Patent Publication Number: US-8976347-B2

Title: Inspection apparatus

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2012/069787, filed on Aug. 3, 2012, which in turn claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2011-169731, filed on Aug. 3, 2011, the disclosures of which Applications are incorporated by reference herein. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus that detects a so-called defect such as a scratch and a foreign matter on a substrate, and an inspection method. The present invention relates to a surface foreign matter inspection apparatus that detects, for example, a fine defect on a so-called bare wafer, and a surface inspection method. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In production lines for semiconductor substrates, thin film substrates, and the like, inspections of defects that are present on surfaces of the semiconductor substrates, the thin film substrates, and the like are performed so as to maintain and improve the product yield rate. PTL 1 discloses such a surface inspection apparatus in which a sample surface is irradiated with collected illumination light and light which is scattered due to surface roughness and the defect is detected. PTL 2 discloses another inspection apparatus. PTL 3 discloses yet another technique. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     [PTL 1] JP-A-2005-3447 
     [PTL 2] JP-A-2010-99095 
     [PTL 3] JP-A-11-251663 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     Light that is scattered by a defect on a wafer is very weak, and a photomultiplier tube (PMT) and a multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC) are used as detection methods for measuring the weak light with high speed and sensitivity. The above-described detection methods have a function of photoelectronically converting the weak light and multiplying an electron, but have a problem in that a signal light is lost and a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio is reduced because the quantum efficiency of the photoelectron conversion is as low as 50% or less. 
     Solution to Problem 
     The present invention focuses on an optical amplification in which direct light is amplified prior to the photoelectron conversion. The optical amplification is an amplification method in which the signal light and light of pump light are introduced into a rare-earth doped fiber, a stimulated emission is caused, and the signal light is amplified. In the present invention, the optical amplification is used. 
     Also, in the present invention, the amplification factor is changed according to various conditions. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the present invention, the inspection can be performed with a high S/N ratio. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an inspection apparatus according to Embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 2  is a layout view of a detection optical system. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram about an S/N ratio and an inspection position according to Embodiment 3. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an inspection apparatus according to Embodiment 4. 
         FIG. 5  is an example of an enlarged view of a detection optical system according to Embodiment 4. 
         FIG. 6  is another example of an enlarged view of a detection optical system according to Embodiment 5. 
         FIG. 7  is an example of an overall fiber view according to Embodiment 6. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of an inspection apparatus according to Embodiment 7. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view of an inspection apparatus according to Embodiment 8. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram illustrating a synchronization adjustment in Embodiment 8. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic view of an inspection apparatus of Embodiment 9. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating a synchronization adjustment in Embodiment 9. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described referring to the accompanying drawings. 
     Embodiment 1 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an inspection apparatus according to Embodiment 1 that includes, as shown in  FIG. 1 , an illumination light source  1 , a stage  101 , a pump light  2  that optically amplifies scattered light, an interference filter  7 , a rare-earth doped optical fiber  4 , a detector  3  that detects the amplified light, and a signal processing unit  105 . A stage driving unit  102  has a rotary driving unit  111  that rotates the stage  101  about an axis of rotation, a vertical driving unit  112  that moves in a vertical direction, and a slide driving unit  113  that moves a sample in a radial direction. Also, as control units, an overall control unit  106  and a mechanical control unit  107  that perform various controls, which will be described later, are provided. In addition, an information display unit  108 , an input operation unit  109 , a storage unit  110  that stores various pieces of information and the like are provided. 
     The stage  101  supports a sample  100  such as a wafer. The stage  101  is horizontally moved by the slide driving unit  113  while being rotated by the rotary driving unit  111  so that illumination light relatively scans the sample  100  in a spiral shape. Accordingly, the light that is scattered by an unevenness of a sample surface is continuously generated, and the scattered light caused by defects is generated in a pulsed manner. In a surface inspection apparatus that detects the defect on the wafer, a shot noise of the light that is continuously generated is a noise component. In this embodiment, rotation and translation stages are used in the description, but a two-axis translation stage may be used. 
     The optical amplification in this embodiment will be described. The sample  100  is irradiated with the light from the illumination light source  1  the light that is scattered, diffracted, or reflected by the defect that is present on the sample surface or in an inner portion in the vicinity of the surface and on the sample surface is collected by a detection optical system  116  to be introduced into the rare-earth doped optical fiber  4 . 
