EXPOSURE METHOD AND SUBSTRATE HOLDER

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve processing capability by processing substrates, with controlled flatness. SOLUTION: An aligner used in the method comprises a light source 3 which emits an illuminating light 4, a projection original plate 2 where a circuit pattern 2a is formed, a illumination optical system 5 which allows the illuminating light 4 from the light source 3 to be incident on the projection original light 2, a projection optical system 6 which projects the image of the circuit pattern 2a onto a semiconductor substrate 1, and a substrate holder 7 which, supporting the semiconductor substrate 1 by vacuum suction, is allowed to move in vertical and horizontal directions. Here, the altitude of an imaging optical system optical-axis direction 8 is detected at a plurality of points of a main surface 1a of the semiconductor substrate 1 for measuring a flatness of the semiconductor substrate 1, and it is judged whether the flatness is within a pre-set tolerable range or not, and in case the flatness is within the tolerable range, an exposure process is performed with the semiconductor substrate 1, while, in case it is outside the tolerable range, the substrate holder 7 is so adjusted that the flatness falls in the tolerable range for exposure process with the semiconductor substrate 1.