Patent ID: 7869024
Filing Date: 2011-01-11
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for inspecting defects, comprising: an illumination optical system for guiding light emitted by a light source onto a sample to illuminate a particular area of the sample as an illumination area; a plurality of detection optical units for converging from a plurality of directions light generated from the sample when illuminated by the illumination optical system to obtain detection signals of the light on a direction-by-direction basis; and a signal processor for processing a plurality of detection signals obtained by the plurality of detection optical units to judge whether or not a defect is present on the sample; wherein upon inspection of a near-edge portion of the sample, in a detection optical unit, of the plurality of detection optical units, on which diffracted light generated from the near edge portion is incident, the incident diffracted light is blocked by diffracted light blocking means in accordance with a signal obtained by monitoring the intensity of the incident diffracted light.