Patent ID: 8023103

Claim:
An exposure method in which an exposure light beam is irradiated onto a substrate via a mask and a projection optical system while moving the substrate in synchronization with movement of the mask in a predetermined scanning direction, the method comprising: a first step for moving a mask in the scanning direction, the mask having first and second pattern areas previously formed thereon to be adjacent in the scanning direction, and illuminating the first pattern area in a first illumination condition by using a first illumination area of which width in the scanning direction is variable, when the first pattern area passes across a field of the projection optical system, to expose the substrate; a second step for illuminating the first pattern area in the first illumination condition by using the first, illumination area of which width in the scanning direction is gradually narrowed and illuminating the second pattern area in a second illumination condition by using a second illumination area of which width in the scanning direction is gradually widened, when a part of the first pattern area and a part of the second pattern area simultaneously pass across the field, to expose the substrate simultaneously through the part of the first pattern area and the part of the second pattern area; and a third step for illuminating the second pattern area in the second illumination condition by using the second illumination area of which width in the scanning direction is variable, when the second pattern area passes across the field, to expose the substrate.