     The pump light  2  generates light whose wavelength is shorter than that of light generated by the illumination light source  1 . When the light of the pump light  2  is incident on the rare-earth doped optical fiber  4  via a fiber coupler  5 , an electronic state of a rare-earth ion that is added is excited from a ground state to an excited state and a population inversion state is formed. When a signal light is incident in this case, the rare-earth ion in the excited state causes a stimulated emission and the signal light is amplified. Then, the amplified light is incident on the detector  3  that performs a photoelectron conversion by a coupling optical system  6 . In general, a photodetector performs detection through electron amplification after a photoelectron conversion. However, such a method has problems in that quantum efficiency on a photoelectron conversion surface is low and a weak current prior to the electrical amplification using a preamplifier or the like is likely to be subject to an effect caused by an electric field and a magnetic field. In contrast, the optical amplification in this embodiment has an advantage of being free from such problems because direct light is amplified before a photoelectron conversion is performed. 
     In a case where the illumination light source  1  is a continuous oscillation laser, a continuous emission lamp and diode laser are suitable for the pump light  2  because of they are inexpensive. When the lamp is used as the pump light  2 , a band-pass filter such as the interference filter  7  may be used to take a wavelength suitable for an excitation of a rare earth. Using the diode laser, there are advantages of stability and a long service life. 
     Next, an optical relationship between an illumination optical system, the detection optical system, and the rare-earth doped optical fiber will be described referring to  FIG. 2 . 
     In this embodiment, the light from illumination light  201  forms an elongated and elliptically shaped illumination spot  202  on the sample  100 . The detection optical system  116  that has an optical element such as a lens is arranged to have an azimuth φ of 90° with respect to a longitudinal direction of the illumination spot  202  as shown in  FIG. 2(   a ) and to have an angle of elevation of χ with respect to the sample  100  as shown in  FIG. 2(   b ). Herein, assuming that a diameter of the illumination spot  202  is R (in this embodiment, a length of a long axis is R), a numerical aperture of the rare-earth doped optical fiber is NA′, and a core diameter of the rare-earth doped optical fiber is R′, it is preferable that NA of the detection optical system  116  substantially satisfy the following relationship. 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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     In this embodiment, a plurality of the detection optical systems may be arranged as shown with a detection optical system  117  in  FIG. 2(   a ). In other words, in this embodiment, the number of sensors is not limited as shown in  FIG. 2(   a ), and two or more detection optical systems may be arranged such that at least ones of the azimuths φ from the illumination spot  202  and the angles of elevation χ are different from each other. The azimuth and the angle of elevation at which the scattered light from the defect is scattered vary depending on the type and property of the defect, and thus this allows a high-sensitivity detection of the various defects. The illumination spot  202  may have an elliptical shape as shown in the drawing or may have a circular shape. 
     The light that is amplified in this manner is imaged in the detector  3  through a lens  6  of  FIG. 1 . A detection result of the detector  3  is sent to the signal processing unit  105  and is compared with a threshold. A detection result that exceeds the threshold is determined to be a defect. The defect that is determined in the signal processing unit  105  is associated with a coordinate on the sample in the sample  100  and is transmitted to the overall control unit  106  and, in addition, is accommodated in the storage unit  110 . Information with respect to the defect that is accommodated in the storage unit  110  is appropriately read and is displayed in the information display unit  108  in a form which is easy for an operator to view. 
     As above, with the inspection apparatus of this embodiment, an inspection can be performed with an S/N ratio higher than in the related art. 
     Embodiment 2 
     Next, Embodiment 2 will be described referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 . The description of Embodiment 2 will focus on differences thereof from Embodiment 1. This embodiment is a method for further increasing the S/N ratio during the detection of the defect. 
     As described above, the azimuth and the angle of elevation at which the scattered light from the defect is scattered vary depending on the type and property of the defect. Also, there is a case where the size of the scattered light from the unevenness of the sample surface is varied by a detection direction with respect to an incidence direction of the light from the illumination light source. In other words, the S/N ratio during the detection of the defect changes in association with the defect to be detected, the illumination direction, the detection direction, and the like. 
