Abstract: A laser processing apparatus for projecting a spot of laser beam onto a portion of a microcircuit pattern on a semiconductor wafer, photographic mask or the like to cut the lead or anneal the limited area. The laser processing apparatus includes a mark detector for detecting the positions of first marks preliminarily provided on a work as the relative positions to the detection centers of the mark detector itself, a controller for controlling a processing energy beam generator so as to form on the work second marks detectable by the mark detector, and an error detector responsive to the results of the position detection of the second marks by the mark detector so as to detect relative positional errors between the focussing centers of the energy beam on the work and the detection centers of the mark detector.

Abstract: Proposed is a machining apparatus with a laser beam, wherein a stage is controlled and driven to cause a target to come close to a beam spot when the target is located far away from the beam spot, and a laser beam radiation system is controlled and driven to cause the beam spot to come closer to the target when the target is located within a predetermined range with respect to the beam spot.