Patent ID: 7049589

Claim:
A pattern inspection method comprising: setting a measurement area length (L 2 ), when an inspection area length (L 1 ) of a line pattern formed on a substrate measures 1 μm or more, by assuming the inspection area length (L 1 ) multiplied by 0.5 or more to be the measurement area length (L 2 ) and, also by assuming that when the inspection area length (L 1 ) measures 0.5 μm or less, that the inspection area length (L 1 ) is equal to the measurement area length (L 2 ); and also by assuming that when the inspection area length (L 1 ) equals greater than 0.5 μm to less than 1 □m that the measurement area length (L 2 ) is 0.5 μm; measuring a plurality of edge positions and/or line widths on the line pattern in the measurement area length (L 2 ) using an ion beam based scanning microscope on the basis of two-dimensional distribution data information about a reflected electron intensity or a secondary electron intensity obtained by observing the line pattern; and calculating unevenness of the edge on the line pattern in the inspection area length (L 2 ), or calculating the line width, or calculating a variation in the line width from a measured result of a position of the edge or from the line width measured.