Patent ID: 7664308

Claim:
A pattern inspection apparatus, comprising: an optical image acquiring unit configured to acquire optical image data of a target plate to be inspected, the target plate being formed as a pattern; a design image data generating unit configured to generate first design image data based on a first design pattern serving as a base of pattern formation of the target plate; and a comparing unit configured to compare the optical image data and the first design image data with each other; and a storing unit having stored therein a second design pattern, wherein the second design pattern was input into the pattern inspection apparatus in parallel with the first design pattern, said second design pattern includes a pattern obtained by transforming a pattern in said first design pattern into a predetermined shape, second design image data is generated based on said second design pattern in the pattern inspection apparatus, and in the comparing unit, said second design image data generated based on said second design pattern in the pattern inspection apparatus is further input, and the optical image data is compared with the second design image data in place of the first design image data.