Method and apparatus for the manufacture of circuits for a large display device using stitch exposure

A method of manufacturing a display device by exposing a pattern formed on a mask onto a plate using a projection system, the method comprising:

• transferring the pattern onto a first region of the plate by causing the mask and the plate to move in a first direction with respect to the projection system, the pattern having a first peripheral pattern and a second peripheral pattern that is away from the first peripheral pattern along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• causing the positional relationship of the mask and the plate to change in the second direction;
• and
• transferring the pattern onto a second region adjacent the first region in the second direction so as to stitch the first peripheral pattern and the second peripheral pattern so as to form a complementary interfitting pattern with each other, thereby forming a horizontal pattern along the second direction.

A scanning exposure device, comprising:

• an illumination system to provide an illumination light;
• a mask stage that holds a mask receiving the illumination light, the mask having a pattern that has a first peripheral pattern and a second peripheral pattern that is away from the first peripheral pattern along a second direction perpendicular to a first direction, the first peripheral pattern and the second peripheral pattern forming a complementary interfitting pattern with each other;
• a plate stage that holds a plate having plural exposure areas;
• a projection optical system that projects the pattern of the mask onto a respective exposure area of the plate;
• and
• a control system that moves said mask and plate stage plural times to stitch the first peripheral pattern and the second peripheral pattern on the plate.