| abstract |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently remove a reflected light from an irregular circuit pattern edge by a simple spatial filter, and to accurately inspect a semiconductor wafer having an irregular circuit pattern such as a logic. An inspection method and an inspection apparatus are provided. A stage for mounting a wafer to be inspected is provided. , Light projecting optical system 2, and spatial filter 1 for blocking reflected light A light-collecting optical system 3 provided with a laser beam splitter 4; a beam splitter 4 for splitting a laser beam passing through the light-collecting optical system 3 into two at a predetermined light intensity ratio; a laser intensity monitor optical system 5; C An imaging optical system 6 having CD cameras 19A and 19B; Two one-dimensional CCD cameras 19A, 19 of the imaging optical system 6 An image processing unit 7 that processes the output of B to determine a defect; and two light receiving elements 16A and 16 of the laser intensity monitor optical system 5. A laser power control unit 8 for controlling the power of each of the laser light sources 10A and 10B of the light projecting optical system 2 based on the output of B is provided. Reflected light from an irregular circuit pattern edge such as a logic pattern is removed by a simple spatial filter, so that a defect on the circuit pattern can be detected with high accuracy. |