Patent ID: 8049191

Claim:
A method of transferring a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate, the method comprising: setting a target pattern to be formed on the substrate using the reticle; obtaining a first pattern transferred onto a substrate by exposure using the reticle and a first illumination condition; calculating, a virtual second illumination condition under which the target pattern is transferred onto a substrate using the reticle, and a virtual third illumination condition under which the first pattern is transferred onto a substrate using the reticle, using mathematical models each of which defines a relationship between an illumination condition and a virtual pattern transferred onto a substrate using the illumination condition; determining a fourth illumination condition, obtained by adding a difference between the calculated second illumination condition and third illumination condition to the first illumination condition, as an illumination condition under which the target pattern is transferred onto a substrate using the reticle; and transferring the pattern of the reticle onto the substrate by illuminating the reticle using the determined illumination condition.