MARK FOR POSITION DETECTION AND MARK DETECTING METHOD AND APPARATUS

A mark for position detection formed on a substrate has a first pattern disposed near the center of the mark and having periodicity in a Y-axis direction, and second patterns respectively disposed near both sides of the first pattern in an X-axis direction and each having periodicity in the X-axis direction. The position of the first pattern is detected by aligning the detection center of a detecting optical system, that is, the minimal aberration point of the detecting optical system, with the center of the first pattern. The positions of the second patterns are detected at respective points symmetric with respect to the minimal aberration point, and the detected values for the positions of the second patterns are averaged. An apparatus for detecting the mark for position detection detects the first and second patterns by image processing when the mark is in a stationary state.