Pattern formation method and exposure apparatus

Abstract

According to one embodiment, According to one embodiment, a pattern formation method includes disposing a mask and a substrate separately from each other, the mask having a plurality of light transmitting portions arranged periodically. The method includes irradiating the mask with illumination light emitted from an optical part to irradiate the substrate with at least a part of the illumination light transmitted through the light transmitting portions. a distance d between the mask and the substrate, a wavelength of the illumination light, a pitch p of an arrangement of the light transmitting parts, a numerical aperture NAi of the optical part, and at least one natural number n satisfy the following, p≧2λ, (np2/λ)−α≦d≦(np2/λ)+α, α=p2(2λ) and λ/(8np)≦NAi<λ/(2np).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.