Patent ID: 8736808

Claim:
An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with an energy beam via a projection optical system and liquid, the apparatus comprising: first and second stages each having a holder configured to hold a substrate, that are independently movable relative to each other; a mark detecting system configured to detect a mark on the substrate, the mark detecting system being placed in a second area that is different from a first area in which the projection optical system is located; a stage drive system having an electromagnetic motor configured to move each of the first and second stages from one to the other of the first and second areas, the first and second stages each being positionable opposite to the projection optical system by the electromagnetic motor; a liquid immersion system having an immersion member arranged adjacent to an optical element of the projection optical system, configured to supply the liquid via the immersion member to form an immersion area below the projection optical system, the optical element being contactable with liquid of the immersion area; and a control system configured to control the stage drive system to move the first and second stages, one of which is arranged opposite to the projection optical system, relative to each other such that the other of the first and second stages comes close to the one of the first and second stages and to move the first and second stages relative to the immersion area such that the other of the first and second stages is arranged opposite to the projection optical system in place of the one of the first and second stages so as to transit from a first state to a second state while the immersion area is substantially maintained below the projection optical system, the first state being a state in which the immersion area is maintained between the projection optical system and the one of the first and second stages, the second state being a state in which the immersion area is maintained between the projection optical system and the other of the first and second stages, wherein the stage drive system is controlled such that each substrate is moved relative to the immersion area by each of the first and second stages.