Alignment and exposure method

An exposure method for exposing different portions of a substrate with radiation in a step-and-repeat manner, said method comprising the steps of:

• placing the substrate on a chucking member;
• illuminating a mask with a radiation beam, whereby an image of a mark of a mask is printed through a projection optical system on a portion of a photosensitive material layer provided on a portion of the chucking member outside the substrate;
• photoelectrically detecting the image of the mark of the mask printed on the photosensitive layer, without using the projection optical system, whereby a mask mark signal is produced;
• producing data necessary for control of movement of the chucking member, by using the mask mark signal;
• illuminating the mask with a radiation beam while controlling the movement of the chucking member through a stage on the basis of the produced data, so as to print a pattern of the mask on different portions of the substrate sequentially through the projection optical system to perform step-and-repeat exposure of the substrate;
• and
• blocking a portion of the radiation beam with use of a blocking member disposed between a source of the radiation beam and the substrate to prevent exposure of the photosensitive material layer during the step-and-repeat exposure, and using the blocking member to change the range of passage of the radiation beam when the portion of the wafer to be exposed changes between when an inside portion of the wafer is to be exposed and when an outside portion of the wafer is to be exposed.