     In this embodiment, the plurality of detection optical systems  116  and  117 , the rare-earth doped optical fibers  4  and  206  corresponding thereto, and the detector corresponding thereto are provided as shown in  FIG. 2(   a ), and the detection result thereof is added. More specifically, the addition method is a weighted addition for further increasing (for example, maximizing) the total S/N ratio. In addition, in this embodiment, each of the plurality of detection optical systems  116  and  117  is provided with the pump light  2  of  FIG. 1  and the intensity of the light of the pump light  2  is changed during the weighted addition so that an amplification factor of each of the detection optical systems  116  and  117  is changed and the weighting is optically performed. In this manner, the S/N ratio can be further increased when the defect is further detected. 
     Embodiment 3 
     Next, Embodiment 3 will be described referring to  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 3(   a ) is a diagram showing a relationship between the S/N ratio and an inspection position of the sample  100 . There is a case where the S/N ratio varies depending on a surface state of the substrate. Also, in a case where the number of rotations at which the sample is rotated is fixed, the time of the optical irradiation differs in a central portion and an outer circumferential portion of the sample  100 , and thus the S/N ratio depends on the inspection position (in particular, the radius r from the center of the sample). As such, it is preferable that the amplification factor vary depending on the inspection position. In this embodiment, the amplification factor of the optical amplification varies depending on the inspection position (for example, the radius r from the center of the sample). 
     This embodiment will be described more specifically. In a case where the number of rotations of the stage  101  of  FIG. 1  is fixed, the time of the optical irradiation differs in the central portion and the outer circumferential portion of the sample  100 , and thus the S/N ratio depends on the inspection position. Herein, assuming the scattered light caused by surface roughness is N, a shot noise thereof is 
     √{square root over (N)} 
     and thus the S/N ratio of the inspection apparatus is expressed as 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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     In addition, the time of the irradiation in a unit area is in proportion to the radius r, and thus the S/N ratio is expressed as 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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     and is changed as shown in  FIG. 3(   a ). 
     In this embodiment, the intensity of the light of the pump light  2  is changed to render the S/N ratio uniform, and the amplification factor of the optical amplification is changed depending on 
     √{square root over (r)} 
     as shown in  FIG. 3(   b ). In this manner, the S/N ratio can be further increased than in the related art, and sensitivity variations depending on the inspection position can be removed. 
     Embodiment 4 
     Next, Embodiment 4 will be described. This embodiment is characterized mainly by using an inclined rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle whose end surface is inclined. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view of this embodiment. In this embodiment, a wide area on the sample  100  is irradiated with the illumination light source  1  so as to shorten the time of the inspection, and the inspection is performed by using a detector with a plurality of pixels. 
     The light that is generated from the sample (including reflected light, diffracted light, scattered light, and the like) is collected by the detection optical system  116 , and is imaged on a surface of an inclined rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  505  whose end surface is obliquely cut and polished. The light that is imaged is introduced into a fiber bundle. Herein, the fiber bundle means a plurality of fibers that are bundled. 
     The light of pump light  502  is reflected by a dichroic mirror  501  in the middle of the detection optical system  116  (for example, between two lenses), and is introduced into the inclined rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  505 . The light that is amplified in the inclined rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  505  is detected by a plural pixel detector  507 . 
     In this case, a micro lens  506  may be used so that the light can be introduced with high efficiency. Also, each of the fibers may be arranged to correspond to each of the pixels of the plural pixel detector  507 . The light of the plurality of fibers may be introduced into one of the pixels of the plural pixel detector  507 . 
     Next, an advantage of using the inclined rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  505  will be described. 
       FIG. 5(   a ) is a view showing an object surface  508  and an image surface  509  in a case where the scattered light is detected obliquely with respect to the sample  100 . During the oblique detection, the image surface  509  is inclined by the same amount as the inclination (detected angle of elevation) χ of the object surface  508 . In other words, blur occurs at both ends of the image surface. In contrast, in this embodiment, the inclined rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  505  that is cut and polished with, for example, the inclination χ to match the inclination χ of the image surface  509  is arranged as shown in  FIG. 5(   b ). In this manner, each light on an imaging surface can be accurately collected while the inclination of the object surface  508  is removed. In addition, a rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  510  in which each fiber is arranged in a stair shape to match the inclination χ may be used instead of the inclined rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  505  as shown in  FIG. 5(   c ). In other words, the shape of a fiber bundle end surface not to be subject to an effect caused by the inclination of the object surface  508  may not be strictly inclined and a substantially inclined surface may be formed. 
