Patent ID: 7423724

Claim:
An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to light via a reticle in a vacuum atmosphere, said apparatus comprising: a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of the reticle onto the substrate; a stage configured to hold the substrate and to move; first and second partitions configured to define an exhaust space between a first space which accommodates at least a part of said projection optical system and a stage space which accommodates said stage, said first partition including a first opening configured to make the light pass between the first space and the exhaust space, and said second partition including a second opening configured to make the light pass between the exhaust space and the stage space; a first supply system configured to supply fluid into the stage space; and a first exhaust system configured to recover fluid from the stage space through said second opening and the exhaust space, wherein said first exhaust system is configured to set a pressure in the exhaust space to be lower than those in the first space and the stage space.