Patent ID: 8218127

Claim:
An exposure apparatus comprising: a projection optical system having a plurality of optical elements, by which an exposure light is projected; a liquid retaining member having an opening through which the exposure light is projected, and having a liquid recovery outlet; a liquid recovery system having a separator that separates one of a gas and a liquid from the other, which are collected via the liquid recovery outlet; and a substrate holding member having a holding portion on which a substrate to be exposed is held, wherein: a liquid immersion area is formed under the projection optical system by supplying the liquid and by collecting, via the liquid recovery outlet of the liquid retaining member, the supplied liquid along with the gas, and the substrate holding member is movable under and relative to the projection optical system and the liquid retaining member to expose the substrate on the holding portion with the exposure light through the liquid of the liquid immersion area which covers a portion of an upper surface of the substrate.