection optical system after the movement. Accordingly, a plurality of stages will not have to be placed right under the projection optical system interchangeably, which can suppress an increase in footprint of the exposure apparatus.

Abstract: When a transition from a first state where one stage is positioned at a first area directly below projection optical system to which liquid is supplied to a state where the other stage-is positioned at the first area, both stages are simultaneously driven while a state where both stages are close together in a direction is maintained. Therefore, it becomes possible to make a transition from the first state to the second state in a state where liquid is supplied in the space between the projection optical system and the specific stage directly under the projection optical system. Because the liquid can constantly exist on the image plane side of the projection optical system, generation of water marks on optical members of the projection optical system on the image plane side is prevented.

Abstract: While a wafer stage linearly moves in a Y-axis direction, a multipoint AF system detects surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points that are set at a predetermined distance in an X-axis direction and also a plurality of alignment systems that are arrayed in a line along the X-axis direction detect each of marks at positions different from one another on the wafer. That is, detection of surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points and detection of the marks at positions different from one another on the wafer are finished, only by the wafer stage (wafer) linearly passing through the array of the plurality of detection points of the multipoint AF system and the plurality of alignment systems, and therefore, the throughput can be improved.

Abstract: A stage device is equipped with a surface plate and a wafer stage which is mounted on the surface plate and has an exhausting port formed on a surface facing the surface plate. In a state where the wafer stage lands on the surface plate, an air chamber is formed in between the surface plate and the wafer stage. Pressurized gas blows out from the exhausting port provided at a stage main section into the air chamber, and self-weight of the wafer stage is cancelled by an inner pressure of the air chamber. This allows to the wafer stage which has stopped on the surface plate to be moved manually.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus scans a substrate in a Y-axis direction and also adjusts irradiation position of a plurality of beams, based on correction information obtained from the same number of distortion tables as the beams, the distortion tables including information concerning change of irradiation position of the plurality of beams of a multibeam optical system. Especially, the irradiation position of the plurality of beams in the Y-axis direction is adjusted by individually controlling irradiation timing of the plurality of beams irradiated on the substrate from the multibeam optical system.

Abstract: Correction information is acquired for compensating for a measurement error of a second encoder system that occurs due to a displacement between four sections of a scale member of the second encoder system, based on measurement information of the second encoder system obtained in a fifth area in which four heads of the second encoder system that are provided on a second stage, which holds a substrate, respectively face the four sections of the scale member.

Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a liquid immersion member which forms a liquid immersion space under an emitting surface of an optical member. The liquid immersion member includes a first member disposed in a periphery of the optical member, and a second member which is movable relative to the first member and includes a liquid recovery port that recovers at least a portion of liquid in the liquid immersion space. The second member is moved in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the optical member so that a relative speed between the second member and an object below the liquid immersion member is smaller than a relative speed between the first member and the object. The second member has an outer surface facing radially outward relative to the optical axis of the optical member, the outer surface does not face toward any surface of the first member.

Abstract: In an exposure operation of a substrate, a controller controls first and second drive systems based on measurement information of first and second encoder systems and correction information for compensating for a measurement error of the second encoder system that occurs due to a grating section of the second encoder system, so that scanning exposure in which a mask and the substrate are each moved relative to illumination light in a first direction is performed and the measurement error is compensated for.

Abstract: A controller controls a second drive system so that, in an exposure operation, a second stage is moved from one side to an other side in a first direction with respect to a projection optical system while substantially maintaining a liquid immersion area between the second stage and a lens of the projection optical system, in order to perform exposure via the projection optical system and a liquid of the liquid immersion area, from an area located on the one side in the first direction, of a plurality of areas on the substrate.

Abstract: Positional information of a movable body in a Y-axis direction is measured using an interferometer and an encoder whose short-term stability of measurement values excels when compared with the interferometer, and based on the measurement results, a predetermined calibration operation for obtaining correction information for correcting measurement values of the encoder is performed. Accordingly, by using measurement values of the interferometer, correction information for correcting the measurement values of the encoder whose short-term stability of the measurement values excels the interferometer is obtained. Then, based on the measurement values of the encoder and the correction information, the movable body is driven in the Y-axis direction with good precision.

Abstract: Position information of a movable body within an XY plane is measured with high accuracy by an encoder system whose measurement values have favorable short-term stability, without being affected by air fluctuations, and also position information of the movable body in a Z-axis direction orthogonal to the XY plane is measured with high accuracy by a surface position measuring system, without being affected by air fluctuations. In this case, since both of the encoder system and the surface position measuring system directly measure the upper surface of the movable body, simple and direct position control of the movable body can be performed.