     Embodiment 5 
     Next, Embodiment 5 will be described. In Embodiment 5, a rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle whose cross section is vertically cut is used to achieve the same effect as Embodiment 4. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a case where a rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  602  that is vertically cut is disposed. In  FIG. 6(   a ), the oblique detection is performed at the detected angle of elevation χ with respect to the object surface  508  as in the case of Embodiment 4. In  FIG. 6(   a ), a micro mirror  603  is arranged obliquely with respect to an inclined axis  6000  of the detection optical system  116  on the imaging surface that is formed by the detection optical system  116 . A reflection film and glass are alternately deposited in the micro mirror  603 , and each light on an image surface thereof is reflected by the reflection film of the micro mirror  603 . A micro lens  6031  is present on an emission side of the micro mirror  603 , and the light is efficiently coupled with the rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  602  by the micro lens  6031 . The micro lens can make a sufficient end surface by photolithography. 
     In  FIG. 6(   b ), a micro prism  604  is arranged on the imaging surface that can be formed by the detection optical system  116 , and this also has the micro lens  6031  on an emission surface. Each light on the image surface is reflected by the micro prism  604 , and is coupled with the rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  602  by the micro lens  6031 . 
     Assuming NA of the detection optical system, NA′ as the numerical aperture of the rare-earth doped optical fiber, R′ as the core diameter of the rare-earth doped optical fiber, and n as the number of pixels, the size d per pixel on the sample  100  is expressed as 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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     Embodiment 6 
     Next, Embodiment 6 will be described. In Embodiment 6, the amplification factor in Embodiment 4 is controlled in further detail. 
     With regard to Embodiment 4, there is a possibility that an optical path difference ΔL is generated by the inclination of the inclined rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  505  and the amplification factor is slightly different. However, when compared to the length of the fiber, ΔL is sufficiently small, and the difference in the amplification factor can be neglected. However, it is preferable that there be no difference in the amplification factor. 
     In this embodiment, an adjusted rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  704  in which the total length of each fiber is adjusted to offset an effect caused by the optical path difference ΔL is used as shown in  FIG. 7 . More specifically, each light on the image surface  509  is incident on the adjusted rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle  704  that is fixed by a fixing tool  702 . Herein, the length of a fiber  7031  is adjusted to a length at which the effect caused by the optical path difference ΔL is removed. As such, the light that passes through the fiber  7031  is not subject to the effect caused by the optical path difference ΔL. This is the same with regard to other fibers  7032  to  7035 . In other words, the fibers  7031  to  7035  have the length at which the effect caused by the optical path difference ΔL is removed, and the length of each can be expressed to be different from the others. End surfaces of the fibers  7031  to  7035  are aligned by a fixing unit  701  such that there is no optical path difference. The emitted light that is emitted is detected by the plural pixel detector  507  via the micro lens  506 . 
     Herein, a multi-channel PMT with a small dark current, a CCD, an electron multiplying CCD (EMCCD), and an electron bombardment CCD (EB-CCD) with a high pixel number are suitable as the detector with the plurality of pixels. 
     Herein, in a case where the multi-channel PMT in which the size per pixel of the detector is larger when compared to a CCD camera or the like is used, there is a case where a magnifying optical system with a magnification factor of at least ten is required and a large space is required. In addition, in a case where the magnifying optical system is required, the detection optical system approaches the sample  100 , and thus there is a case where a numerical aperture of a detection lens cannot be sufficient depending on the angle of elevation χ. According to this embodiment, the light of each fiber can be introduced to a corresponding channel with a free gap at the fiber bundle end even in a case where the detector whose size per pixel is large is used, and there is an advantage that a special optical system such as the magnifying optical system is not required. 
     Embodiment 7 
     Next, Embodiment 7 will be described. In a case where the above-described illumination light source  1  and pump light  2  are a pulse oscillation laser, there is a case where natural radiation caused by the light of the pump light  2  occurs to become a noise for which a desired S/N ratio is not obtained if the light (reflected light, diffracted light, scattered light, and the like) caused by the radiation of the illumination light source  1  and the light of the pump light  2  are not temporally synchronized in the rare-earth doped optical fiber. With this embodiment, the problem is solved. This embodiment is characterized by including a synchronization unit that temporally synchronizes the scattered light caused by the radiation of the illumination light source  1  with the light of the pump light  2  in the rare-earth doped optical fiber. 
