Patent ID: 8130362

Claim:
A correction method used when a plurality of divided areas are formed by pattern transfer onto each of a plurality of photosensitive objects that are sequentially loaded into an exposure apparatus, the method correcting a position of each of the photosensitive objects, the method comprising: selecting at least one of a plurality of correction functions that have different degrees of non-linear components that can be considered by considering the non-linear components of a positional error of a two-dimensional grid with respect to an ideal grid or a predetermined reference grid, on the basis of predetermined information associated with at least one of the exposure apparatus and the photosensitive object loaded into the exposure apparatus, wherein: the plurality of correction functions are provided in the exposure apparatus in order to correct the position of the photosensitive object, the two-dimensional grid is a reference for the position where each of the divided areas is formed, the predetermined information is information having an effect to the non-linear components of a positional error among the plurality of divided areas formed on the loaded photosensitive object with respect to positions in a design, the positional error being represented by the two-dimensional grid, and the plurality of correction functions include: at least one first correction function that extracts information on a first non-linear component of the positional error of the two-dimensional grid with respect to the ideal grid, which is defined by a detection result of an arrangement of a plurality of already-formed divided areas on the photosensitive object loaded into the exposure apparatus, and uses the information extracted as correction information for correcting the position of the photosensitive object when each of the divided areas is formed by pattern transfer; and at least one second correction function that uses, as the correction information, information on a second non-linear component extracted beforehand, which is a non-linear component of the positional error of the two-dimensional grid with respect to the reference grid.