Patent ID: 6855930
Filing Date: 2005-02-15
Classification: G01N,G06T

Abstract:
1. A defect inspection apparatus comprising: an electro-optic system configured to radiate an electron beam on an object to be inspected; a secondary-electron detector configured to detect secondary electrons generated from the object in response to the electron beam, and from the secondary electrons to generate an electrical signal; an image generator configured to convert the electrical signal output from the secondary-electron detector into a digital image; a user interface configured to receive radiation conditions for radiating the electron beam in the electro-optic system; an electro-optic system controller configured to set the radiation conditions for radiating the electron beam in the electro-optic system; a defect-image analyzer configured to calculate image features of the object by analyzing the digital image; wherein the user interface is configured to receive defect-selection criterion used to determine whether an X-ray spectrum is to be detected for the object; a control computer configured to collate the image features output from the defect-image analyzer with the defect-selection criterion, and generate an instruction to initiate detection of the X-ray spectrum if the image features substantially match the defect-selection criterion; an energy distribution X-ray spectrometer configured to detect the X-ray spectrum of the object based on the instruction; and a monitor configured to display the X-ray spectrum adjacent to the digital image of the object for defect analysis.