Patent ID: 6583634
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: G01R,G09G,H01J,H01L

Abstract:
A circuit pattern inspection method including a step of scanning a board surface with a circuit pattern formed thereon with an electron beam, a step of detecting secondary charged particles generated from said board surface by scanning said board surface with said electron beam, a step of forming an electron beam image of said board surface from said detected secondary charged particles, a step of storing said electron beam image, a step of forming and storing electron beam images of areas neighboring said board, a step of comparing said electron beam images of said areas neighboring said board, and a step of deciding a failure of said circuit pattern on said board from comparison results, wherein said method identifies an item indicating the state of said circuit pattern to be inspected on an operation screen, confirms the contrast of an electron beam image corresponding to it, obtains and stores electron beam irradiation conditions including an electron beam voltage, displays said state of said circuit pattern to be inspected on said operation screen, selects said electron beam irradiation conditions using said electron beam irradiation conditions stored on said displayed screen, irradiates and scans said electron beam to said circuit pattern to be inspected under said electron beam irradiation conditions once, forms an electron beam image, and executes the inspection.