Patent ID: 8289497

Claim:
An immersion lithography apparatus comprising: a projection system having a final optical element; a movable stage that is movable to a position below the projection system such that a gap exists between the final optical element and a surface of the stage, an immersion liquid being filled in the gap between the surface and the final optical element; a liquid confinement member that maintains the immersion liquid in the gap between the surface and the final optical element, the liquid confinement member including a liquid recovery portion that faces the surface of the stage and that recovers liquid from the gap, the liquid recovery portion including a porous portion, the porous portion including a first porous portion through which a first suction force is applied and a second porous portion through which a second suction force less than the first suction force is applied, the second porous portion being farther away from an optical axis of the projection system than is the first porous portion; and a liquid diverter positioned between the stage and at least the first porous portion of the liquid confinement member.