Patent ID: 7495745

Claim:
A patterning method for forming a pattern on a surface of an object, the patterning method comprising: determining an arrangement available range of the object as to a direction perpendicular to a relative moving direction of the object, so that the largest number of a plurality of predetermined areas which is on the surface of the object and is aligned in the direction perpendicular to the relative moving direction of the object is positioned in stable exposure areas each of which is located in a center part of respective exposure areas in the direction perpendicular to the relative moving direction of the object, the exposure areas being defined along the relative moving direction of the object; setting a set position of the object as to the direction perpendicular to the relative moving direction in the determined arrangement available range, for exposing the predetermined areas positioned in the stable exposure areas to light by a plurality of spatial light modulation elements assigned to the exposure areas respectively; and executing a calculation process for the respective predetermined areas sequentially from one side in the direction perpendicular to the relative moving direction, wherein in the calculation process, a temporary arrangement range of the object as to the direction perpendicular to the relative moving direction, in which the predetermined areas under calculation is positioned in the stable exposure area, is calculated within the temporary arrangement range that is calculated in the preceding calculation process for the other predetermined area that is adjacent to the predetermined area under calculation in the direction perpendicular to the relative moving direction, and the predetermined area that is not positioned in the stable exposure area when the object is temporarily set in the temporary arrangement range calculated in the preceding calculation process is excluded from the calculation process for the temporary arrangement range to be calculated next, and wherein the temporary arrangement range that is finally calculated by executing the calculation process for all of a series of the predetermined areas aligned in the direction perpendicular to the relative moving direction on the surface of the object is determined as the arrangement available range of the object.