Alignment processing device and manufacturing method of liquid crystal optical element

An alignment processing device comprising:

• a light source;
• a polarizing beam splitter which divides light emitted from the light source into first linearly polarized light and second linearly polarized light;
• a first optical system which guides the first linearly polarized light to an exposure area;
• a second optical system which guides the second linearly polarized light to the exposure area;
• a first retardation film which converts the first linearly polarized light into first circularly polarized light;
• a second retardation film which converts the second linearly polarized light into second circularly polarized light which rotates in an opposite direction of the first circularly polarized light;
• a first mask provided between the polarizing beam splitter and the first retardation film;
• a second mask provided between the polarizing beam splitter and the second retardation film,
• a moving mechanism configured to move a processing substrate in which a thin film is formed on a main surface of a transparent substrate in a direction parallel to the main surface;
• and
• a controller which controls the light source and the moving mechanism, wherein
• each of the first mask and the second mask has an aperture formed into a polygonal shape,
• interfering light is formed in the exposure area by the first circularly polarized light and the second circularly polarized light, and
• the controller performs control so as to repeat a process of exposing part of an area of the thin film by the interfering light and a process of moving the processing substrate.

An alignment processing device comprising:

• a light source;
• a polarizing beam splitter which divides light emitted from the light source into first linearly polarized light and second linearly polarized light;
• a first optical system which guides the first linearly polarized light to an exposure area;
• a second optical system which guides the second linearly polarized light to the exposure area;
• a first retardation film which converts the first linearly polarized light into first circularly polarized light;
• a second retardation film which converts the second linearly polarized light into second circularly polarized light which rotates in an opposite direction of the first circularly polarized light;
• a first mask provided between the first retardation film and the exposure area;
• a second mask provided between the second retardation film and the exposure area,
• a moving mechanism configured to move a processing substrate in which a thin film is formed on a main surface of a transparent substrate in a direction parallel to the main surface;
• and
• a controller which controls the light source and the moving mechanism, wherein
• each of the first mask and the second mask has an aperture formed into a polygonal shape,
• interfering light is formed in the exposure area by the first circularly polarized light and the second circularly polarized light, and
• the controller performs control so as to repeat a process of exposing part of an area of the thin film by the interfering light and a process of moving the processing substrate.