Claims
- 1. A method of checking a mask pattern having a plurality of contiguous mask pattern regions, each of the mask pattern regions formed based on different design pattern rules, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) respectively assigning the contiguous mask pattern regions to different contiguous check object regions;
- (b) setting a different defect detection reference for each of the different contiguous check object regions which correspond to respective ones of the different design pattern rules;
- (c) individually detecting presence or absence of defects in a relatively large one of the check object regions based on a relatively coarse defect detection reference corresponding to the relatively large check object region; and
- (d) based on the results of the detecting of said step (c), individually detecting presence or absence of defects in a relatively small one of the check object regions based on a relatively fine defect detection reference corresponding to the relatively small check object region.
- 2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detecting steps (c) and (d) each comprise detecting substeps, a sum of a number of the detecting substeps of both steps (b) and (c) being equal to a number of the check object regions.
- 3. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
- (e) scanning the entire mask pattern to input an image before said step (c);
- (f) judging whether or not a scanning point enters a check object region corresponding to a different defect detection reference; and
- (g) changing a current defect detection reference to a defect detection reference corresponding to the check object region which the scanning point enters.
- 4. An apparatus for checking a mask pattern including a plurality of contiguous mask pattern regions formed based on different design pattern rules, said apparatus comprising:
- first means for storing a defect detection reference corresponding to each of the design pattern rules;
- second means for determining a resolution of features in each of a plurality of contiguous check object regions based on the defect detection reference for each of the design pattern rules stored in said first means;
- third means for acquiring an image of a mask pattern to be checked; and
- fourth means for individually comparing a relatively large one of the check object regions of the image acquired by said third means with a relatively coarse defect detection reference corresponding to the relatively large check object region set by the second means, judging a result of the comparing and, depending on a result of the judging, individually comparing a relatively small one of the check object regions of the image acquired by said third means with a relatively fine defect detection reference corresponding to the relatively small check object region.
- 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said second means comprises
- means for judging a check object region based on information concerning coordinates and positions, and
- means for determining a corresponding defect detection reference according to the judged check object region.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
1-058152 |
Mar 1989 |
JPX |
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Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation, of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/491,108, filed Mar. 9, 1990, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4559603 |
Yoshikawa |
Dec 1985 |
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4600996 |
Kawauchi |
Jul 1986 |
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Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
"An Automatic Optical Printed Circuit Inspection System" by Restrick, III, SPIE vol. 116 Solid State Imaging Devices, 1977, pp. 76-81. |
"An Automatic Inspection System for Printed Wiring Board Masks" by Goto et al., Pattern Recognition, vol. 12, 1980, pp. 443-455. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
491108 |
Mar 1990 |
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