METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING PATTERN DEFECT

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a high-resolution and high-speed defect inspection apparatus for inspecting the defect of a pattern on a wafer, foreign particles, residues, steps or the like by an electron beam in a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device. SOLUTION: The defect inspection apparatus is constructed as to store images of a plurality of areas of a semiconductor surface to be inspected by forming images by a image forming lens 11 by reflecting an electron beam (a planar electron beam) at the near surface of a semiconductor to be inspected. The electron beam contains an energy component that can not reach the surface of the semiconductor to be inspected caused by a decelerating electronic field formed for decelerating the electron beam on the surface of the semiconductor 7 to be inspected. The defect inspection apparatus is constituted to detect the presence or absence of defects and positions of the defects in the area by comparing stored images in the plurality of areas. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI