Region-of-interest determination apparatus, observation tool or inspection tool, region-of-interest determination method, and observation method or inspection method using region-of-interest determination method

1. A region-of-interest determination apparatus comprising an image processor configured to:

calculate a degree of a defect based on at least a plurality of kinds of defect attribute information regarding defect data, the defect data including an image corresponding to a defect position detected on a specimen by inspection thereof or an image corresponding to a defect position predicted to be likely to develop a defect on the specimen, both images being obtained by imaging; and

extract the defect data of which the degree is higher than a predetermined level, and determine a region to be observed or inspected on the specimen based on the extracted defect data,

wherein at least one of said plurality of kinds of defect attribute information is pattern grouping information about the defect data.

2. The region-of-interest determination apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of kinds of defect attribute information is classification information about a defect type.

3. The region-of-interest determination apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of kinds of defect attribute information is information about a chip position of said defect on the specimen or information about an intra-chip position of said defect.

4. An observation apparatus or an inspection apparatus comprising:

the region-of-interest determination apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the image processor is further configured to acquire acquires an image corresponding to said defect position based on information about the determined region.

5. The observation apparatus or the inspection apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of said plurality of kinds of defect attribute information is classification information about a defect type.

6. The observation apparatus or the inspection apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of said plurality of kinds of defect attribute information is information about a chip position of said defect on the specimen or information about an intra-chip position of said defect.

7. The observation apparatus or the inspection apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the image processor is further configured to:

switch a process mode between a defect inspection process mode in which a defect inspection process is performed and a defect review process mode in which a defect review process is carried out; and

inspect the region is determined in the defect review process mode, the determined region in the defect inspection process mode.

8. An observation apparatus or an inspection apparatus comprising an image processor configured to:

calculate a degree of a defect based on at least a plurality of kinds of defect attribute information regarding defect data, the defect data including an image corresponding to a defect position detected on a specimen by inspection thereof or an image corresponding to a defect position predicted to be likely to develop a defect on the specimen, both images being obtained by imaging;

extract the defect data of which the degree is higher than a predetermined level, and determine a region to be observed or inspected on the specimen based on the extracted defect data;

acquire an image corresponding to said defect position based on information about the determined region; and

sample, based on the information about the region determined, the defect data from the defect position on the specimen or from the position predicted to be likely to develop the defect on the specimen.

9. A region-of-interest determination method comprising steps of:

calculating a degree of a defect based on at least a plurality of kinds of defect attribute information regarding defect data, the defect data including an image corresponding to a defect position detected on a specimen by inspection thereof or an image corresponding to a defect position predicted to be likely to develop a defect on the specimen, both images being obtained by imaging; and

extracting the defect data of which said degree is higher than a predetermined level, and determining a region to be observed or inspected on the specimen based on the extracted defect data,

wherein at least one of said plurality of kinds of defect attribute information is pattern grouping information about the defect data.

10. An observation method or an inspection method comprising the step of determining the region on the specimen using the region-of-interest determination method according to claim 9 , and observing or inspecting said determined region.

11. An observation method or an inspection method comprising the steps of:

determining the region on the specimen using the region-of-interest determination method according to claim 9 , and selecting a defect coordinate position from which to acquire image data based on information about said determined region; and

acquiring the image data from the selected defect coordinate position.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of said plurality of kinds of defect attribute information is classification information about a defect type.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of said plurality of kinds of defect attribute information is information about a chip position of said defect on the specimen or information about an intra-chip position of said defect.

14. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

sampling, based on the information about the region determined, defect data from the defect position on the specimen or from the position predicted to be likely to develop the defect on the specimen.

15. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

switching a process mode between a defect inspection process mode in which a defect inspection process is performed and a defect review process mode in which a defect review process is carried out; and

inspecting, after the determining the region in the defect review process mode, the determined region in the inspection process mode.