Mask supporting device and correction method therefor, and exposure apparatus and device producing method utilizing the same

A mask correcting method comprising the steps of:

• preparing an X-ray mask including a mask substrate provided with a rectangular window in which a mask pattern is formed, and a ring-shaped frame for reinforcing said mask substrate;
• and
• correcting the mask pattern by applying loads to the external periphery of said frame from mutually orthogonal directions in a plane parallel with a surface of the mask pattern, for deforming and correcting the mask pattern.

A device producing method comprising the steps of:

• correcting a mask by i) preparing an X-ray mask including a mask substrate provided with a rectangular window in which a mask pattern is formed, and a ring-shaped frame for reinforcing said mask substrate, and ii) correcting the mask pattern by applying loads to the external periphery of said frame from mutually orthogonal directions in a plane parallel with a surface of the mask pattern, for deforming and correcting the mask pattern;
• and
• transferring the mask onto a wafer, by irradiating a mask corrected by the mask correcting step with an exposure energy.

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• a mask supporting device comprising, i) a chuck mechanism for supporting an X-ray mask having a mask substrate provided with a rectangular window on which a mask pattern is formed and a frame for reinforcing said mask substrate, and ii) a mechanism for applying loads to said frame of the mask from mutually orthogonal directions in a plane parallel with the surface of the mask pattern for deforming and correcting the mask pattern;
• and
• means for irradiating the supported mask with an exposure energy.