Abstract:
An inspection method and an inspection tool are capable of detecting a defect on a specimen. More particularly, the examples relate to an inspection method and an inspection tool for easily setting an inspection condition to be used in a defect inspection of an inspected pattern such as a semiconductor wafer, a liquid crystal display, or a photomask.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a pattern inspection technique for detecting defects and particles of an inspected pattern, and especially relates to an inspection method and an inspection tool for easily setting an inspection condition to be used in defect inspection of the inspected pattern such as a semiconductor wafer, a liquid crystal display, or a photomask. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     An inspection process is indispensable in order to improve yield of a semiconductor device, and the inspection tool for detecting abnormality of the wafer and specifying a cause of reduction in yield is essential for a production process of the semiconductor device. Also, it is required to speed up the inspection for an efficient inspection, and it is desired to inspect many points in a short time. Contents of the inspection are wide-ranging such as a film thickness, a pattern pitch, an appearance quality, the particles, the defect, and an analysis of components thereof. In order to inspect the contents accurately and rapidly, it is necessary to accurately and fully utilize the inspection tool corresponding to the objects. Therefore, the tool easily used in a short period even by a user unfamiliar with the tool is desired. 
     In such a tool, however, it is necessary to appropriately set many parameters for setting an operation condition in most cases. In addition, even if a parameter visually judged without uncomfortable feeling such as brightness and contrast is to be set, it is necessary to set a parameter using a numerical value in an actual tool, for example, to set a numerical value 5 in a range from 0 to 10. Other than this example, setting means and contents are wide-ranging. For example, some parameters are represented by a format other than a numerical value such as Normal, Medium and Hard, and other parameters are set by a length of a colored portion by using a slide bar. In many cases, the relationships between a name of the parameter and an actual effect is not understood at one sight. Therefore, in order to appropriately set them, the contents of the parameters should be sufficiently comprehended. However, the contents of the parameters are often the contents inherent to the tool, and therefore the user should be skilled in handling the tool in advance and study the contents of the parameter. This is especially an obstacle for a user who does not use the tool regularly or a beginner to use the tool efficiently. 
     Therefore, in order to remove the obstacle and to use the tool easily, the method of displaying the set inspection parameters and the results thereof as a list to make them visually understandable is invented (refer to, for example, JP2004-294358A1). According to this technique, the results calculated with each combination of all of the parameters for all of the defect images are displayed as a list. However, the user should select an optimal parameter group from the parameter groups displayed as a list, in consideration of a defect detection number and the defect image. Therefore, a high level of skill is necessary on such selection. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Setting of the parameter is based on trial and error in which effects are set after confirmed one by one. The setting requires high technique and is significantly inefficient. The present invention is to provide the inspection method and the inspection tool capable of solving such a problem and of setting the parameter (hereinafter, referred to as an inspection parameter) required for detecting the defect easily. 
     In order to solve the problem, a defect inspection tool according to the present invention comprises: an image obtaining unit for obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen; an image processing unit for performing a calculation process by using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the image obtaining unit; and a parameter tuning unit for performing a process to determine an effective inspection parameter group from calculation results by the calculation process and narrowing down an inspection parameter group range by repeating the process for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining unit, wherein a defect of the image obtained by the image obtaining unit is detected by using the inspection parameter group narrowed down by the parameter tuning unit. In the present invention, it becomes possible for even the user who does not understand the detailed contents of each parameter to easily tune (narrow down) complicated inspection parameter groups which are used when detecting the defect. 
     Also, a defect inspection tool according to another embodiment of the present invention comprises: an image obtaining unit for obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen; an image processing unit for performing a calculation process by using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the image obtaining unit to detect each defect detection image for each inspection parameter group; a display unit for displaying a list of each defect detection image detected by the image processing unit; an input unit for selectively inputting one defect detection image from each defect detection image displayed as a list on the display unit; and a parameter tuning unit for performing a process to determine an effective inspection parameter group range from each defect detection image detected by the image processing unit based on the defect detection image selectively inputted by the input unit and narrowing down the inspection parameter group by repeating the process for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining unit, wherein a defect of the image obtained by the image obtaining unit is detected by using the inspection parameter group narrowed down by the parameter tuning unit. In the present invention, it becomes possible for even the user who does not understand the detailed contents of each parameter to easily tune (narrow down) the complicated inspection parameter groups which are used when detecting the defect, by performing a simple input to select one defect detection image from each defect detection images displayed as a list for the calculation results about a plurality of images. Meanwhile, to display the list display by the GUI allows easier selective input. 
     Also, a defect inspection tool according to yet another embodiment of the present invention comprises: an image obtaining unit for obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen; an image processing unit for performing a calculation process using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the image obtaining unit to detect calculation results for each inspection parameter group; an input unit for teaching a defect area included in the image based on the image obtained by the image obtaining unit; and a parameter tuning unit for performing a process to determine an effective inspection parameter group range from the calculation results detected by the image processing unit based on the defect area taught by the input unit and narrowing down the inspection parameter group range by repeating the process for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining unit, wherein a defect of the image obtained by the image obtaining unit is detected by using the inspection parameter group narrowed down by the parameter tuning unit. In the present invention, it becomes possible for even the user who does not understand the detailed contents of each parameter to teach by extracting the defect area of the defect portion by the image processing by a simple input to teach the defect area of the defect portion included in the image (images by secondary electron or images by back scattered electron) displayed on the GUI, such as to draw a figure enclosing the defect portion by the input unit, to draw the defect area of the defect portion by the input unit, or to indicate the defect portion by the input unit, and to easily tune (narrow down) the complicated inspection parameter groups used when detecting the defect by performing the process for the defect portion of a plurality of images. 
     Meanwhile, in the present invention, it is advisable to provide various display means and functions to make the selective input and the teaching by the input unit easier, such as to provide means for synthesizing the image obtained by the image obtaining unit with each defect detection image, which is the calculation result for each inspection parameter group obtained by the calculation process by the image processing unit based on the image to display, and for simultaneously displaying the calculation result for another image, and to provide means for displaying the selected calculation result or the like in an enlarged manner. In addition, it is advisable that the display means is the GUI at that time. 
     Also, a tuning method of the inspection parameter group of the present invention used when detecting the defect in the defect inspection tool is a method of tuning the parameter by the similar method with the narrowing down of the inspection parameter by the parameter tuning unit in the inspection tool of the present invention. 
     That is to say, the tuning method of the inspection parameter group according to the present invention comprises: an image obtaining step of obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen; a step of performing a calculation process by using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the step; a step of determining an effective inspection parameter group from calculation results by the calculation process; and a step of narrowing down (tuning) an inspection parameter group range by repeating the step of determining the effective inspection parameter group for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining step. 
