Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A semiconductor manufacturing method, comprising:registering an exposure device as a device for performing a pattern writing processing and an electron beam direct writing device as an alternative to the exposure device, when creating process flow information by sequentially registering processing conditions of processings in a semiconductor manufacturing process with a semiconductor production management system;searching for information on the pattern writing processing based on the process flow information before the pattern writing processing;determining whether or not a mask used by the exposure device for performing the pattern writing processing searched for is installed in the exposure device; andsetting the exposure device to perform the pattern writing processing in the case where it has been determined that the mask is installed in the exposure device, or setting the electron beam direct writing device to perform the pattern writing processing in the case where it has been determined that the mask is not installed in the exposure device. 2. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein, when creating the process flow information, as the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing, a timing of before the pattern writing processing or a timing of a desired number of processings before the pattern writing processing is registered, andwhen setting the device for performing the pattern writing device, it is determined at the registered timing whether or not the mask is installed in the exposure device, and according to the result of the determination, the exposure device or the electron beam direct writing device is set to perform the pattern writing processing. 3. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein, when creating the process flow information, as the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing, any of a timing of before the pattern writing processing, a timing of a desired number of processings before the pattern writing processing and a timing of a desired number of days before the pattern writing processing is selected and registered, andwhen setting the device for performing the pattern writing device, in the case where the timing of a desired number of days before the pattern writing processing is registered as the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing, the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing is determined based on the processing date and hour of each of the processings. 4. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein, when setting the device for performing the pattern writing processing, in the case where the mask is installed in the exposure device after the electron beam direct writing device is set to perform the pattern writing processing the exposure device is set again to perform the pattern writing processing. 5. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein, when setting the device for performing the pattern writing processing, at a timing when the device for performing the pattern writing processing is switched from the exposure device to the electron beam direct writing device or switched from the electron beam direct writing device to the exposure device, information indicating the switching of the device for performing the pattern writing device is transmitted to a predetermined destination. 6. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein, when setting the device for performing the pattern writing processing, in the case where only the exposure device is registered as the device for performing the pattern writing processing, the exposure device is set to perform the pattern writing processing regardless of whether or not the mask is installed in the exposure device. 7. A semiconductor manufacturing method, comprising:registering an exposure device as a device for performing a pattern writing processing and an electron beam direct writing device as an alternative to the exposure device, when creating process flow information by sequentially registering processing conditions of processings in a semiconductor manufacturing process with a semiconductor production management system;searching for information on the pattern writing processing based on the process flow information before the pattern writing processing;determining whether or not a mask used by the exposure device for performing the pattern writing processing searched for is installed in the exposure device;setting the exposure device to perform the pattern writing processing in the case where it has been determined that the mask is installed in the exposure device, or setting the electron beam direct writing device to perform the pattern writing processing in the case where it has been determined that the mask is not installed in the exposure device; andwriting a desired circuit pattern on a semiconductor substrate by the exposure device performing the pattern writing processing in the case where the mask is installed in the exposure device, or writing the circuit pattern on the semiconductor substrate by the electron beam direct writing device performing the pattern writing processing in the case where the mask is not installed in the exposure device. 8. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein, when creating the process flow information, as the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing, a timing of before the pattern writing processing or a timing of a desired number of processings before the pattern writing processing is registered, andwhen setting the device for performing the pattern writing device, it is determined at the registered timing whether or not the mask is installed in the exposure device, and according to the result of the determination, the exposure device or the electron beam direct writing device is set to perform the pattern writing processing. 9. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein, when creating the process flow information, as the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing, any of a timing of before the pattern writing processing, a timing of a desired number of processings before the pattern writing processing and a timing of a desired number of days before the pattern writing processing is selected and registered, andwhen setting the device for performing the pattern writing device, in the case where the timing of a desired number of days before the pattern writing processing is registered as the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing, the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing is determined based on the processing date and hour of each of the processings. 10. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein, when setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing, in the case where the mask is installed in the exposure device after the electron beam direct writing device is set to perform the pattern writing processing the exposure device is set again to perform the pattern writing processing. 11. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein, when setting the device for performing the pattern writing processing, at a timing when the device for performing the pattern writing processing is switched from the exposure device to the electron beam direct writing device or switched from the electron beam direct writing device to the exposure device, information indicating the switching of the device for performing the pattern writing device is transmitted to a predetermined destination. 12. The semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein, when setting the device for performing the pattern writing processing, in the case where only the exposure device is registered as the device for performing the pattern writing processing, the exposure device is set to perform the pattern writing processing regardless of whether or not the mask is installed in the exposure device. 13. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising:a process flow information creating section which registers an exposure device as a device for performing the pattern writing processing and an electron beam direct writing device as an alternative to the exposure device, when creating process flow information by sequentially registering processing conditions of processings in a semiconductor manufacturing process; anda control section which searches for information on the pattern writing processing based on the process flow information before the pattern writing processing, determines whether or not a mask used by the exposure device for performing the pattern writing processing searched for is installed in the exposure device, and sets the exposure device to perform the pattern writing processing in the case where it has been determined that the mask is installed in the exposure device, or sets the electron beam direct writing device to perform the pattern writing processing in the case where it has been determined that the mask is not installed in the exposure device. 14. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, as the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing, the process flow information creating section registers a timing of before the pattern writing processing or a timing of a desired number of processings before the pattern writing processing, andthe control section determines at the registered timing whether or not the mask is installed in the exposure device and, according to the result of the determination, sets the exposure device or the electron beam direct writing device to perform the pattern writing processing. 15. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein, as the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing, the process flow information creating section selects and registers any of a timing of before the pattern writing processing, a timing of a desired number of processings before the pattern writing processing and a timing of a desired number of days before the pattern writing processing, andin the case where the timing of a desired number of days before the pattern writing processing is registered as the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing, the control section determines the timing of setting of the device for performing the pattern writing processing based on the processing date and hour of each of the processings. 16. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, in the case where the mask is installed in the exposure device after the electron beam direct writing device is set to perform the pattern writing processing, the control section sets the exposure device again to perform the pattern writing processing. 17. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, at a timing when the device for performing the pattern writing processing is switched from the exposure device to the electron beam direct writing device or switched from the electron beam direct writing device to the exposure device, the control section transmits information indicating the switching of the device for performing the pattern writing device to a predetermined destination. 18. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, in the case where only the exposure device is registered as the device for performing the pattern writing processing, the control section sets the exposure device to perform the pattern writing processing regardless of whether or not the mask is installed in the exposure device.