| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To enhance the throughput of an aligner by a method wherein a height position is detected in advance during a movement to a next exposure region and a focusing operation is performed during the movement or immediately after the finish of the movement on the basis of information on the detected height position. CONSTITUTION:Information on the target position of an X-Y stage 21 in a next exposure operation or on the position of a desired measuring point for a region to be exposed next is input to an MCU 30 from a host computer or the like via an input means 31. A height position is found during the movement on the basis of a detection output signal FS by a prescribed light-receiving cell when the X-Y stage 21 has reached a prescribed position. In addition, a desired measuring point which does not pass a pattern image during a movement to a next exposure region and which cannot be measured during the movement is measured at a point of time when the desired measuring point has reached a point which is sufficiently close to the pattern image. In this manner, it is known in advance on the basis of a design item before starting an exposure operation and on the basis of known information whether the height of which position can be measured when the X-Y stage 21 has reached which position. |
