EXPOSURE DEVICE

PURPOSE: To realize exposure whichever direction the placing direction of a substrate is and to improve the degree of freedom in the layout of a pattern exposed on the substrate by providing a substrate holding means set so that it can correspond with plural placing directions of the substrate. CONSTITUTION: Whether the substrate 1 placed on a substrate stage 104 functioning as a substrate holding means is vertically placed or horizontally placed is inputted by an external input device 101. Information is judged by a placing direction designation circuit 103 and respective sensors 105 and 107 and respective vacuum holes 106, 108 and 109 on the stage 104 are controlled based on the judgement. When information on vertical placing is inputted, three sensors 107 for vertical placing time, two vacuum holes 108 for vertical placing time, and three common vacuum holes 109 are controlled. When information on horizontal placing is inputted, three sensors 105 for horizontal placing time, two vacuum holes 106 for horizontal placing time and three common vacuum holes 109 are controlled.