METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INSPECTING ARTICLE TO BE INSPECTED WITH PATTERN

摘要

This describes an automatic beam alignment and defect inspection system for masks. The system causes each field or sub-field to be individually aligned for inspection irrespective of the previous alignment of the mask or any other field or sub-field. This is accomplished by scanning a preselected portion of each field of sub-field, with a beam and adjusting the position of the deflection based on the reflected signal while scanning a pre-established portion of the selected field or sub-field. In this way a portion of each selected field or sub-field is used as an alignment mark and stepping errors avoided. Once alignment is achieved a beam spot, comparable to the size of the minimum defect to be detected is scanned over the selected field or sub-field with an overlapping scan to find defects such as mask material in improper places or points where the mask material is missing.