       FIG. 8  is a view illustrating this embodiment. The sample  100  is irradiated with pulsed light from the illumination light source  1  (in this embodiment, a pulse oscillation laser light source). The light (reflected light, diffracted light, scattered light, and the like) caused by the radiation of the illumination light source  1  is collected by the detection optical system  116  that has the lens or the like. The light that is collected is incident on the rare-earth doped optical fiber  4 . In contrast, the pulsed light from the pump light  2  (in this embodiment, the pulse oscillation laser light source) is reflected by a mirror  802  and then is incident on a synchronization unit  808 . The synchronization unit  808  has, for example, two mirrors  803  and  804  and a driving mechanism  810  such as a stage that changes positions (may be referred to as optical path lengths) thereof. In the synchronization unit  808 , the mirrors  803  and  804  can be moved as shown with an arrow  806 , and an optical distance of the pulsed light from the pump light  2  can be changed. The pulsed light that passes through a path whose optical distance is changed is reflected by a mirror  805  and is incident on the rare-earth doped optical fiber  4 . By changing the optical distance of the pulsed light from the pump light  2  in this manner, the moment when the pulsed light from the pump light  2  is incident on the rare-earth doped optical fiber  4  can be changed. In other words, the light (reflected light, diffracted light, scattered light, and the like) caused by the radiation of the illumination light source  1  and the light of the pump light  2  can be synchronized when incident on the rare-earth doped optical fiber. 
     During the inspection, the synchronization can be sufficiently achieved by obtaining a time difference between when the light (reflected light, diffracted light, scattered light, and the like) caused by the radiation of the illumination light source  1  and the light of the pump light  2  are incident on the rare-earth doped optical fiber in advance. 
     In this embodiment, oscillation frequencies may be different, but emission in the same oscillation period is preferable for the S/N ratio. Also, the light may be guided simultaneously in the fibers by electrically delaying an oscillation of any one of the fibers without using the stage for optical path length adjustment. 
     Embodiment 8 
     Next, Embodiment 8 will be described. This embodiment is characterized by the illumination light source  1  being the pulse oscillation laser light source and the pump light  2  being a continuous emission light source, and further including an optical intensity modulator  901  that intensity-modulates light of an excitation light source. 
       FIG. 9  is a view illustrating this embodiment. This embodiment has the same configuration as Embodiment 7 except that the illumination light source  1  is the pulse oscillation laser light source and the pump light  2  is the continuous emission light source, and this embodiment further includes the optical intensity modulator  901  that optically intensity-modulates the light of the excitation light source. 
       FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating a timing adjustment at a time when the optical intensity of the pump light  2  is adjusted by using the optical intensity modulator. The illumination light source  1  emits pulsed light that has a Gaussian profile with a time interval ΔTa and a peak intensity Ia as shown in  FIG. 10(   a ). On the other hand, the pump light  2  is the continuous emission light source, and emits continuous oscillation light that has a fixed intensity Ib at any moment as shown in  FIG. 10(   b ). In this embodiment, the optical intensity modulator  901  converts the waveform shown in  FIG. 10(   b ) to the waveform shown in  FIG. 10(   c ). More specifically, the optical intensity modulator  901  converts a waveform of the pump light  2  to continuous pulsed light, converts the intensity Ib to an intensity Ic (preferably, an intensity at which the stimulated emission of the rare-earth ion is performed efficiently), and causes the moments of generation of the peak intensity in the rare-earth doped optical fiber to coincide with each other. In addition, the time interval is ΔTc (=ΔTa). In this manner, the temporal synchronization in the rare-earth doped optical fiber can be achieved even in a case where the illumination light source  1  is the pulse oscillation laser light source and the pump light  2  is the continuous emission light source. A chopper may be used as a modulator. 
     Embodiment 9 
     Next, Embodiment 9 will be described. This embodiment is characterized by the illumination light source  1  being the pulse oscillation laser light source and the pump light  2  being the continuous emission light source, and further including a processing unit that electrically synchronizes at least one of the moment and time of generation of the continuous oscillation light of the pump light  2  with at least one of the moment and time of generation of a pulse signal of the illumination light source  1 , and an MPPC that is an example of a detector which is capable of high-speed response. Except for this, this embodiment has the same configuration as Embodiment 1. This embodiment is particularly effective in a case where a detector (for example, the MPPC) that is capable of relatively higher-speed response compared to other detectors is used. 
