Macro inspection apparatus and microscopic inspection method

1. A macro inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface flatness of an inspection object, the apparatus comprising:

a stage on which the inspection object is placed;

a light source for irradiating light on an upper surface of the inspection object from an angular direction arbitrarily selected relative to the upper surface of the inspection object; and

a line sensor, placed in an angular position selected relative to the upper surface of the inspection object so that an optical axis thereof corresponds with an edge of the upper surface area irradiated by the light source, for receiving reflected light from the edge of the upper surface area, wherein when a pixel size of the line sensor is d, an optical magnification is M, a length of the optical axis is R, and a minimum regulatable angle is Δθ,

d/M ≦2 R sin(Δθ/2)

is satisfied.

2. The macro inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the upper surface area irradiated by the light source contains a linear shaped edge of a predetermined length.

3. The macro inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a linear shaped light source.

4. The macro inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises an optical system for forming an illuminated area containing a linear shaped edge of a predetermined length on the upper surface of the inspection object.

5. The macro inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the inspection object includes a thin film formed on a surface of a substrate.

6. The macro inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the stage comprises a mirror surface or a surface which absorbs incident light.

7. The macro inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an image processor for receiving an output signal of the line sensor and producing an image corresponding to the amount of reflected light received by the line sensor;

a light source drive system for varying the angle of the light source;

a line sensor drive system for varying the angle of the line sensor; and

a moving system for moving the stage.

8. A macro inspection method for inspecting a surface flatness of an inspection object by use of a light source and a line sensor, the method comprising:

setting the light source at an angle arbitrarily selected relative to an upper surface of the inspection object and irradiating light on the upper surface;

setting the line sensor at an angle selected relative to the upper surface of the inspection object so that an optical axis of the line sensor corresponds with an edge of the upper surface area irradiated by the light source; and

causing the line sensor set at the selected angle to receive reflected light from the edge of the upper surface area, wherein when a pixel size of the line sensor is d, an optical magnification is M, a length of the optical axis is R, and a minimum regulatable angle is Δθ,

d/M ≦2 R sin(Δθ/2)

is satisfied.

9. The macro inspection method according to claim 8 , wherein:

in the setting of the line sensor, the line sensor is set at an angle θ 1 at which specular reflection light from the upper surface of the inspection object can be received;

while the angle of the line sensor is varied every minimum control angle Δθ, the line sensor is moved until an angle θ 2 at which specular reflection light cannot be received is reached; and

the line sensor is returned to an angle (θ 2 −nΔθ) obtained by subtracting an angle nΔθ (n being any natural number) from the angle θ 2 .

10. The macro inspection method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

moving the inspection object so that the upper surface illumination area produced by the light source moves a predetermined distance, wherein the moving of the inspection object and the receiving of reflected light from the upper surface illumination area of the inspection object are alternately repeated until the measurement of the upper surface of the inspection object is completed.