INSPECTION METHOD AND INSPECTION APPARATUS

摘要

The inspection conditions of a known inspection apparatus necessary for inspection are such that wafers are individually prepared for respective film types and film thicknesses, and standard particles having different sizes are applied to all the wafers.  Moreover, the wafers to which standard particles have been applied and which have been prepared for the respective film types and film thicknesses are inspected by the inspection apparatus to determine the optimum inspection conditions for the respective film types and film thicknesses.  Therefore, there are problems that it requires long time and involves a high cost to determine the inspection conditions. In the invention, the relationship between the film thickness and the scattering intensity in the inspection apparatus is calculated.  The scattering intensity is divided into a plurality of intensity areas, and the inspection conditions optimized for the respective divided areas are determined.  The inspection conditions are common in each divided intensity area, whereby the time and cost necessary to determine the inspection conditions can be remarkably reduced.