Article Loading/Unloading Method and Article Loading/Unloading Device, Exposure Method and Exposure Apparatus, and Method of Manufacturing Device

An exposure method for forming a pattern by irradiating exposure beam on an article held on a placing table that is moved for positioning within a predetermined plane and has a vertically moving member that moves vertically with holding the article between over the placing table and a placing surface of the article provided on the placing table comprising;

• a first step of determining a position of said placing table, where the articles to be unloaded is placed, to a second position that is different from a first position within said predetermined plane,
• a second step of unloading the articles exist on the placing table that is positioned at said second position after said first step is performed,
• a third step of determining a position of said placing table at said first position while said vertically moving member is positioned at a position lower than a lower surface of a loading member holding a next article waiting for loading over the first position and higher than the placing surface of the placing table after said second step is performed,
• a fourth step of allowing a loading member holding the next article to be loaded onto the placing table to wait over the first position before the placing table is positioned at the first position,
• a fifth step of loading the next article onto the placing table positioned at the first position after the third step is performed, and
• a sixth step of performing exposure treatment with positioning said placing table to an exposure position which is different from said first position and said second position, after said fifth step is performed and before performing said first step.

A loading/unloading unit comprising;

• a placing table to place an article, that is movable between a first position and a second portion which are different each other in a predetermined plane,
• a loading member which loads the article to said placing table positioned at said first position, and
• an unloading member which unloads the article placed on said placing table positioned at said second portion from said placing table, wherein;
• said placing table comprises a vertically moving member that holds the article and vertically moves between over the placing table and a placing surface of the article provided on the placing table,
• said placing table, said loading member and said unloading member are controlled so that, after unloading the article placed on said placing table positioned at said second position by said unloading member, said placing table is moved to said first position while said vertically moving member is positioned at a position lower than a lower surface of the loading member and higher than the placing surface, said loading member holding a next article to be loaded on said placing table is waited over said first position before said placing table is positioned at said first position, and after this, said next article is loaded from said loading member to said placing table positioned at said first position.