Inspection apparatus for circuit pattern

Abstract

In a circuit pattern inspection apparatus, while an electron beam is irradiated onto a surface of a substrate having a plurality of chips where circuit patterns have been formed, a signal produced from the irradiated substrate is detected so as to form an image, and then, the formed image is compared with another image in order to detect a defect on the circuit patterns. Before the electron beam is irradiated onto either the chip or the plurality of chips so as to acquire the image for an inspection purpose, an electron beam is previously irradiated onto the region to be irradiated, so that charging conditions of the substrate to be inspected are arbitrarily controlled.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . A method for inspecting a sample using an image obtained by detection of secondary electron or reflected electron generated by an irradiation of focused electron beam,
 wherein said method includes steps of irradiating the sample in which a plurality of chip including a circuit pattern is two dimensionally arrayed with the focused electron beam while moving the sample continuously by stage, and detecting secondary electron or reflected electron, comprising:   carrying out a set of irradiation of said arrayed chip by a scanning line that is formed by scanning the focused electron beam to a direction crossing the moving direction of the stage;   wherein the carrying out of said set of irradiation of the focused electron beam further comprises steps of:
 a) pre-scanning of said the scanning line by which said image is not obtained; and 
 b) inspection scanning of said scanning line that is carried out after said pre-scanning, by which said image is obtained. 
   
   
   
       8 . A method for inspecting a sample, according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 moving an irradiating position of the focused electron beam to neighboring scanning line from present scanning line in a direction crossing to said present scanning line.   
   
   
       9 . A method for inspecting a sample, according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein at least one of an acceleration voltage and irradiation current amount of said electron beam is varied between said pre-scanning and said inspection scanning.   
   
   
       10 . A method for inspecting a sample, according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein a width of said scanning line is varied between said pre-scanning and said scanning for acquiring the image.   
   
   
       11 . A method for inspecting a sample, according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein said scanning line is overlapped with neighboring scanning line.   
   
   
       12 . An inspection apparatus for inspecting a plurality of chip or circuit pattern included in a sample with using an image obtained by detecting secondary electron or reflected electron that are generated by an irradiation of focused electron beam while moving the sample continuously in one direction, said plurality of chip is two dimensionally arrayed in said sample, comprising:
 a stage for moving the sample;   an electron-optical system for carrying out said irradiation of the focused electron beam and detection of the secondary electron or reflected electron, and   a controlling computer that controls said electron-optical system to carry out a set of irradiation of the focused electron beam to a column of said arrayed chip by a scanning line that is formed by scanning the focused electron beam to a direction crossing the moving direction of the stage,   wherein said set of irradiation of the focused electron beam includes:
 a) pre-scanning of said the scanning line by which said image is not obtained; and 
 b) inspection scanning of said scanning line that is carried out after said pre-scanning, by which said image is obtained. 
   
   
   
       13 . An inspection apparatus, according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an image operating unit that determines a defect candidate on said sample by the comparison of images.