Patent ID: 8426315

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a semiconductor wafer having a main surface including a device chip area, a peripheral area encompassing the device chip area, and a blank area situated between the device chip area and the peripheral area, the method comprising the steps of: coating the entire main surface of the semiconductor wafer with a positive photosensitive resist; defining a subject exposure area in the blank area, the subject exposure area being spaced apart from the device area; conducting a first exposure process, a second exposure process and a third exposure process at different timings, the first exposure process using a periphery exposure apparatus applying a light beam on the peripheral area, the second exposure process using a second exposure apparatus different from said periphery exposure apparatus on the device chip area, and the third exposure process using the periphery exposure apparatus applying a light beam on the subject exposure area in the blank area situated between the device chip area and the peripheral area; removing resist from areas of the device chip area, the peripheral area and the blank area that were exposed in the first second and third exposure processes after conducting the first, second and third exposure processes for forming a resist pattern; and dry etching the main surface of the semiconductor wafer using the resist pattern as a mask.