Apparatus and method for inspecting pattern defect
View Patent ↗Provided is a pattern defect inspecting apparatus wherein inspection performance is stabilized. The defect inspecting apparatus, which has a plurality of configuration units and inspects defects on the surface of a sample, is provided with a means for monitoring time-dependent changes and failures of some of or all of the configuration units, and a means for notifying the user of the results of the monitoring. Furthermore, a unit which can perform correction is provided with a correcting means, and also a means for replacing a failure component with a spare component which has been prepared in the device.
1. A defect inspection apparatus to inspect for a defect on a surface of a sample, the defect inspection apparatus comprising:
a plurality of configuration units including a detector and a light irradiation system to output a standard light;
a status monitoring system to monitor a time dependent change of the performance of the detector by comparing a luminance of the standard light that the detector detects with a predetermined luminance; and
a notification system to receive and display a result of the status monitoring system for each of the plurality of configuration units and including a system to process a signal output from the detector.
2. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , further including;
an observation system which acquires at least one of dark field image and a bright field image; and
an illumination system for the observation system.
3. A defect inspection apparatus to inspect for a defect on a surface of a sample, the defect inspection apparatus comprising:
a plurality of configuration units including a signal processing circuit;
a status monitoring unit to monitor a time dependent change of the performance of the signal processing circuit wherein the status monitoring unit for monitoring the signal processing circuit is a substrate in which test data for performing an operation test on the signal processing circuit is stored; and
a notification system to receive and display a result of the status monitoring unit for each of the plurality of configuration units.
4. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 3 , further including;
an observation system which acquires at least one of dark field image and a bright field image; and
an illumination system for the observation system.
5. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a signal switching system for switching a signal path to a normal signal processing circuit from a malfunctioning signal processing circuit.
6. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a system for replacing the malfunctioning signal processing circuit without stopping an electric supply to the signal processing circuit.