PROXIMITY EFFECT CORRECTION METHOD AND ELECTRON BEAM LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS USING THE METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a proximity effect correction method, in fine patterning using an electron beam lithography apparatus of high acceleration voltage, capable of reducing a processing time for proximity effect correction while maintaining a high drawing accuracy of a drawing pattern.SOLUTION: In a proximity effect correction method when drawing a pattern, where figures of the same shape are arranged periodically, with an electron beam, the entire drawing pattern is divided into unit sections of a predetermined size, pattern area density in each unit section is determined, the pattern area density thus determined is smoothed between adjoining unit sections to obtain a smoothed pattern area density, the entire drawing pattern is divided into a plurality of regions, between the adjoining unit sections, from a first region where there is a significant change in the smoothed pattern area density to a second region where there is almost no change in the smoothed pattern area density, and then different proximity effect correction is applied, respectively, to the plurality of regions.