Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An X-ray exposure apparatus, comprising: a mask chuck, arranged in a vacuum or in a reduced-pressure environment, for holding a reflection mask having a mask pattern thereon;  an illuminating system for illuminating the reflection mask with X-rays, from a radiation source;  a cooling structure for cooling the reflection mask held by said mask chuck; and  a driving control unit for driving said mask chuck relative to X-rays from said illuminating system,  wherein the reflection mask held by said mask chuck is scanningly illuminated with X-rays from said illuminating system, and the mask pattern is scanningly transferred onto an object. 2. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a projection optical system for projecting the mask pattern onto the object. claim 1 3. An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said projection optical system is a mirror projection optical system. claim 2 4. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said X-ray illuminating system has a mirror system. claim 1 5. An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said mirror system has a multi-layer film mirror. claim 4 6. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling structure uses a cooling gas flow for cooling the reflection mask. claim 1 7. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a radiation source for emitting the X-rays. claim 1 8. A device manufacturing method, comprising the steps of: exposing an object to a mask pattern formed on a reflection mask by using an X-ray exposure apparatus, the X-ray exposure apparatus having,  (i) a mask chuck, arranged in a vacuum or in a reduced-pressure environment, for holding the reflection mask,  (ii) an illuminating system for illuminating the reflection mask with X-rays from a radiation source,  (iii) a cooling structure for cooling the reflection mask held by the mask chuck; and  (iv) a driving control unit for driving the mask chuck relative to X-rays from the illuminating system,  wherein the reflection mask held by the mask chuck is scanningly illuminated with X-rays from the illuminating system, and the mask pattern is scanningly transferred onto the object;  developing the object to produce a circuit pattern.