APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INSPECTING MASK FOR USE IN FABRICATING INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus and a method for inspecting a mask for use in fabricating an integrated circuit device that can easily detect defects in a semiconductor pattern.

SOLUTION: In a mask inspection apparatus for detecting the defects in the semiconductor pattern formed on the mask for use in fabricating the integrated circuit device, the apparatus includes: an image combiner for receiving a mask image generated by a light beam incident on the mask and a reference beam incident from external, and for combining a reference beam with the mask image to generate a combined image emitted in the same optical path direction as the mask image including a waveform corresponding to the semi-conductor pattern formed on the mask; a second order nonlinear optics system in which the combined image emitted from the image combiner is made incident to increase the light intensity of the incident combined image; and an inspector for inspecting an image emitted from the second order nonlinear optics system, and for deciding the presence of defects of the semiconductor pattern formed on the mask.

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