     This embodiment will be described referring to  FIG. 11 , and the same description as in the other embodiments will be omitted. When pulsed light P 1  is emitted from the illumination light source  1 , a generation timing signal showing a moment of generation T 1  thereof is sent from the illumination light source  1  to a synchronization unit  103  (arrows  1101  and  1102 ). Herein, in the synchronization unit  103 , a detection timing signal showing a moment of detection of the pulsed light P 1  by an MPPC  301  can also be detected (arrow  1106 ). T 1  that is detected in the synchronization unit  103  is sent to the signal processing unit  105  (arrow  1103 ) with a delay signal and a continuation signal which can be arbitrarily changed. In the signal processing unit  105 , T 1 , the delay signal, and the continuation signal are used to perform a calculation so that a moment and time of synchronization between excitation light from the pump light  2  and the scattered light from the sample  100  in the rare-earth doped optical fiber  4  are obtained. The moment and the time that are calculated in the signal processing unit  105  are transmitted to the pump light  2  (arrows  1104  and  1105 ) through the overall control unit  106 . Then, the pump light  2  oscillates the continuous oscillation light at the moment and time calculated in the signal processing unit  105 . 
     A further detailed description of this embodiment will be made referring to  FIG. 12 .  FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating timings at which the pulsed light from the illumination light source  1  and the light from the pump light  2  of this embodiment are generated. In this embodiment, the time of generation of the continuous oscillation light from the pump light is the full width at half maximum of the pulsed light from the illumination light source  1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 12(   a ), the pulsed light P 1  from the illumination light source  2  is expressed as a Gaussian profile with the peak intensity Ia and the moment of generation T 1 . As shown in  FIG. 12(   b ), scattered light S 1  that is generated from the sample  100  by the illumination of P 1  is guided to the rare-earth doped optical fiber  4  with a delay of the amount of ΔT 1  from T 1 . Herein, as shown in  FIG. 12(   c ), S 1  is further guided by the amount of ΔT 2  while the light from the pump light  2  is guided to the rare-earth doped optical fiber  4 . In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 12(   d ), continuous oscillation light C 1  is generated from the pump light  2  at a moment which is the half width at half maximum ΔT Ia/2 /2 of P 1  earlier than the moment T 1 +ΔT 1 . In other words, the moment when the continuous oscillation light C 1  is generated is T 1 +ΔT 1 −ΔT Ia/2 /2. In this manner, as shown in  FIG. 12(   e ), C 1  can be synchronized with S 1  in a rare-earth fiber. More specifically, the center of the profile of C 1  matches the moment of guiding of the peak intensity of S 1 , and the time of generation of C 1  is the full width at half maximum ΔT Ia/2  of the pulsed light from the illumination light source  1 . These calculations are performed by the synchronization unit  103  and the signal processing unit  105 , and ΔT 1 , ΔT 2 , and the like are the above-described delay time and the full width at half maximum ΔT Ia/2  is the continuation time. 
     Waveforms of P 1 , S 1 , and C 1  described above can be sufficiently obtained by an optical simulation, a prior actual measurement using a photoelectron conversion element such as a photodiode, and the like. 
     The moment and time of generation of C 1  can be arbitrarily changed, and the full width at half maximum can be the full width at half maximum of the scattered light S 1 . 
     In the above description of Embodiments 1 to 9, a semiconductor wafer is used as the sample. However, an inspection target of the inspection method and the inspection apparatus is not limited to the semiconductor wafer. The inspection target can also be applied to an inspection of substrates of a hard disk, a liquid crystal panel, a solar power panel, and the like. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
           1  Illumination light source 
           2 ,  502  Pump light 
           3  Detector 
           4 ,  206  Rare-earth doped optical fiber 
           5  Fiber coupler 
           6  Coupling optical system 
           7  Interference filter 
           100  Sample 
           101  Stage 
           102  Stage driving unit 
           103  Synchronization unit 
           105  Signal processing unit 
           106  Overall control unit 
           107  Mechanical control unit 
           108  Information display unit 
           109  Input operation unit 
           110  Storage unit 
           111  Rotary driving unit 
           112  Vertical driving unit 
           113  Slide driving unit 
           116  Detection optical system 
           201  Illumination light 
           202  Illumination spot 
           301  MPPC 
           501  Dichroic mirror 
           505  Inclined rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle 
           506  Micro lens 
           507  Plural pixel detector 
           508  Object surface 
           509  Image surface 
           510  Step-shaped rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle 
           602  Rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle 
           603  Micro mirror 
           604  Micro prism 
           701  Fixing unit 
           704  Adjusted rare-earth doped optical fiber bundle 
           7031  Fiber