     Also, the tuning method according to another embodiment of the present invention comprises: an image obtaining step of obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen; a detecting step of performing a calculation process by using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the image obtaining step, and detecting each defect detection image for each inspection parameter group; a displaying step of displaying a list of each defect detection image detected by the detecting step; a selecting step of selecting one defect detection image from each of the defect detection images displayed as a list; a step of determining an effective inspection parameter group range from each defect detection image detected by the detecting step based on the selected defect detection image; and a step of narrowing down the inspection parameter group by repeating the step for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining step. 
     Further, the tuning method according to another embodiment of the present invention comprises: an image obtaining step of obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen; a detecting step of performing a calculation process by using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the image obtaining step to detect calculation results for each inspection parameter group; a teaching step of teaching a defect area included in the image based on the image obtained by the image obtaining step; a step of determining an effective inspection parameter group range from the calculation results detected by the detecting step based on the defect area taught by the teaching step; and a step of narrowing down the inspection parameter group by repeating the step for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining step. 
     The methods of tuning the inspection parameter according to the present invention allow the user who does not understand the detailed contents of each parameter to easily tune (narrow down) the complicated inspection parameter groups used when detecting the defection by the simple input, as in the case of the defect detection tool according to the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a configuration schematic diagram showing one example of a defect inspection tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing a setting method of an inspection parameter group in a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a display chart of a GUI showing an example of displaying as a list each defect detection image for the inspection parameter group; 
         FIG. 4  is a view for illustrating a process to determine an effective inspection parameter group range; 
         FIG. 5  is a view for illustrating a process to narrow down an effective inspection parameter group range; 
         FIG. 6  is a display chart of the GUI showing an example to add a screen to display an inspection result of another image together with a list display of each defect detection image for the inspection parameter group; 
         FIG. 7  is a view for illustrating an overlay of a defect image with a defect detection image; 
         FIG. 8  is a display chart of the GUI showing an example to overlay display only a portion of the image displayed as a list; 
         FIG. 9  is a display chart of the GUI showing an example to overlay display a portion of the image displayed as a list in an enlarged manner; 
         FIG. 10  is a display chart of the GUI showing an example of representing character or the like on the image displayed as a list to distinguish presence or absence of detection; 
         FIG. 11  is a display chart of the GUI showing an example of displaying by providing three inspection parameters; 
         FIG. 12  is a view for illustrating means of changing the inspection parameter to display; 
         FIG. 13  is a display chart of the GUI showing an example of displaying one of the inspection parameters by a slide bar; 
         FIG. 14  is a view for illustrating various display means such as a stereoscopic display; 
         FIG. 15  is a display chart of the GUI to display the detection results as a list while not displaying name and numerical value of the parameter; 
         FIG. 16  is a display chart of the GUI showing an example of adding a function to display a comment by a window and a chart; 
         FIG. 17  is a flowchart showing a setting method of the inspection parameter group in a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 18  is a view for illustrating a method of teaching position and shape of the defect (teaching a correct answer). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of a defect inspection tool of the present invention for detecting a defect on a surface of a semiconductor wafer and a method of tuning an inspection parameter used when detecting the defect in the defect inspection tool will be described, however, this is merely one example of the present invention and the present invention is not limited to the embodiment to be described below. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a defect inspection tool  100  of the present invention. The defect inspection tool  100  of the present invention is composed of an electron gun  101  for emitting an electron beam  107 , a lens  102  for converging the electron beam  107 , a deflector  103  for deflecting the electron beam  107 , an objective lens  104  for converging the electron beam  107 , a specimen stage  106  on which a specimen  105  is placed, a secondary electron detector  122  and backscattered electron detectors  123  for detecting a secondary electron and a backscattered electron generated by applying the electron beam  107  to the specimen  105 , a motion stage  124  for moving the specimen stage  106 , and the like. The backscattered electron detectors  123  are placed at positions opposed to each other in a straight line for imaging a dual shadow image. In addition, they are arranged in a column (not shown) and may be maintained in a vacuum by a vacuum pump (not shown). 
     The electron beam  107  emitted from the electron gun  101  is converged by the lens  102 , two-dimensionally scanned and deflected by the deflector  103 , then converged by the objective lens  104  and applied to the specimen  105 . When the electron beam  107  is applied to the specimen  105 , a secondary electron  108  and a backscattered electron  109  according to a shape and a material of the specimen  105  are generated. The secondary electron  108  and the backscattered electron  109  are detected by the secondary electron detector  122  and the backscattered electron detector  123 , amplified by an amplifier (not shown), and then, converted to a digital value by an analog/digital converter  113 . Signals from the backscattered electron detectors  123  are used for forming an L image and an R image, which are images by backscattered electron, and a signal from the secondary electron detector  122  is used for forming an S image, which is an image by secondary electron. Data converted to the digital value is stored in an image memory  115 . At that time, an address control circuit  114  generates an address synchronized with a scan signal of the electron beam  107  as an address of image data stored in the image memory  115 . Also, the image memory  115  occasionally transmits the stored image data to image processing means  119 . 
     The image processing means  119  transmits the transmitted image data to display means  117  through controlling means  118 , and performs a calculation process based on the image data to perform a process such as defect extraction. Herein, the defect extraction (detection) process is performed by executing a comparison operation between the transmitted image data and another image data obtained from a pattern corresponding to the image data. Also, the inspection parameter for defect detection performs the calculation process for each predetermined parameter group (or this may be optionally set by a user). When four parameters are set for a parameter A and five parameters are set for a parameter B, for example, the calculation process is performed for a total of 20 parameter groups. The image processing means  119  transmits the calculation results to the display means  117  through the controlling means  118 . The display means  117  displays a list of the calculation results and displays the image data transmitted from the image processing means  119 . The user may selectively input an appropriate image from images displayed as a list on the display means  117  by input means  120 . Herein, the display means  117  is a graphical user interface (GUI) and displayed information is graphically displayed. In addition, a variety of input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen-type input device, and a touch panel, may be applied as the input means  120 . 
     Meanwhile, the inspection parameter is a parameter, which is required to be set for appropriately processing the image data transmitted from the image memory  115  by the image processing means  119 , and is a threshold for binarizing for binary extracting only a defect portion from the transmitted image data, a denoising threshold for removing an area of minute area unrelated to the defect as noise, and a parameter for tuning deterioration in sensitivity at an edge of the specimen. 
     The lens  102 , the deflector  103 , and the objective lens  104  are controlled by control signals from a lens control circuit  110 , a deflection control circuit  111 , and an objective lens control circuit  112 , respectively, and a focal position and a deflection amount of the electron beam  107  are controlled. Thereby, it is possible to adjust such that the electron beam  107  is applied to an appropriate position with respect to the specimen  105 . Also, the motion stage  124  on which the specimen stage  106  is placed may be two-dimensionally parallelly moved by the control signal from a mechanical control circuit  116 . Therefore, the specimen  105  held by the specimen stage  106  may also be two-dimensionally parallelly moved, thereby controlling the position to scan the electron beam  107  over the specimen  105 . Meanwhile, the lens control circuit  110 , the deflection control circuit  111 , the objective lens control circuit  112 , and a mechanism control circuit  116  are controlled by the signals from the controlling means  118 . 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing a method of setting a parameter (inspection parameter) group for defect detection of the present invention (first embodiment). 
