Patent ID: 7834982

Claim:
An exposure apparatus for exposing a first object to light incident on the first object via a second object having a pattern, the apparatus comprising: (A) a holder configured to hold the substrate, which is the first object or the second object, and including: (a) a first holding member configured to attract a first surface of the substrate; (b) a second holding member configured to contact a second surface, opposite to the first surface, of the substrate, and to be moved between a closed position where the second holding member is closed so as to contact the second surface and an open position where the second holding member is opened so as not to interfere with the substrate; and (c) forcing members configured to force elastically the first holding member toward the second holding member; and (B) a stage configured to hold the substrate via the second surface and to deliver the substrate to the holder, wherein the apparatus is configured such that: (i) the stage and the holder are relatively moved such that the first holding member contacts the first surface; (ii) the first holding member attracts the first surface; (iii) the stage releases the substrate, and the second holding member is moved from the open position to the closed position; and (iv) the stage and the holder are relatively moved such that the substrate is separated from the stage and the second holding member contacts the second surface.