Patent ID: 7602476

Claim:
A substrate holding apparatus which contacts an undersurface of a substrate and holds the substrate, at least a portion of a top surface of the substrate being immersed in an immersion liquid, said apparatus comprising: a chuck unit for supporting the substrate; a sealant groove, arranged along an outer periphery of a substrate supporting surface of said chuck unit, for storing a liquid sealant for preventing the immersion liquid from reaching the undersurface of the substrate, wherein the liquid sealant is a fluorinated inert refrigerant, fluorinated oil or a gelatinous polymer material; a supply unit to supply the liquid sealant to said sealant groove; an exhaust groove disposed around the outer periphery of said sealant groove; and an exhaust duct connected to said exhaust groove for discharging the liquid sealant supplied by said supply unit and stored in said exhaust groove.