     First, the parameter (image obtaining parameter) such as contrast and brightness for obtaining the image is set in order to obtain the image (S 201 ). Next, a plurality of images are obtained by the set image obtaining condition (S 202 ). When obtaining the image, image data at each point is obtained by applying the electron beam  107  to each point on the wafer, which is the specimen  105 , by moving irradiation to detect the generated secondary electron  108  or the backscattering electron  109  by the detectors  122  and  123 , respectively. Meanwhile, at that time, the inspection parameter group may be set in advance and the defect detection process may be performed by using the parameters. Although it is preferable to use a predetermined standard value as the inspection parameter group herein, a value optionally set by the user may also be used. 
     Next, n (n is a natural integer) images to be used for tuning the inspection parameter group are selected from the images obtained at the step  202  (S 202 ) (S 203 ). The images are selected by the user by using the input means  120 . Although the number of images to be selected herein is optional, the operation becomes complicated if this is too large, so that it is advisable to select an appropriate number. Also, when the defect detection process is already performed by using the predetermined parameter group at a stage of the step S 202 , it is advisable to select the images to be used for parameter tuning by reference to the result of the defect detection process, for example, five images from the images with defect detection and five images from the images without defect detection, since presence or absence of the defect detection in each image is known. Meanwhile, the controlling process may be configured to automatically select by the controlling means  118 . 
     Next, one image is first selected from the images selected at the step S 203  (S 203 ) (S 204 ). Herein, when the image is selected, the image processing means  119  performs the calculation process based on the selected image. The calculation process is to detect the defect by executing the comparison operation between the selected image and a reference image (image having the pattern identical to that of the selected image (when a plurality of chips having the identical pattern are formed on the wafer and when the selected image is the image obtained by scanning a predetermined position of one chip, the image obtained by scanning the identical position of a chip adjacent to the chip, for example)), and at that time, the calculation process is performed by using each predetermined inspection parameter group. Then, the calculation results are displayed as a list on the display means  117  (GUI) together with each inspection parameter group (S 205 ).  FIG. 3  shows one example thereof. In  FIG. 3 , five parameters A ( 305 ) and six parameters B ( 306 ) are set, and the detection results (calculation results) when performing the calculation process by applying a total of 30 types of inspection parameter groups are displayed as a list. Each detection result is displayed as a defect detection image  307  having a defect detection area  308 . 
     Meanwhile, each inspection parameter group applied when performing the calculation process may be a value optionally set by the user. The parameter groups are set in order to determine an effective parameter range (narrow down the effective parameter range) as described hereinafter, so that they are not necessarily set for all of the inspection parameters. In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , the results of performing the calculation process for the parameter group in which a plurality of values are set for the parameters A and B are displayed. However, when the inspection parameter has also ones other than the parameters A and B, the calculation process is performed by using a predetermined standard value for the parameter other than the parameters A and B. 
     Herein, if the effective parameter range may not be determined by the calculation results by the parameter groups of the parameters A and B shown in  FIG. 3  (when the detection results extracted by the calculation process (defect detection images displayed as a list) are insufficient and the appropriate defect detection image may not be selected when the user teaches a correct answer at a step  208  (S 208 ) to be described later), a parameter other than the parameters A and B is further added, the parameters are changed, or the value of the parameter is tuned, by a method to be described later (S 207 ). That is to say, at a step  206  (S 206 ), it is judged whether the detection results displayed as a list at the step  205  (S 205 ) are appropriate (sufficient) or not. When they are not appropriate, the inspection parameter groups are tuned (S 207 ), then, the procedure returns back to the step S 205  to perform the calculation process again using the tuned inspection parameter groups, and the detection results are displayed as a list. The process is repeated until the appropriate (sufficient) detection results are obtained, and when the detection results are appropriate (sufficient), the procedure proceeds to a next step  208  (S 208 ). 
     Meanwhile, a process flow may be set such that the steps  206  and  207  are provided after performing steps  208  and  209  to be described below. In this case, however, a process at the step  206  is made a step to judge whether the effective inspection parameter group range, which is a result of the step  209 , is appropriately determined or not. When the range is not appropriately determined, the tuning of each inspection parameter group described at the step  207  is performed and the procedure returns back to the step  205 , and when the range is appropriately determined, the process flow proceeds to a step  210 . 
     Similarly, the process flow may be set such that the steps  206  and  207  are provided after performing a step  211  to be described below. In this case, however, the process at the step  206  is made a step to judge whether the inspection parameter group range, which is narrowed down at the step  211 , is appropriate or not. When the range is not appropriate, the tuning of each inspection parameter group described at the step  207  is performed and the procedure returns back to the step  204  to perform again the processes of the steps  204  to  210  for n images using each inspection parameter group herein tuned. When the range is appropriate, the process flow proceeds to a step  212 . 
     Next, the user teaches the correct answer (selects the defect detection image judged to be the optimal defect image) from the images (defect detection images) displayed as a list on the display means  117  (GUI) (S 208 ). Herein, a guide of the correct answer (guide to which defect detection image to select) includes selecting the image, which closely takes the defect, that is to say, the image having the defect detection area  308  with a shape conforming to the defect portion. The correct answer is taught (selected) by the user by indicating the correct image on a GUI screen using the input means  120 . When the input means  120  is the mouse, the user may directly click the image, and when the means is the keyboard, the user may uses a cursor key to move a cursor to a target image to select.  FIG. 3  shows a state in which a cursor  310  is moved by a mouse  120  to click a detection result  309  in which the parameter A is 2 and the parameter B is 2. At that time, it is advisable that a color of a frame of the detection result  309  changes, for example, such that it is clear that this is clicked. Of course, the means for displaying and the means for selecting are not limited to these methods, and variously modified and improved means and methods may be adopted. For example, although an example of selectively inputting using a pointing device such as the mouse is described above, the configuration such as a touch panel with which the user may selectively inputted by directly touching the GUI screen with finger by integrating the display means  117  and the input means into the GUI is possible. 
     Next, the effective inspection parameter group range (effective defect detection images) is determined based on the defect detection image selected by the user (teaching of the correct answer) (S 209 ). The process is performed by parameter tuning means (not shown) provided in the controlling means  118 . Specifically, the defect detection image selected by the user and all of the defect detection images displayed as a list are compared with each other to determine whether the position and the shape of the defect detection area of both images are close to each other or not. When the position and the shape are within predetermined ranges, the range is judged to be effective and the parameter group of the defect detection image is determined to be within the effective inspection parameter group range. Meanwhile, it is determined to be effective or not by determining whether coordinate value of center (gravity), an aspect ratio, an area, a concavo-convex shape of the defect detection area ( 308  in  FIG. 3 ) of each defect detection image are within predetermined ranges relative to the defect detection area of the defect detection image taught as the correct answer. For example, a condition is set such that displacement of the central position is within αμm radius and within ±10% aspect ratio based on the defect detection area of the defect detection image selected as the correct answer, and the inspection parameter groups of all of the defect detection images having the defect detection area within the range, out of other image displayed as a list (defect detection images), are determined to be within the effective range. Alternatively, the inspection parameter groups of all of the defect detection images having the defect detection area with the area ratio within ±20% based on the defect detection image selected as the correct answer are determined to be within the effective range.  FIG. 4  is a view for illustrating the effective range at that time.  FIG. 4  shows a case in which the user selects a defect detection image  402  (Param A, Param B)=(2, 2) in the drawing. In the drawing, a numerical value  401  enclosed by a square indicates the area of the defect detection area of each defect detection image. Herein, supposing that the area of the defect detection area of the defect detection image  402  taught as the correct answer is 72, the effective range includes the defect detection images ( 403  in the drawing) having the defect detection area with the area ratio 0.8 to 1.2 (±20%). Meanwhile, the condition to determine the effective inspection parameter group range may be set by the user from the input means  120 , or may be registered in advance. It is also possible to configure such that the GUI in which the condition is graphically displayed is provided to allow the user to input from the GUI. 
