Patent ID: 7932990

Claim:
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of a reticle onto a wafer; a reticle stage configured to hold the reticle; a wafer stage configured to hold the wafer; a vacuum chamber in which the projection optical system, the reticle stage, and the wafer stage are accommodated; a partition provided in the vacuum chamber, the partition dividing a projection optical system space, where optical elements of the projection optical system are disposed, from a stage space, where the reticle stage and the wafer stage are accommodated, the partition having openings for transmitting an exposure light near the reticle and the wafer; a gas supplying unit configured to supply gas to the projection optical system space through a pipe so that a pressure in the projection optical system space is higher than a pressure in the stage space, wherein the pipe is disposed through a hole formed in the partition, wherein the pipe is not in contact with the partition, and wherein an end of the pipe is disposed within the projection optical system space; and a sealant configured to seal a gap between the partition and the pipe in the hole, wherein one end of the sealant is connected to the partition and another end of the sealant is connected to the pipe within the projection optical system space, the sealant preventing transmission of vibration of the pipe to the projection optical system via the partition, and wherein the vibration is generated when the gas supplying unit supplies the gas to the projection optical system space.