Defect inspection apparatus, defect inspection method, and recording medium

1. A defect inspection apparatus comprising:

a stage on which a substrate including a plurality of shot regions having common design information and mutually different lithography conditions is placed, the plurality of shot regions including a first shot region, a second shot region, and a third shot region; and

a controller circuit configured to (i) perform a first comparison process between an image of the first shot region and an image of the second shot region, the first shot region and the second shot region being adjacent to each other, (ii) perform a second comparison process between the image of the second shot region and an image of the third shot region, wherein the third shot region is adjacent to the second shot region on a side opposite to the first shot region, (iii) specify a first actual pattern which corresponds to a location in the first shot region, the second shot region, and the third shot region at which a mismatch is determined to occur in the first comparison process and at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the second comparison process, (iv) specify a second actual pattern in the first shot region which corresponds to a design pattern identical to a design pattern corresponding to the first actual pattern, and which corresponds to a location in the first shot region, the second shot region, and the third shot region at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the first comparison process, and at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the second comparison process, (v) acquire an image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region and an image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region, (vi) either replace the image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region so as to generate a reference image, or replace the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region so as to generate the reference image, and (vii) compare the reference image and the image of the second shot region so as to perform a defect inspection of the second shot region.

2. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller circuit determines which of the first actual pattern and the second actual pattern is a correct pattern which does not generate an error, and either replaces the image the first actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region, or replaces the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region, based on a result of the determination so as to generate the reference image.

3. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein when the second actual pattern is the correct pattern, the controller circuit replaces the image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the second actual pattern so as to generate the reference image.

4. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein when the first actual pattern is the correct pattern, the controller circuit replaces the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the first actual pattern so as to generate the reference image.

5. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the controller circuit determines which of the first actual pattern and the second actual pattern is the correct pattern based on a number of first actual patterns, a number of second actual patterns, and a number of errors in the first comparison process and the second comparison process.

6. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the controller circuit determines that the second actual pattern is the correct pattern when the number of the first actual patterns is greater than the number of the second actual patterns and the number of errors in the first comparison process and the second comparison process is greater than a half of a number of patterns.

7. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the controller circuit determines that the second actual pattern is the correct pattern when the number of the first actual patterns is fewer than the number of the second actual patterns and the number of errors in the first comparison process and the second comparison process is fewer than a half of a number of patterns.

8. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the controller circuit determines that the first actual pattern is the correct pattern when the number of the first actual patterns is fewer than the number of the second actual patterns and the number of errors in the first comparison process and the second comparison process is greater than a half of a number of patterns.

9. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the controller circuit determines that the first actual pattern is the correct pattern when the number of the first actual patterns is greater than the number of the second actual patterns and the number of errors in the first comparison process and the second comparison process is fewer than a half of a number of patterns.

10. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the substrate, shot regions among the plurality of shot regions having different exposure dose amounts are arrayed side by side in a first direction, and shot regions among the plurality of shot regions having different focus values are arrayed side by side in a second direction, with a predetermined shot region among the plurality of shot regions as a center.

11. A defect inspection method comprising:

performing, by a controller circuit, for a first substrate including a plurality of shot regions having common design information and mutually different lithography conditions, the plurality of shot regions including a first shot region, a second shot region and a third shot region, a first comparison process between an image of the first shot region and an image of the second shot region, the first shot region and the second shot region being adjacent to each other;

performing, by the controller circuit, a second comparison process between the image of the second shot region and an image of the third shot region, wherein the third shot region is adjacent to the second shot region on a side opposite to the first shot region;

specifying, by the controller circuit, a first actual pattern which corresponds to a location in the first shot region, the second shot region, and the third shot region at which a mismatch is determined to occur in the first comparison process and at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the second comparison process;

specifying, by the controller circuit, a second actual pattern which corresponds to a design pattern identical to a design pattern corresponding to the first actual pattern, and which corresponds to a location in the first shot region, the second shot region, and the third shot region at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the first comparison process, and at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the second comparison process;

acquiring, by the controller circuit, an image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region and an image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region;

generating, by the controller circuit, a reference image by either (i) replacing the image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region, or (ii) replacing the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region; and

comparing, by the controller circuit, the reference image and the image of the second shot region so as to perform a defect inspection of the second shot region.

