Patent ID: 7907268
Filing Date: 2011-03-15
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A surface inspection method that inspects a surface of a target substrate having a repeated pattern with half pitch of a predetermined repeat pitch, in which a first half pattern having the predetermined repeat pitch and a second half pattern located in a position shifted from the first half pattern by half of the repeat pitch and having an approximately same profile as the first half pattern, are formed at least in partially different steps, comprising: a light applying step that applies an inspection light to a surface of the target substrate; a diffracted light detecting step that detects a diffracted light from the surface of the target substrate to which the inspection light has been applied; and a diffraction inspecting step that inspects whether a defect is present in the repeated pattern based on the diffracted light detected in the diffracted light detecting step; wherein the diffracted light detecting step further detects the diffracted light corresponding to a pattern having a pitch multiplied by an integer equal to or greater than 2 with respect to the half pitch of the repeat pitch.