Patent ID: 7492452
Filing Date: 2009-02-17
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A defect inspection method comprising the steps of: reshaping first illumination light that is emitted from a laser light source and that has a first wavelength, and irradiating the resultant light to an area on the surface of a specimen, which is unidirectionally elongated, at a first tilt angle; irradiating second illumination light, which is emitted from a light source designed to emit light having a plurality of wavelengths, to the surface of the specimen at a second tilt angle larger than the first tilt angle; separating reflected or scattered light, which stems from the first illumination light, from light reflected or scattered from the surface of the specimen under both illumination with the first illumination light and illumination with the second illumination light, and picking up a first optical image carried by the reflected or scattered light stemming from the first illumination light; picking up a second optical image carried by the light which is reflected or scattered from the surface of the specimen and from which the reflected or scattered light stemming from the first illumination light is separated; manipulating the first optical image and second optical image; and detecting a defect on the specimen using the result of the manipulation performed on the first optical image and the result of the manipulation performed on the second optical image.