Patent ID: 7257890

Claim:
A method for registering a plurality of substrates that are retained on a workpiece carrier onto an exposure mask for performing a photolithography process, comprising: registering and immobilizing the exposure mask onto an alignment panel, the alignment panel having precisely fitting passthrough orifices for reception of one substrate for each passthrough orifice; and inserting into the passthrough orifices of the alignment panel the substrates that are retained on the workpiece carrier, wherein the exposure mask is registered onto the alignment panel using alignment marks that are provided on the exposure mask and the alignment panel, and by pulling and immobilizing the alignment panel by suction into the exposure mask via a vacuum conduit extending in a rim region along an outer edge of the alignment panel, and via an orifice in the exposure mask which allows a vacuum connection between the vacuum conduit of the alignment panel and a vacuum conduit of a holding frame for the exposure mask.