Patent ID: 8756536

Claim:
A generation method of generating data for a mask pattern to be used for an exposure apparatus including a projection optical system for projecting a mask pattern including a main pattern and auxiliary pattern onto a substrate, comprising: a first step of setting a main pattern as a mask pattern; a second step of setting a generation condition under which the auxiliary pattern for the main pattern is newly generated in the set mask pattern; a third step of newly generating, based on an image of the set mask pattern, an auxiliary pattern according to the generation condition and setting a pattern including the main pattern and the newly generated auxiliary pattern as a mask pattern; a fourth step of calculating, using a processer, an image of the mask pattern to be projected on the substrate by the projection optical system using a set exposure condition in the exposure apparatus and the mask pattern including the main pattern and the newly generated auxiliary pattern; and a fifth step of determining whether a value of an evaluation function describing an index which indicates a quality of the image of the mask pattern calculated in the fourth step falls within a tolerance range, wherein if it is determined that the value of the evaluation function falls within the tolerance range, data including the main pattern and the newly generated auxiliary pattern is generated as the data for the mask pattern, and if it is determined that the value of the evaluation function falls outside the tolerance range, the generation condition is changed to set a new generation condition in the second step, and the third step, the fourth step and the fifth step are executed using the new generation condition.