Patent ID: 9348238
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: G03F,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. An exposure method of exposing an object with an exposure beam via a projection optical system and a liquid, the method comprising: obtaining position information of an outer periphery edge of a first stage that mounts the object, by detecting a part of the outer periphery edge of the first stage with a detector located above the first stage while monitoring a position of the first stage; relatively moving the first stage and a second stage so that the second stage approaches the first stage that maintains a liquid immersion area formed by the liquid under the projection optical system; and moving the first and second stages that have approached each other with respect to the projection optical system so that the liquid immersion area is maintained under the projection optical system by the second stage in place of the first stage, the liquid immersion area contacting upper surfaces of the first and second stages as the liquid immersion area transitions from being maintained under the projection optical system by the first stage to being maintained under the projection optical system by the second stage, wherein the object is irradiated with the exposure beam via the liquid immersion area located at a part of the object, and the position information of the outer periphery edge is used in movement control of at least one of the first and second stages.