A fiducial plate on which at least one pinhole shaped pattern is formed is fixed on a
mask stage, which moves holding a
mask. Therefore, for example,
wavefront aberration of a projection optical
system can be measured without using any special kind of masks for measurement, by setting a
wavefront measurement instrument of the attaching type to a substrate stage, illuminating the fiducial plate with an illumination
system, and receiving spherical
waves generated at the pinhole shaped pattern via projection optical
system with the
wavefront measurement instrument. Accordingly, the
wavefront aberration of the projection optical system can be measured easily, at a desired timing, which allows sufficient
quality control to be performed on the projection optical system. As a consequence, the pattern of the
mask can be accurately onto the substrate, using the projection optical system on which sufficient
quality control is performed.