Patent ID: 7321419

Claim:
An exposure apparatus that supplies liquid in a space between a projection optical system and a substrate, illuminates a pattern with an energy beam, and projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate via the projection optical system and the liquid, the exposure apparatus comprising: a first table where a mount area is formed and the surface of an area around the mount area is set substantially flush to the surface of a substrate mounted on the mount area, the first table being movable within an area that includes a first area containing a position below the projection optical system; a second table where a mount area is formed and the surface of an area around the mount area is set substantially flush to the surface of a substrate mounted on the mount area, the second table being movable independently from the first table within an area including the first area; and a stage drive system by which the first table and the second table are moved simultaneously from a first state in which one of the tables is positioned at the first area to a second state in which the other table is positioned at the first area while maintaining a state in which both tables are in contact with each other or close together to prevent liquid from flowing between the tables.