Abstract: A first stage system having a first stage and a first drive system that moves the first stage is configured to hold a mask illuminated with illumination light. A second stage system having a second stage and a second drive system that moves the second stage is configured to hold a substrate. A measurement system having a first encoder system and a second encoder system measures positional information of the first and second stages, respectively. The second encoder system measures the positional information of the second stage with a plurality of heads that face a grating section. The first and second drive systems are controlled based on correction information for compensating for a measurement error of the second encoder system that occurs due to the heads and measurement information of the first and the second encoder systems.

Abstract: A movement area of a stage includes first-fifth areas. In the first area, three of four heads except for a first head respectively face three of four sections of a scale member except for a first section. In the second area, three of four heads except for a second head respectively face three of four sections except for a second section of the scale member. In the third area, three of four heads except for a third head respectively face three of four sections except for a third section of the scale member. In the fourth area, three of four heads except for a fourth head respectively face three of four sections of the scale member. In the fifth area, the four heads respectively face the four sections. The stage is moved from one of the first-fourth areas to another of those areas via the fifth area.

Abstract: Positional information of a movable body in a Y-axis direction is measured using an interferometer and an encoder whose short-term stability of measurement values excels when compared with the interferometer, and based on the measurement results, a predetermined calibration operation for obtaining correction information for correcting measurement values of the encoder is performed. Accordingly, by using measurement values of the interferometer, correction information for correcting the measurement values of the encoder whose short-term stability of the measurement values excels the interferometer is obtained. Then, based on the measurement values of the encoder and the correction information, the movable body is driven in the Y-axis direction with good precision.

Abstract: An immersion exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with light via a projection system and liquid, and includes a first stage system having a first movable body to hold a mask, a first detection system that detects a mark of the mask or of the first movable body, a first encoder system having first heads, a second stage system having a second movable body to hold the substrate, a second detection system that detects a mark of the substrate or of the second movable body, and a second encoder system having second heads. In each of an exposure operation and a detection operation by the first detection system, positional information of the first movable body is measured by the first encoder system. In each of the exposure operation and a detection operation by the second detection system, positional information of the second movable body is measured by the second encoder system.

Abstract: In an exposure operation, as a second stage is moved in a direction parallel to a predetermined plane, another head different from a plurality of heads faces a grating section instead of one head of the plurality of heads, and positional information of the second stage is measured by multiple heads including remaining heads and the another head, the remaining heads excluding the one head of the plurality of heads, and correction information is acquired for the positional information obtained from the another head, based on the positional information obtained from the plurality of heads including the one head.

Abstract: In an exposure operation, as a second stage is moved in a direction parallel to a predetermined plane, another head different from a plurality of heads faces a grating section instead of one head of the plurality of heads, and positional information of the second stage is measured by multiple heads including remaining heads and the another head, the remaining heads excluding the one head of the plurality of heads, and correction information is acquired for the positional information obtained from the another head, based on the positional information obtained from the plurality of heads including the one head.

Abstract: Within area where of four heads installed on a wafer stage, heads included in the first head group and the second head group to which three heads each belong that include one head different from each other face the corresponding areas on a scale plate, the wafer stage is driven based on positional information which is obtained using the first head group, as well as obtain the displacement (displacement of position, rotation, and scaling) between the first and second reference coordinate systems corresponding to the first and second head groups using the positional information obtained using the first and second head groups. By using the results and correcting measurement results obtained using the second head group, the displacement between the first and second reference coordinate systems is calibrated, which allows the measurement errors that come with the displacement between areas on scale plates where each of the four heads face.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with illumination light via a projection optical system, and includes a stage disposed below the projection optical system and holds the substrate; an encoder system in which one of a grating section and a head is provided at the stage and the other of the grating section and the head is provided at a frame member disposed above the stage, on a lower end side of the projection optical system, and which irradiates the grating section with a measurement beam via the head and measures positional information of the stage with a plurality of the heads that face the grating section; and a controller coupled to the encoder system, that controls a drive system based on positional information measured with the encoder system while compensating for measurement error of the encoder system related to measurement direction of the positional information by the heads.

Abstract: A drive unit drives a wafer stage in a Y-axis direction based on a measurement value of an encoder that measures position information of the wafer stage in the Y-axis direction and based on information on the flatness of a scale that is measured by the encoder. In this case, the drive unit can drive the wafer stage in a predetermined direction based on a measurement value after correction in which a measurement error caused by the flatness of the scale included in the measurement value of the encoder is corrected based on the information on the flatness of the scale. Accordingly, the wafer stage can be driven with high accuracy in a predetermined direction using the encoder, without being affected by the unevenness of the scale.