Patent ID: 7269819

Claim:
An exposure data generation method for generating exposure data for transferring a pattern by exposing a semiconductor substrate or a reticle by the use of a plurality of charged particle beams, the method comprising the steps of: extracting layout data including a plurality of patterns as a plurality of blocks for cell projection exposure; dividing the layout data among unit areas corresponding to a region on the semiconductor substrate or the reticle to which the plurality of charged particle beams are applied simultaneously; calculating the number of shots of the plurality of charged particle beams in each of the unit areas on the basis of the plurality of blocks for cell projection exposure extracted; and selecting, in the case of the number of types of the plurality of blocks for cell projection exposure extracted being greater than a predetermined permissible number, a block for cell projection exposure that is the least effective in performing cell projection exposure from among a plurality of blocks for cell projection exposure included in a unit area where the number of shots calculated is the smallest, and deleting the block for cell projection exposure from all of the unit areas, wherein the calculating of the number of shots in each of the unit areas and the deleting of the block for cell projection exposure are repeated until the number of the types becomes equal to the permissible number.