An exposure process monitoring method capable of performing quantitative
monitoring of an exposure amount and a focusing position which are major
process parameters during exposure using a Levinson phase shift mask in
semiconductor lithography processes is disclosed. During exposure using
the Levinson phase shift mask, the focus position is influenceable by
optical intensity distribution characteristics so that it can vary from
its minus (-) to plus (+) directions by in a way depending upon the pitch
width and line width of a line-and-space pattern. In such case, there
exist a pattern in which the cross-sectional shape of a resist changes
from a forward taper to reverse taper and a pattern in which the
sectional shape changes from the reverse to forward taper.