Patent ID: 6556291
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A defect inspection method of macroscopically inspecting a presence of a defect on an object, the defect inspection method comprising the steps of:obtaining a plurality of images by serially illuminating a plurality of samples with a plurality of narrow-band light whose centers of wavelengths differ from each other, wherein inspection conditions for each of the plurality of samples are previously determined; inputting wavelength characteristics of each of the plurality of samples obtained from luminance information of each image with respect to each center of wavelength to a neural network; inputting the inspection conditions suitable for each of the samples as a teaching signal; learning and storing the inputted wavelength characteristic of each sample and the inputted inspection condition for each sample correspondingly; obtaining a plurality of images by serially illuminating an object, whose inspection condition is not determined, with the plurality of narrow-band light whose centers of wavelength differ from each other; inputting a wavelength characteristic of the object obtained from luminance information of each image with respect to each center of wavelength to the neural network; determining an inspection condition for the object based on the inputted wavelength characteristic of the object and the wavelength characteristic of each sample and the inspection condition for each sample which has been learned and stored; and outputting the determined inspection condition for the object.