12. The defect inspection method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

correcting, by the controller circuit, mask data corresponding to one of the first actual pattern and the second actual pattern whose image is replaced in the first shot region to generate the reference image, based on a result of the defect inspection of the second shot region;

manufacturing a second substrate including a plurality of shot regions having common design information and mutually different lithography conditions using the corrected mask data, the plurality of shot regions included in the second substrate including a fourth shot region, a fifth shot region, and a sixth shot region;

performing, by the controller circuit, a third comparison between an image of the fourth shot region and an image of the fifth shot region, the fourth shot region and the fifth shot region being adjacent to each other in the second substrate;

performing, by the controller circuit, a fourth comparison between the image of the fifth shot region and an image of the sixth shot region, wherein the sixth shot region is adjacent to the fifth shot region on a side opposite to the fourth shot region;

specifying, by the controller circuit, a third actual pattern which corresponds to a location in the fourth shot region, the fifth shot region, and the sixth shot region at which a mismatch is determined to occur in the third comparison and at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the fourth comparison;

specifying, by the controller circuit, a fourth actual pattern which corresponds to a design pattern identical to a design pattern corresponding to the third actual pattern, and which corresponds to a location in the fourth shot region, the fifth shot region, and the sixth shot region at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the third comparison and at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the fourth comparison;

generating, by the controller circuit, a second reference image by either (i) replacing the image of the third actual pattern in the fourth shot region with the image of the fourth actual pattern in the fourth shot region or (ii) replacing the image of the fourth actual pattern in the fourth shot region with the image of the third actual pattern in the fourth shot region; and

comparing, by the controller circuit, the second reference image and the image of the fifth shot region so as to perform a defect inspection of the fifth shot region.

13. The defect inspection method according to claim 11 , wherein the generating the reference image of the first shot region includes:

determining, by the controller circuit, which of the first actual pattern and the second actual pattern is a correct pattern which does not generate an error;

replacing, by the controller circuit, the image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the second actual pattern when the second actual pattern is the correct pattern; and

replacing, by the controller circuit, the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the first actual pattern when the first actual pattern is the correct pattern.

14. The defect inspection method according to claim 13 , wherein the determining is based on a number of the first actual patterns, a number of the second actual patterns, and a number of errors in the first comparison process and the second comparison process.

15. The defect inspection method according to claim 14 , wherein the determining includes determining, by the controller circuit, that the second actual pattern is the correct pattern when the number of the first actual patterns is greater than the number of the second actual patterns and the number of errors in the first comparison process and the second comparison process is greater than a half of a number of patterns.

16. The defect inspection method according to claim 14 , wherein the determining includes determining, by the controller circuit, that the second actual pattern is the correct pattern when the number of the first actual patterns is fewer than the number of the second actual patterns and the number of errors in the first comparison process and the second comparison process is fewer than a half of a number of patterns.

17. The defect inspection method according to claim 14 , wherein the determining includes determining, by the controller circuit, that the first actual pattern is the correct pattern when the number of the first actual patterns is fewer than the number of the second actual patterns and the number of errors in the first comparison process and the second comparison process is greater than a half of a number of patterns.

18. The defect inspection method according to claim 14 , wherein the determining includes determining, by the controller circuit, that the first actual pattern is the correct pattern when the number of the first actual patterns is greater than the number of the second actual patterns and the number of errors in the first comparison process and the second comparison process is fewer than a half of a number of patterns.

19. A nontransitory computer readable recording medium in which a defect inspection program is recorded, the program being executable by a controller circuit of a defect inspection apparatus to control the controller circuit to execute functions comprising:

performing, in a first substrate including a plurality of shot regions having common design information and mutually different lithography conditions, the plurality of shot regions including a first shot region, a second shot region and a third shot region, a first comparison process between an image of the first shot region and an image of the second shot region, the first shot region and the second shot region being adjacent to each other;

performing a second comparison process between the image of the second shot region and an image of the third shot region, wherein the third shot region is adjacent to the second shot region on a side opposite to the first shot region;

specifying a first actual pattern which corresponds to a location in the first shot region, the second shot region, and the third shot region at which a mismatch is determined to occur in the first comparison process and at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the second comparison process;

specifying a second actual pattern which corresponds to a design pattern identical to a design pattern corresponding to the first actual pattern, and which corresponds to a location in the first shot region, the second shot region, and the third shot region at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the first comparison process, and at which a mismatch is not determined to occur in the second comparison process;

acquiring an image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region and an image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region;

generating a reference image by either (i) replacing the image of one of the first actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region, or (ii) replacing the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region; and

comparing the reference image and the image of the second shot region so as to perform a defect inspection of the second shot region.

20. The recording medium according to claim 19 , wherein the generating the reference image includes:

determining which of the first actual pattern and the second actual pattern is a correct pattern which does not generate an error;

replacing the image of the first actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the second actual pattern when the second actual pattern is the correct pattern; and

replacing the image of the second actual pattern in the first shot region with the image of the first actual pattern when the first actual pattern is the correct pattern.