PATTERN INSPECTION INSTRUMENT

摘要

PURPOSE:To enable the detection correctly of the breakage defect of patterns by eliminating the overlooking of defects and erroneous detection by measuring the pattern width by extracting the pattern contour line from the pattern image and performing the decision of the defect compared with the design data. CONSTITUTION:A pattern image signal is obtd. by forming the image on a pattern detector 6 by scanning the pattern 3 for inspection on an XY stage 4. The contour line of the pattern is extracted by a contour line extracting circuit 8 from the binary image signal after binarizing this pattern image signal by the binary circuit 7. The pattern width of the pattern width measuring circuit 9 is then found from this pattern contour line and inputted into a comparator 10. On the other hand the corresponding design data is read synchronized with the scanning of the pattern 3 by the design pattern width generating circuit 12 from the design data 11. And with comparing the surveyed value and design data by the comparator 10, the defect is decided in case of the difference being larger than the reference value.