     The processes from the step  204  (S 204 ) to step  209  (S 209 ) are performed for all of the n images selected at the step  203  (S 203 ). That is to say, when a determination process of the effective inspection parameter group range (S 209 ) is not finished for all of the n images selected at the step  203 , the procedure returns back to the step S 204  to select again one of the images not yet processed from the selected n images (S 204 ), and further repeats the processes from the step  205  to the step  209 . The process is repeated until the process is finished for all of the selected n images, and when the process for all of the n images is finished, the procedure proceeds to a next step (S 211 ) (S 210 ). Meanwhile, a case in which only one defect is included in one image is described in the description. However, when two or more defects are included in one image, the processes from the step  204  to the step  209  are repeated for each defect to determine the effective inspection parameter group range for each defect. In this case, it is necessary that not only select one image but also further select one defect in the image at the step  204 . 
     Next, the effective inspection parameter group range is narrowed down based on the effective inspection parameter group range (effective defect detection images) determined for each of the n images (S 211 ). Herein, the effective inspection parameter group ranges determined for each of the images (n images) are overlaid with one another and an overlaid range is judged (narrowed down) as the effective inspection parameter group range.  FIG. 5  is a view for illustrating the process of this narrowing down. Herein, a case in which the number of n images selected at the step  203  is four is shown. Ranges  501  to  504  in the drawing indicate the effective inspection parameter group range of each of images obtained by performing the processes from the step  204  to the step  209  for the four images. At the step  211 , the images are overlaid with one another (a screen  505  in the drawing is obtained by overlaying the ranges  501 ,  502 ,  503  and  504  in this order top to bottom) and an overlaid range  506  is judged (narrowed down) to be the effective inspection parameter group range. Meanwhile, the narrowing down process of the inspection parameter groups is the process performed by the parameter tuning means (not shown) provided in the controlling means  118  (process performed in the tool). It is not necessary that the screen display in  FIGS. 4 and 5  should be displayed on the display means  117  (GUI). 
     The effective inspection parameter group range may be set (narrowed down) for all of the images (defects) by the process. However, there is a case in which the effective parameter range is not defined, or this is not defined as one common range, due to difference in characteristic of the semiconductor pattern, which is the specimen  105 . In this case, it is advisable that the range on which the effective inspection parameter group ranges of the image are overlaid the most is narrowed down as the effective parameter range. In addition, when the effective inspection parameter group range is divided into a plurality of ranges, it is advisable that the parameter groups in each range is set and held as the effective (tuned) inspection parameter groups. Meanwhile, when the overlaid range is too small, it is possible to configure to tune each inspection parameter group as in the case of the step  207 , perform the processes from the step  204  to the step  211  again using each tuned inspection parameter group, and perform again the narrowing down process (S 211 ) of the inspection parameter group range. 
     Next, it is judged whether further teaching is necessary or not for another image (S 212 ). When teaching is necessary, the procedure returns back to the step  203  to repeat the processes from the step  203  to step  211 . When it is judged that the range is not sufficiently narrowed down by the range of the inspection parameter groups narrowed down at the step  211 , it is advisable that the teaching is performed again at the step  212 . On the other hand, when it is not necessary to teach, the process ends (S 213 ). 
     The inspection parameter groups tuned (narrowed down) by the processes (the processes from the step  201  to the step  213 ) are recorded and held in a recipe file. In the recipe file, the operation condition when inspecting the specimen  105  is described as electronic data. When inspecting the wafer, which is the specimen  105 , the recipe file is used, and the defect detection process and the image obtaining process are performed based on the condition and parameter recorded in the recipe file. Meanwhile, as described above, when there is a plurality of effective inspection parameter groups such as when the effective inspection parameter group range is divided into a plurality of ranges, it is advisable to select and use the parameter group when inspecting. 
       FIG. 6  is a view showing one example of a list display screen of the calculation results displayed on the display means  117  (GUI) at any stage of the steps  205  to  212 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , in this configuration, a list screen  601  of the defect detection images taught (selected) by the user as the correct answers for each image (each image having identification numbers of ID 000001 to 000006 in the drawing) at the step  208  by the process is displayed in real time together with a list display screen  600  of the calculation results of an image now processing (image having the identification number of ID000001). Thereby, the user may simultaneously check the results of the images (images having the identification numbers of ID000002 to 000006) in addition to the image now processing (image having the identification number of ID000001). Herein, it is advisable to provide a function to allow the list display screen  600  to operate with the screen  601 . For example, when the user selects the defect detection image  602  in the list display screen  600 , the detection results of a case in which the inspection parameter group corresponding to the selected defect detection image  602  (the parameter A is 2 and the parameter B is 2 in  FIG. 6 ) is applied to another image (each defect detection image taught as the correct answer at the step  208  for each image having the ID 000002 to ID 000006 in  FIG. 6 ) may be displayed in a frame  603 . The displayed contents in the frame  603  change in real time according to the position of the defect detection image  602  selected by the user and may be checked for the defect detection image of another image by a right-left scroll key  605 . Also, it is possible to register specific defect ID. 
     Meanwhile, an image  604  in  FIG. 6  is the same as the image  602 . Also, it is not necessary to always display the screen  601 , and this may be configured to be displayed only when necessary at any stage from the step  205  to the step  212 . Further, it is possible to configure such that when the user selects (for example, double clicks) the defect detection image  602  in the list display screen  600  as shown in  606  in  FIG. 6 , the detection results of other images displayed in the frame  603  are displayed in a spreading manner around the selected  602  as the center as shown in  606 . Of course, the display means is not limited to the example, and variously modified and improved display means may be applied. 
       FIG. 7  is a view for illustrating an example of displaying both of the defect image (images by secondary electron and images by backscattered electron detected by the secondary electron detector  122  and the backscattered electron detector  123  and displayed on the display means  117  through the controlling means  118  or the like) and the detection result (defect detection images calculated by the image processing means  119  and displayed as a list on the display means  117  through the controlling means  118 ) on the display image  117  (GUI). It is preferable to display the defect image and the detection result so as to be compared to each other in this manner, because this helps the user to teach the correct answer at the step  208 . As a display mode of the defect image and the detection result, as shown in  701  in  FIG. 7 , it is preferable that a defect image  702  and a detection result  703  are separately displayed or that the detection result (defect detection area) is translucently displayed and displayed so as to be overlaid with the defect image as in  704 . Especially, in the latter case, the positional relationship of both may be easily comprehended and this is effective when the user teaches the correct answer. Meanwhile, the overlay is not limited to translucent, and it is possible that only a contour of the defect detection area is extracted and overlaid, for example ( 705 ). Also, all of the detection results (defect detection images) may be displayed so as to be overlaid ( 706 ). In addition, it is possible to set whether overlaying is performed or not by ON or OFF of a button  707 . Further, as shown in  FIG. 8 , it is possible that only an image  801  on which the cursor is overlaid (or selected by the cursor) is displayed so as to be overlaid as described above in accordance with the motion of the cursor (arrow in the drawing). Further, it is also possible that all of the detection results are displayed so as to be overlaid and only the detection result of only the image on which the cursor is overlaid is displayed. The display method may take various modes as necessary. 
     Also, when displaying a list, since a lot of images are displayed at once without being overlaid, individual image becomes smaller and the visibility thereof becomes wrong. Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 9 , it may be configured such that when the cursor is put on one of the images of the detection results, the overlaid display of the image is displayed in an enlarged manner ( 901 ), displayed on another window  902 , or displayed on another screen  903 . 
