Patent ID: 8705002

Claim:
An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with an energy beam via a projection optical system and liquid, the apparatus comprising: a first stage that is capable of moving while the substrate is mounted thereon; a second stage that is capable of moving independently from the first stage; a liquid immersion system configured to supply the liquid to form an immersion area just below the projection optical system; a drive system configured to move the first and second stages relative to the immersion area below the projection optical system so as to transit from a first state to a second state, the first state being a state in which the immersion area is maintained between the projection optical system and the first stage, the second state being a state in which the immersion area is maintained between the projection optical system and the second stage; and a suppressive member, at least a part of which is positionable in, or so as to overhang, a gap between the first and second stages in the transition to suppress the liquid from leaking via the gap, wherein the apparatus is configured such that, in the transition, the immersion area is maintained just below the projection optical system, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that, in the exposure, the substrate is moved relative to the immersion area by the first stage.