A scattering-angle limiting type electron-beam exposure method in which a mask having a scattering region is used, and a limiting aperture is set to control the amount of electrons scattered by the mask that pass through the limiting aperture, whereby a scattering contrast is formed from differences in the scattering angles of electrons. By changing the thickness of the scattering region of the mask according to the pattern density, the scattering angles of the scattered electrons are controlled and the amount of the scattered electrons that pass through the limiting aperture is adjusted.