     Further, for the same reason that the visibility becomes wrong when displaying the list, when the presence or absence of the detection is separately displayed by simple representation, the presence and absence of the detection is easily checked without directly looking at the image.  FIG. 10  shows an example to attach a character “OK”  1001  to the detected image on the list of the detection results to easily distinguish the same from the image, which is not detected. The portion “OK”  1001  may be a figure or a picture other than the character. Also, as indicated by  1002  and  1003  in the drawing, the portion may be displayed using another visual means such as by changing the color of the frame. 
     Next, as already described, a countermeasure against a case in which the defect detection areas (defect detection images) displayed as a list at the step  205  are not sufficiently extracted is herein described. The countermeasure against this case includes to add the inspection parameter as necessary and to perform the calculation process (S 205 ) with each defect detection parameter group including this parameter. The display means  117  (GUI) at that time may display the list display of the detection results with a plurality of columns and lines. Thereby, three or more parameters may be displayed in one screen.  FIG. 11  shows a screen display example in which list displays  1102  and  1103  of the parameter A (ParamA) and the parameter B (ParamB) are provided in two columns and a parameter C (ParamC)  1101  is further longitudinally provided. Thereby, the calculation result obtained by performing the calculation process (S 205 ) using each inspection parameter group composed of three inspection parameters may be displayed. 
     Also, another countermeasure includes changing the inspection parameter as needed (change to another inspection parameter).  FIG. 12  shows an example of displaying by changing an element of an axis. The drawing shows that the parameter B may be changed with a parameter E ( 1202 ) by dragging an icon  1201  displayed as the parameter E (ParamE) to the icon of the parameter B (ParamB). Thereby, the calculation results (detection results) when performing the calculation process using another inspection parameter group may be checked 
     Meanwhile, as described above, when not all of the inspection parameters are displayed in the drawing, it is advisable to configure to perform the calculation process using a predetermined value for a parameter other than the displayed inspection parameters and to check them in another window. 
     Also, as the display means for the inspection parameters, it is possible to display with a mode other than the list as described above.  FIG. 13  shows an example of displaying one of the inspection parameters using a slide bar. As shown in this drawing, when the slide bar of a parameter D (ParamD) is changed from  1301  to  1302 , the detection result  1303  accordingly changes in real time to a detection result  1304 . 
     Also, in a case of a parameter capable of taking only a binary value of ON and OFF as the parameter C (ParamC) in  FIG. 13 , it is possible to configure so as to simply set by arranging a button such as  1305  in the drawing. 
     Further, as another display method, various display means not limited to a plane display may be considered such as a stereoscopic display as shown in  1401  in FIG.  14  to three-dimensionally display by arranging a plurality of images, or the display on a surface of a sphere or a multilayer shell-like arrangement as shown in  1402 ,  1403  and  1404 . However, as property of a human, the arrangement more than two-dimension is significantly bad as a list and operation thereof becomes difficult. Therefore, the display method of two-dimension or less is desirable. 
     Meanwhile, although the example of displaying name and value of the inspection parameter group are displayed is shown in the display method, it is possible that the name and value of the inspection parameter are not displayed as shown in  FIG. 13 . This is because a complicated inspection parameter group may be easily set by performing the simple input process as described at the step  201  (S 201 ) to the step  213  (S 213 ) in  FIG. 2  in the present invention even when the detailed contents of each inspection parameter are not known. 
     In addition, when actually performing a setting operation of the inspection parameter group, the users have various learning levels. One user may advance without description, but another user may operate while checking the operation one by one. If the user should turn the pages of a manual or to check the procedure for each operation, the operation efficiency is lowered, so that it is useful to display the window and the chart to show what to do now and what to do next as necessary.  FIG. 16  shows an example of displaying such window and chart. The user may advance the operation efficiently by referring to a comment  1601  in the drawing. 
     Also, at the step  208  (S 208  in  FIG. 2 ), as an aid for the user to teach the correct answer, it is possible to configure to display ( FIG. 14 ,  1602 ) a classification result of an automatic defect image classification function (ADC) for each detection result, for example. Thereby, it is possible to give the user a determination criterion whether the detection result is correctly detected or not. 
     Meanwhile, the window and chart  1601  and the display  1602  of the classification result may be always displayed, or it is possible to provide a display/non-display button on the screen to select display/non-display by clicking the same. 
     Next, a setting method of the inspection parameter group of another embodiment (second embodiment) of the present invention is described.  FIG. 17  is a flowchart showing a setting method of the inspection parameter group in the second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the user does not teach the correct answer from the list display (step  208  in  FIG. 2 ), but manually specifies the correct portion. 
     First, as in the case of the step  201  (S 201 ), the image obtaining parameter for obtaining the image is set (S 1701 ). Next, as in the case of the step  202  (S 202 ), a plurality of images are obtained by the set image obtaining condition (S 1702 ). Next, m (m is a natural number) images to be used to tune the inspection parameter group are selected from obtained images (S 1703 ). The images may be selected as in the case of the step  203  (S 203 ). 
     Next, one image is first selected from the selected m images (S 1704 ), and the correct answer, that is to say, the defect area (place and shape of the defect) is taught from the image (S 1705 ).  FIG. 18  is a view for illustrating the teaching method, and display screens  1801  and  1802  show the GUI used for teaching the correct answer. Also,  1804  of an image  1803  indicates the defect of note. The correct answer is taught by enclosing the defect portion by the frame. For example, this is performed by providing means for drawing a circle and a square on the GUI to draw a figure so as to enclose the defect portion  1804 . In the display screen (GUI)  1801 , an example of teaching by a circle  1805  is shown. In this case, it is advisable that the circle  1805  is dragged by a cursor  1806  to near the defect, a size and shape of the circle  1805  are modified, and the circle  1805  is drawn so as to faithfully catch the defect portion as far as possible. The figure to enclose the defect is not limited to the circle and another figure such as a square, a hexagon, a concave polygon and a convex polygon may be used as far as this is a closed figure.  FIG. 18  shows an example of providing icons ( 1807  to  1809 ) to change the figure to be drawn by clicking. Herein, the figure to be drawn may be changed by clicking the icon of the desired figure. In the example shown in the drawing, the icon  1807  shows the circle, the icon  1808  shows the square, and the icon  1809  shows a free hand. As the input means when drawing, a pen input method or the like may be used in addition to the mouse and a track ball. Also, various other input means may be used. The display screen (GUI)  1802  indicates an example when inputting by free hand. In this case, the defect area of a defect portion  1814  in the image  1811  is directly drawn on the screen by input means  1812  ( 1813 ). Herein, as the input means  1812 , the input means such as a touch panel and a tablet for inputting by directly putting an exclusive pen on the GUI screen may be used. 
     Other than that, it is possible to configure to extract (automatically extract by a program of the controlling means  118 ) a defect portion  1824  by the image processing, by specifying the defect portion  1824  to be taught ( 1825 ,  1826 ), thereby selecting a more correct defect area  1827 . 
     Meanwhile, as indicated in the display screen  1802 , when there are a plurality of defect portions on the screen  1811 , a plurality of areas ( 1813 ,  1815 ) may be selected by drawing. After specifying (drawing) the area,  1816  is clicked to finish teaching the correct answer for the image. 
     Next, based on the teaching of the correct answer (specification of the place and shape of the defect portion), the effective inspection parameter group range is determined as in the case of the step  209  (S 209 ) (S 1706 ). That is to say, the effective parameter range (effective defect detection images) is determined by comparing each defect detection area of the images displayed as a list (each defect detection image) obtained by performing the calculation process to each predetermined inspection parameter group with the above-taught position and shape of the defect portion. Herein, when the effective inspection parameter group range may not be determined, each inspection parameter group is tuned (the inspection parameter is added and changed and the value is tuned) as in the case described at the step  207  (S 207 ) (S 1707 ), and the calculation process by the image processing means  119  at the step  1706  is performed again for the tuned parameter groups. Then, the effective inspection parameter group range is again determined for the detection results, which are the calculation results. The process is repeated until the effective inspection parameter group range is determined. Meanwhile, in the second embodiment, the user does not teach the correct answer from the list display of the calculation results as in the first embodiment and therefore, it is not necessarily required to display the list of the calculation results on the display means  117  (GUI). 
