Patent ID: 8839169

Claim:
A method of determining a pattern of a mask to be used in an exposure apparatus that includes a projection optical system, wherein the mask is arranged on an object plane of the projection optical system, the method comprising the following steps being executed by a computer: a first calculation step of calculating a value of a first evaluation function used to evaluate a cost of drawing a provisional pattern on a mask blank to manufacture the mask; a second calculation step of calculating a value of a second evaluation function used to evaluate an image of the provisional pattern, which is formed on an image plane of the projection optical system when a mask having the provisional pattern is arranged on the object plane of the projection optical system; and a changing step of changing the provisional pattern, wherein the first calculation step and the second calculation step are repeated via the changing step, and the provisional pattern is determined as the pattern of the mask, in a case that the value of the first evaluation function calculated in the first calculation step meets a first predetermined standard and the value of the second evaluation function calculated in the second calculation step meets a second predetermined standard.