SURFACE INSPECTION APPARATUS

摘要

[PROBLEMS] To provide a surface inspection apparatus capable of ensuring a sufficient detection sensitivity for a plurality of kinds of defects occurring in a repetitive pattern. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A surface inspection apparatus comprises means (13 to 15). The means (13 to 15) illuminate a repetitive pattern formed on the surface of a body (20) to be inspected and measure the variation of the intensity of regular reflection light (L2), caused by the variation of the shape of the repetitive pattern. The means (13 to 15) also illuminate the repetitive pattern with linearly polarized light, set the angle formed by the repetitive direction of the repetitive pattern and the direction of the plane of vibration of the linearly polarized light to a slanted angle, and measure the variation of the intensity of the regular reflection light (L2), caused by the variation of the shape of the repetitive pattern. The means (15) detects defects in the repetitive pattern according to the variation of the intensity of the regular reflection light (L2) and the variation of the polarized state.