     The processes from the step  1704  (S 1704 ) to step  1707  (S 1707 ) are performed for all of the m images selected at the step  1703 . Then, it is judged whether the process is finished form images or not (S 1708 ). When there is an unprocessed image, the procedure returns back to the step  1704  (S 1704 ) to select one of the unprocessed images (S 1704 ) and repeats the processes from the step  1704  to the step  1707 . The process is repeated until the process is finished for all of the m images and when this is finished, the procedure proceeds to a next step  1709 . 
     Next, the inspection parameter group range is narrowed down based on the effective inspection parameter group range determined for each of m images (S 1709 ). This narrowing down may be performed as in the case of the step  211  (S 211 ). Next, it is judged whether further teaching using another image is necessary or not. When further teaching is necessary, the procedure returns back to the step  1703  to repeat the processes from the step  1703  to the step  1709  again. When teaching is not necessary, the procedure ends (S 1711 ). 
     The inspection parameter groups tuned (narrowed down) by the process are recorded and held in the recipe file as in the case of the first embodiment. The recipe file may be used when inspecting another wafer or the like. 
     Meanwhile, the narrowing down of the effective inspection parameter group range at the step  1709  may be performed in real time when the teaching of the correct answer of each image is finished without waiting for the teaching of the correct answer for all of the selected images (m images selected at the step  1703 ) (the same is true in the first embodiment). In this manner, it is possible to finish halfway when the result is excellent, so that it is possible to finish tuning the inspection parameter groups at an earlier step. Also, a representation technique shown in  FIGS. 6 to 10  may be similarly applied to this embodiment. For example, it may be configured to check the detection result of another image in real time while advancing the teaching of the correct answer. It may be configured to check the result by overlaying the defect image with the translucent image or a contour extracting image of the detection image, or to overlay display only the portion of the result on which the cursor is put (or other way around). It may be configured to display in an enlarged manner as needed, or to attach a mark excellent in visibility to the detected image. These techniques are effective in helping the visual comprehension to make the operation easier. 
     Although the embodiments of the present invention are described as above, the present invention is not limited to the defect inspection tool using the electron beam, and is applicable to the inspection tool using a light source such as light and an ion beam. Also, this is not limited to the parameter tuning of the defect detection, and this may be applied to another parameter tuning by separately providing a criterion of appropriate correct answer, such as length measurement and image classification. In addition, this may be used as a part of the processing operation of the saved image not only when actually inspecting the wafer. Further, the inspection tool of the present invention may be applied to various tools, for example, a microscope not using the electron beam as a probe, such as a review SEM, an inspection SEM, a length measuring SEM, a general-purpose SEM, a TEM, another optical microscope, an STM, and an AFM. 
     Meanwhile, the present invention is summarized as follows.
     1. A defect inspection tool, comprising:
       an image obtaining unit for obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen;   an image processing unit for performing a calculation process by using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the image obtaining unit; and   a parameter tuning unit for performing a process to determine an effective inspection parameter group from calculation results by the calculation process and narrowing down an inspection parameter group range by repeating the process for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining unit, wherein   a defect of the image obtained by the image obtaining unit is detected by using the inspection parameter group narrowed down by the parameter tuning unit.   
       2. A defect inspection tool, comprising:
       an image obtaining unit for obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen;   an image processing unit for performing a calculation process by using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the image obtaining unit to detect each defect detection image for each inspection parameter group;   a display unit for displaying a list of each defect detection image detected by the image processing unit;   an input unit for selectively inputting a defect detection image from each defect detection image displayed as a list on the display unit; and   a parameter tuning unit for performing a process to determine an effective inspection parameter group range from each defect detection image detected by the image processing unit based on the defect detection image selectively inputted by the input unit and narrowing down the inspection parameter group by repeating the process for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining unit, wherein   a defect of the image obtained by the image obtaining unit is detected by using the inspection parameter group narrowed down by the parameter tuning unit.   
       3. The defect inspection tool according to the item 2, wherein a determination process of the effective inspection parameter group range by the parameter tuning unit is a process to judge whether an area, a central coordinate, an aspect ratio and/or a concavo-convex shape of a defect detection area of each defect detection image displayed as a list are within predetermined ranges or not, based on the area, the central coordinate, the aspect ratio and/or the concavo-convex shape of the defect detection area of the defect detection image selectively inputted by the input unit, and to determine the inspection parameter group for the defect detection image having the defect detection area within the predetermined range to be within the effective range.   4. A defect inspection tool, comprising:
       an image obtaining unit for obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen;   an image processing unit for performing a calculation process using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the image obtaining unit to detect calculation results for each inspection parameter group;   an input unit for teaching a defect area included in the image based on the image obtained by the image obtaining unit; and   a parameter tuning unit for performing a process to determine an effective inspection parameter group range from the calculation results detected by the image processing unit based on the defect area taught by the input unit and narrowing down the inspection parameter group range by repeating the process for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining unit, wherein   a defect of the image obtained by the image obtaining unit is detected by using the inspection parameter group narrowed down by the parameter tuning unit.   
       5. The defect inspection tool according to the item 4, wherein a determining process of the effective inspection parameter group range by the parameter tuning unit is a process to judge whether an area, a central coordinate, an aspect ratio and/or a concavo-convex shape of a defect detection area of the calculation results for each inspection parameter group detected by the calculation process by the image processing unit are within predetermined ranges based on the area, the central coordinate, the aspect ratio and/or the concavo-convex shape of the defect area taught by the input unit, and to determine an inspection parameter group for the calculation result having the defect detection area within the predetermined range to be within the effective range.   6. The defect inspection tool according to the item 4 or 5, having a GUI for displaying the image obtained by the image obtaining unit, wherein
       the defect area is taught by the input unit by enclosing a defect portion included in the image displayed on the GUI by a figure drawn by the input unit, by drawing the defect area of the defect portion included in the image by the input unit, or by extracting the defect area of the defect portion included in the image by image processing.   
       7. The defect inspection tool according to any one of the items 1 to 6, wherein narrowing down of the inspection parameter groups by the parameter tuning unit is performed by overlaying the effective inspection parameter group ranges determined by the process for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining unit, respectively, and narrowing down the inspection parameter group range to a range on which the ranges are overlaid the most.   8. The defect inspection tool according to any one of the items 1 to 7, having a function for changing an inspection parameter, adding the inspection parameter, or tuning a value of the inspection parameter, of each inspection parameter group used when performing the calculation process in the image processing unit.   9. The defect inspection tool according to any one of the items 1 to 8, having a display unit for displaying a list of the calculation results obtained by the calculation process by the image processing unit, wherein the display unit is the GUI.   10. The defect inspection tool according to the item 2 or 3, wherein the display unit for displaying a list of each defect detection image being the calculation results obtained by the calculation process by the image processing unit is a GUI, and the defect detection image is selectively inputted by the input unit by using the GUI.   11. The defect inspection tool according to the item 9 or 10, wherein the GUI has a function for displaying or not displaying information regarding the inspection parameter group.   12. The defect inspection tool according to any one of the items 9 to 11, having a function for displaying specified or selected calculation result in an enlarged manner by specifying or selecting the calculation results displayed as a list on the GUI.   13. The defect inspection tool according to any one of the items 9 to 12, wherein the GUI has a function for synthesizing the image obtained by the image obtaining unit with the defect detection image being the calculation results obtained by performing the calculation process by the image processing unit based on the image to display.   14. The defect inspection tool according to the item 13, wherein the GUI has a function for selecting presence or absence of the synthesis.   15. The defect inspection tool according to any one of the items 9 to 14, wherein the GUI has a function for displaying a list of the calculation results obtained by performing the calculation process by the image processing unit based on the image obtained by the image obtaining unit and for simultaneously displaying the calculation result obtained by performing the calculation process by the image processing unit based on an image different from the image obtained by the image obtaining unit, and
