| US 7,602,476 B2 | ||
| Substrate-holding technique | ||
| Yoshikazu Miyajima, Utsunomiya (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 27, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/829,271. | ||
| Application 11/829271 is a division of application No. 11/002900, filed on Dec. 03, 2004, granted, now 7,379,162. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2003-409446 (JP), filed on Dec. 08, 2003. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2008/0018036 A1, Jan. 24, 2008 | ||
| Int. Cl. G03B 27/58 (2006.01); G03B 27/42 (2006.01); G03B 27/62 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 355—72 [355/53; 355/75] | 4 Claims |
| 1. 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.
|