EXTERNAL VIEW INSPECTION METHOD, MASTER PATTERN USED FOR THE SAME, AND EXTERNAL VIEW INSPECTION DEVICE HAVING THE MASTER PATTERN

摘要

There are provided an external view inspection method, a master pattern, and an external view inspection device not requiring a strict positioning of a master pattern, not causing an erroneous judgment of a preferable product to be a defective product, and capable of suppressing the increase of the number of types of the reference pattern portion to be prepared as a master pattern. Inspection is performed by comparing the external view of inspection areas (16a to 16i) having a repetitive pattern to a predetermined master pattern. The inspection areas (16a to 16i) are partitioned vertically and laterally into a plurality of visual field areas. What serves as the mater pattern (17) are different reference pattern portions (17a to 17i) containing each brim shape for each of the different brim shapes of the inspection areas (16a to 16i) contained in the partitioned visual field areas. The present invention is preferable for inspecting an external view of a semiconductor chip such as a memory and a CCD (charge coupled device).