       by selecting one of the calculation results displayed as a list using the GUI, the calculation result based on the simultaneously displayed different image is calculated by the image processing unit based on the different image by using the inspection parameter group corresponding to the selected calculation result and is changed with the calculation result obtained by the calculation process.   
       16. The defect inspection tool according to any one of the items 9 to 14, wherein the GUI for displaying a list of the calculation results obtained by the calculation process by the image processing unit based on the image obtained by the image obtaining unit has a function in which by selecting one calculation result from the list display by using the GUI, the calculation process is performed by the image processing unit for an image different from the image by using the inspection parameter group corresponding to the selected calculation result, and an obtained calculation result is displayed on the GUI.   17. A scanning electron microscope comprising the defect inspection tool according to the items 1 to 16.   18. A method of tuning an inspection parameter group used when detecting a defect in a defect inspection tool, comprising:
       an image obtaining step of obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen;   a step of performing a calculation process by using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the step;   a step of determining an effective inspection parameter group from calculation results by the calculation process; and   a step of narrowing down an inspection parameter group range by repeating the step of determining the effective inspection parameter group for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining step.   
       19. A method of tuning an inspection parameter group used when detecting a defect in a defect inspection tool, comprising:
       an image obtaining step of obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen;   a detecting step of performing a calculation process by using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the image obtaining step, and detecting each defect detection image for each inspection parameter group;   a displaying step of displaying a list of each defect detection image detected by the detecting step;   a selecting step of selecting one defect detection image from each of defect detection images displayed as a list;   a step of determining an effective inspection parameter group range from each defect detection image detected by the detecting step based on the selected defect detection image; and   a step of narrowing down the inspection parameter group by repeating the step for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining step.   
       20. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to the item 19, wherein the step of determining the effective inspection parameter group range is a step to judge whether an area, a central coordinate, an aspect ratio and/or a concavo-convex shape of a defect detection area of each defect detection image displayed as a list by the displaying step are within predetermined ranges based on the area, the central coordinate, the aspect ratio and/or the concavo-convex shape of the defect detection area of the defect detection image selected by the selecting step, and to determine that the inspection parameter group for the defect detection image having the defect detection area within the predetermined area to be within the effective range.   21. A method of tuning an inspection parameter group used when detecting a defect in a defect inspection tool, comprising:
       an image obtaining step of obtaining an image by applying an electron beam to a specimen;   a detecting step of performing a calculation process by using each predetermined inspection parameter group based on the image obtained by the image obtaining step to detect calculation results for each inspection parameter group;   a teaching step of teaching a defect area included in the image based on the image obtained by the image obtaining step;   a step of determining an effective inspection parameter group range from the calculation results detected by the detecting step based on the defect area taught by the teaching step; and   a step of narrowing down the inspection parameter group by repeating the step for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining step.   
       22. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to the item 21, wherein the step of determining the effective inspection parameter group range is a step of judging whether an area, a central coordinate, an aspect ratio and/or a concavo-convex shape of each defect detection area of the calculation results for each inspection parameter group detected by the detecting step are within predetermined ranges based on the area, the central coordinate, the aspect ratio and/or the concavo-convex shape of the defect area taught by the teaching step and of determining that the inspection parameter group for the calculation result having the defect detection area within the predetermined ranges to be within the effective range.   23. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to the item 21 or 22, wherein the teaching step is performed by drawing a figure enclosing a defect portion included in the image displayed on a GUI, by drawing the defect area of the defect portion included in the image, or by extracting the defect area of the defect portion included in the image by image processing, by using the GUI for displaying the image obtained by the image obtaining step.   24. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to any one of the items 18 to 23, wherein the step of narrowing down the inspection parameter groups is a step of overlaying effective inspection parameter group ranges determined by the step of determining the inspection parameter group range for a plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining step, respectively, and narrowing down the inspection parameter group range to a range on which the ranges are overlaid the most.   25. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to any one of the items 18 to 24, having steps of changing an inspection parameter, adding the inspection parameter, or tuning a value of the inspection parameter, of each inspection parameter group used when performing the calculation process, and performing the calculation process by using each inspection parameter group changed, added, and tuned by the steps, thereby determining again effective inspection parameter group from the obtained calculation results.   26. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to any one of the items 18 to 25, comprising a displaying step of displaying a list of the calculation results obtained by the calculation process by the GUI.   27. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to the item 19 or 20, wherein each defect detection image is displayed as a list in the displaying step by a GUI, and a step of selecting the defect detection image by the selecting step is performed by using the GUI.   28. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to the item 26 or 27, wherein when specifying or selecting the calculation result displayed as a list in the displaying step, the specified or selected calculation result is displayed in an enlarged manner.   29. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to any one of the items 26 to 28, having a step of selecting whether the image obtained by the image obtaining step is to be synthesized with each defect detection image being the calculation results obtained by performing the calculation process based on the image and the synthesized image is to be displayed by the GUI, and when displaying is selected at the step, the image and each defect detection image are synthesized with each other to be displayed.   30. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to any one of the items 26 to 29, wherein the list display by the GUI in the displaying step is to display the list of the calculation results obtained by performing the calculation process based on the image obtained by the image obtaining step and to simultaneously display the calculation result obtained by performing the calculation process based on an image different from the image obtained by the image obtaining step, and
       when one of the calculation results displayed as a list using the GUI is selected, the calculation result based on the simultaneously displayed different image is calculated based on the different image using the inspection parameter group corresponding to the selected calculation result, and is changed with the calculation result obtained by the calculation process.   
       31. The method of tuning the inspection parameter group according to any one of the items 26 to 29, wherein in the GUI for displaying a list of the calculation results obtained by the calculation process based on the image obtained by the image obtaining process, when one calculation result is selected from the list display by using the GUI, an image different from the image is calculated by the image processing unit using an inspection parameter group corresponding to the selected calculation result and an obtained calculation result is displayed.   

