To suppress generation of defect in development by progressing unprotecting reaction of resist even in a region where no contact hole pattern exist thereby rendering the surface part of resist hydrophilic.

In the resist pattern forming method for forming a contact hole pattern in a high resolution chemically amplified resist using a mask 1 of specified mask pattern, a region 2 where a contact hole pattern exists is exposed at a sufficiently high exposure level through a mask having a specified contact hole pattern at the time of exposing the resist thus forming a contact hole pattern 4. A region 3 where no contact hole pattern exist is exposed at a sufficiently low exposure level so that the film is reduced slightly on the surface of resist thus rendering the surface of resist hydrophilic.