EXPOSING METHOD AND ALIGNER

摘要

The center (C56) of a variation range (D56) of a surface (56) to be exposed is brought close to the central value (C166) of the focal point adjusting range of an exposure head (166) by driving an elevator (157) provided on an installation base (156) to move a stage (152) in the Z direction, i.e. the direction of optical axis. Consequently, the center (C56) of the variation range (D56) of the surface (56) to be exposed due to meandering of a photosensitive material (150) or error in thickness dimension approaches the value (C166) and a focal point is adjusted by an autofocus mechanism in each exposure head (166). The value (C166) is the central position of a focal point adjusting range of each exposure head (166), and when the center (C56) of variation range (D56) on the surface of the photosensitive material (150), i.e. the surface (56) to be exposed, is brought close to the value (C166), the variation range (D56) of the surface (56) to be exposed due to meandering of the photosensitive material (150) or error in thickness dimension error can be confined easily within a range (D166), i.e. the focal point adjusting range of each exposure head (166). As a result, occurrence of error and lowering of yield can be prevented.