Patent ID: 7359034

Claim:
An exposure apparatus comprising: a first substrate stage which positions a substrate in a measurement area, the first substrate stage being capable of detachably retaining a first holding unit and the substrate held by the first holding unit; a measurement unit which detects an alignment mark on the substrate positioned by the first substrate stage in the measurement area, before the substrate is immersed in a liquid; a second substrate stage which positions in an exposure area a substrate held by a second holding unit, while the substrate is immersed in a liquid, the second substrate stage being capable of detachably retaining the second holding unit and the substrate held by the second holding unit; an exposure unit which exposes the substrate positioned by the second substrate stage in the exposure area; and a conveyance unit which conveys the second holding unit from the second substrate stage, while the exposed substrate held by the second holding unit is immersed in the liquid.