CIRCUIT PATTERN DEFECT DETECTION APPARATUS, CIRCUIT PATTERN DEFECT DETECTION METHOD, AND PROGRAM THEREFOR

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology capable of detecting a circuit pattern defect at a high S/N ratio.;SOLUTION: A photomask 116 is irradiated with a linearly polarized light polarized in the X-direction as illumination light, and reflected light thereof is detected through a polarizer through which linearly polarized light polarized in the Y-direction is transmitted. When a circuit pattern of the photomask 116 has defects, polarization state is changed at reflection time, to thereby generate an orthogonal linearly-polarized component. A defect is detected based on the generated polarized component. Since polarization change is reacted with sensitivity with a fine pattern, circuit pattern defects can be detected at a high S/N ratio.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT