Patent attributes
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.
