Patent ID: 8379186

Claim:
A pattern formation apparatus that forms a predetermined pattern in a plurality of regions on a surface of a long sheet material by use of a scan exposure in which the sheet material is scan-moved along a first axis parallel to a longitudinal direction of the sheet material while energy beams corresponding to the pattern are irradiated onto the sheet material, comprising first and second movable stages each of which has a reference surface capable of adsorbing a rear surface portion of the sheet material and which is movable within a two-dimensional plane parallel to the reference surface including the first axis, wherein the first movable stage adsorbs, at a predetermined adsorption position, a rear surface portion corresponding to a first region of the sheet material onto the reference surface, and moves in a direction parallel to the first axis with a predetermined stroke, and wherein the second movable stage moves to the predetermined adsorption position within the two-dimensional plane, and adsorbs a rear surface portion corresponding to a second region of the sheet material onto the reference surface.