Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An exposure method using X-rays as an exposure beam, said method comprising: a step of setting, in an optical path, a light blocking member for limiting a view angle of exposure by blocking a portion of the exposure beam;  a step of setting in the view angle an X-ray transfer mask having an attenuation area for attenuating the exposure beam at an outer periphery of a pattern to be transferred;  a step of setting a view angle of exposure on the mask by positioning the light blocking member such that an inner edge of the attenuation area of the X-ray transfer mask overlaps a penumbra of the exposure beam provided by the light blocking member on the mask; and  a step of exposing a photosensitive substrate to the pattern to be transferred, formed on the mask in the view angle, to transfer the pattern onto the substrate. 2. An exposure method using X-rays as an exposure beam, said method comprising: a step of setting, in an optical path, a light blocking member for limiting a view angle of exposure by blocking a portion of the exposure beam;  a step of setting in the view angle an X-ray transfer mask having an attenuation area for attenuating the exposure beam at an outer periphery of a pattern to be transferred;  a step of setting a view angle of exposure on the mask by positioning the light blocking member such that an inner edge of the attenuation area of the X-ray transfer mask overlaps a penumbra of the exposure beam provided by the light blocking member on the mask;  a step of determining whether to expose the substrate with an outer area of the pattern to be transferred;  a step of controlling a position of the light blocking plate in accordance with a result of a determination in said determining step; and  a step of exposing a photosensitive substrate to the pattern to be transferred, formed on the mask in the view angle, to transfer the pattern onto the substrate. 3. An exposure apparatus using X-rays as an exposure beam, said apparatus comprising: a light blocking plate, disposed at a position optically between an exposure beam source for providing an exposure beam and an X-ray transfer mask, for setting a view angle of exposure; and  driving means for positioning said light blocking plate to set a view angle of exposure on the mask such that an inner edge of the attenuation area of the X-ray transfer mask overlaps a penumbra of the exposure beam provided by said light blocking member on the mask. 4. An exposure apparatus using X-rays as an exposure beam, said apparatus comprising: a light blocking plate, disposed in a position optically between an exposure beam source for providing an exposure beam and an X-ray transfer mask, for setting a view angle for exposure;  driving means for positioning said light blocking plate to set a view angle of exposure on the mask such that an inner edge of the attenuation area of the X-ray transfer mask overlaps a penumbra of the exposure beam provided by said light blocking member on the mask;  exposure area determining means for determining whether to expose the substrate with an outer area of the pattern to be transferred; and  control means for controlling a position of said light blocking plate in accordance with a result of a determination by said determining means. 5. A semiconductor device manufacturing method using X-rays as an exposure beam, said method comprising: a step of setting, in an optical path, a light blocking member for limiting a view angle of exposure by blocking a portion of the exposure beam;  a step of setting in the view angle an X-ray transfer mask having an attenuation area for attenuating the exposure beam at an outer periphery of a pattern to be transferred;  a step of setting a view angle of exposure on the mask by positioning the light blocking member such that an inner edge of the attenuation area of the X-ray transfer mask overlaps a penumbra of the exposure beam provided by the light blocking member on the mask;  a step of exposing a photosensitive substrate to the pattern to be transferred formed on the mask in the view angle to transfer the pattern onto the substrate; and  a step of developing the photosensitive substrate after said exposing step. 6. An exposure method using X-rays as an exposure beam, said method comprising: a step of setting, in an optical path, a light blocking member for limiting a view angle of exposure by blocking a portion of the exposure beam;  a step of setting in the view angle an X-ray transfer mask having an attenuation area for attenuating the exposure beam at an outer periphery of a pattern to be transferred;  a step of setting a view angle of exposure on the mask by positioning the light blocking member such that an inner edge of the attenuation area of the X-ray transfer mask overlaps a penumbra of the exposure beam provided by the light blocking member on the mask;  a step of determining whether to expose the substrate with an outer area of the pattern to be transferred;  a step of controlling a position of the light blocking plate in accordance with a result of a determination in said determining step;  a step of exposing a photosensitive substrate to the pattern to be transferred formed on the mask in the view angle to transfer the pattern onto the substrate; and  a step of developing the photosensitive substrate after said exposing step.