DEVICE AND METHOD FOR HOLDING IMMERSION FLUID BETWEEN SUBSTRATE EXCHANGES IN IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY MACHINE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and a method for holding immersion fluid in a space adjacent to a projection optical system when a wafer stage and/or a wafer table moves to separate from the projection optical system, e.g., between the substrate exchanges and/or between the high speed long length movements of a substrate.SOLUTION: A device and a method hold immersion fluid in a space adjacent to an optical assembly. The optical assembly projects an image onto a substrate supported by a substrate table adjacently to the optical assembly. An insertion member that can be inserted into a space between the optical assembly and a substrate and/or a substrate table divides the immersion fluid into a first portion arranged between the optical assembly and the insertion member, and a second portion arranged between the insertion member and a substrate and/or a substrate table. When moving to separate from the arrangement where the substrate is adjacent to the optical assembly, the insertion member holds in contact with the first portion of the optical assembly.