Patent ID: 7948604

Claim:
An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with an image of a predetermined pattern, the exposure apparatus comprising: a projection optical system which projects the image of the predetermined pattern onto a surface of the substrate; a liquid supply unit which supplies a liquid to a space between the projection optical system and the substrate to form an immersion area on the surface of the substrate onto which the image of the predetermined pattern is projected, the immersion area having a size that is smaller than a size of the surface of the substrate such that only a portion of the surface of the substrate onto which the predetermined pattern is projected is covered by the liquid, the liquid supply unit causing the liquid to flow through the immersion area while the predetermined pattern is being projected onto the surface of the substrate; and a gas-removing unit which removes a gas component dissolved in the liquid which is to be supplied to the space between the projection optical system and the substrate so that bubbles are not generated in the space when at least one of temperature of the liquid and pressure exerted on the liquid in the space is changed during exposure.