Patent ID: 9465303
Filing Date: 2016-10-11
CPC Classification: G03B,G03F

Claim Text:
1. An exposure apparatus of transferring a pattern on a substrate on which a resist has been coated via a projection optical system disposed in an exposure chamber, the apparatus comprising: a substrate stage configured to move while holding the substrate; an atmosphere maintaining unit configured to maintain a space in the exposure chamber in an air atmosphere; a gas supply unit configured to selectively supply one of air and a mixed gas containing air and an inert gas to a local space, between a final surface of the projection optical system and the substrate held by the substrate stage, of the space; a first detector configured to detect a position of a reference mark formed on the substrate stage; and a controller configured to determine a gas to be supplied by the gas supply unit in response to a processing operation and control the gas supply unit to supply the determined gas, wherein the processing operation includes detection of the reference mark and an exposure to the substrate, and wherein the controller controls the gas supply unit to supply the air at the time of the detection of the reference mark and supply the mixed gas containing the air and the inert gas at the time of the exposure to the substrate.