PURPOSE: To simplify the structure of a plate holding stage and to prevent the contamination of the atmosphere around the plate holding stage, by holding the edges of the plate by engaging members which protrude downward from at least a pair of opening and closing members, in which a plate conveying mechanism can be opened and closed, and omitting a relay elevator.
CONSTITUTION: Opening and closing arms 16 and 18 are driven to close, and rollers 20 are engaged with the edges of two corner parts. A mask substrate is positioned and held in the X and Y directions. Then, a mask conveying mechanism 12 is moved, and the mask substrate is positioned in an inspection stage. Then the opening and closing arms 16 and 18 are lowered, and the corner parts of the mask substrate that is held by the rollers are mounted on a surface part 58 of a mask holding plate 50. In this state, air between a surface part 58 and the mask substrate is sucked through a negative-pressure sucking port 60. The mask substrate is held on the mask substrate holding plate 50. The opening and closing arms 16 and 18 of the mask substrate conveying mechanism are driven to open and the rollers 20 are separated from the mask substrate, and the holding of the substrate is released.
FUKUSHIMA TSUNEMI
HONGO TSUTOMU