     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Description of reference numerals 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 100 
                 defect inspection tool 
               
               
                 101 
                 electron gun 
               
               
                 102 
                 lens 
               
               
                 103 
                 deflector 
               
               
                 104 
                 objective lens 
               
               
                 105 
                 specimen 
               
               
                 106 
                 specimen stage 
               
               
                 107 
                 electron beam 
               
               
                 108 
                 secondary electron 
               
               
                 109 
                 backscattered electron 
               
               
                 110 
                 lens control circuit 
               
               
                 111 
                 deflection control circuit 
               
               
                 112 
                 objective lens control circuit 
               
               
                 113 
                 analog/digital converter 
               
               
                 114 
                 address control circuit 
               
               
                 115 
                 image memory 
               
               
                 116 
                 mechanical control circuit 
               
               
                 117 
                 display means 
               
               
                 118 
                 controlling means 
               
               
                 119 
                 image processing means 
               
               
                 120 
                 input means 
               
               
                 122 
                 secondary electron detector 
               
               
                 123 
                 backscattered electron detector 
               
               
                 124 
                 motion stage 
               
               
                 307 
                 defect detection image 
               
               
                 308 
                 defect detection area 
               
               
                 309 
                 detection result 
               
               
                 310 
                 cursor 
               
               
                 401 
                 numerical value 
               
               
                 402 
                 defect detection image 
               
               
                 501 to 504 
                 range 
               
               
                 505 
                 screen 
               
               
                 506 
                 overlaid range 
               
               
                 600 
                 list display screen 
               
               
                 601 
                 list screen 
               
               
                 602 
                 defect detection image 
               
               
                 603 
                 frame 
               
               
                 605 
                 scroll key 
               
               
                 702 
                 defect image 
               
               
                 703 
                 detection result 
               
               
                 707 
                 button 
               
               
                 801 
                 image 
               
               
                 902 
                 another window 
               
               
                 903 
                 another screen 
               
               
                 1001  
                 character 
               
               
                 1102  
                 list display 
               
               
                 1103  
                 list display 
               
               
                 1201  
                 icon 
               
               
                 1303  
                 detection result 
               
               
                 1304  
                 detection result 
               
               
                 1601  
                 window and chart, comment 
               
               
                 1602  
                 display 
               
               
                 1801  
                 display screen 
               
               
                 1802  
                 display screen 
               
               
                 1803  
                 image 
               
               
                 1804  
                 defect portion 
               
               
                 1805  
                 circle 
               
               
                 1806  
                 cursor 
               
               
                 1807 to 1809 
                 icon 
               
               
                 1811  
                 image 
               
               
                 1812  
                 input means 
               
               
                 1814  
                 defect portion 
               
               
                 1824  
                 defect portion 
               
               
                 1827  
                 defect area