Patent ID: 8404410

Claim:
A method of aligning a photomask with a base material when exposure processing is performed on said base material, wherein said photomask has a plurality of first alignment marks, and said base material has a plurality of second alignment marks corresponding to said plurality of first alignment marks, and said method comprising the steps of: acquiring a plurality of first images including said plurality of first alignment marks, respectively, by a plurality of imaging devices; transmitting a plurality of first image data representing said plurality of first images, respectively, from said plurality of imaging devices to a data processing device; detecting positions of said first alignment marks by said data processing device based on said plurality of first image data and setting respective partial regions including said first alignment marks in imaging ranges of said plurality of imaging devices; acquiring a plurality of second images including said plurality of second alignment marks, respectively, by said plurality of imaging devices; transmitting a plurality of second image data representing said plurality of second images, respectively, from said plurality of imaging devices to the data processing device; calculating respective positional relationships between said plurality of first alignment marks and said plurality of second alignment marks by paratactic data processing of said data processing device based on said plurality of second image data; moving said base material relative to said photomask based on the positional relationships calculated by said data processing device such that the positions of said plurality of first alignment marks coincide with positions of said plurality of second alignment marks, respectively; acquiring a plurality of third images including said plurality of second alignment marks, respectively, by said plurality of imaging devices after said base material is moved relative to said photomask; transmitting respective image data of said set partial regions in said plurality of third images as a plurality of third image data from said plurality of imaging devices to said data processing device; calculating the respective positional relationships between said plurality of first alignment marks and said plurality of second alignment marks by the paratactic data processing of said data processing device based on said plurality of third image data; and determining whether or not the positions of said plurality of first alignment marks coincide with the positions of said plurality of second alignment marks, respectively, based on the positional relationships obtained by said data processing device.