DEFECT-INSPECTING METHOD OF GRAY TONE MASK, DEFECT- INSPECTING APPARATUS, AND DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PHOTOMASK

摘要

PPROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and an apparatus for quickly and accurately inspecting defects in a gray tone mask having a light-shielding section, a light transmission section, and a gray tone section. PSOLUTION: In the defect inspection method for the gray tone mask having the light-shielding section, the light transmission section, and the gray tone section, a transmittance signal obtained by scanning a pattern in the mask is obtained for a region where at least the light-shielding section and the transmission section are formed, defects are detected by a comparison inspection method for detecting the defects by using the threshold of the pattern defects that is provided in advance regarding a pattern defect signal based on the comparison of patterns, and defects are detected by a method for detecting the defects by using a transmittance defect extraction threshold that is provided in advance for the transmittance signal that is obtained by scanning a pattern in the mask at least for the gray tone section. PCOPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO