BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a defect inspection apparatus for carrying out a defect inspection method according to a first embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a modification of the defect inspection apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams for explaining a repetitive pattern of a main pattern or an auxiliary pattern in a photomask shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and for explaining diffracted light from the repetitive pattern of the auxiliary pattern and so on, respectively;
FIGS. 4A to 4D each show a defect generated in the repetitive pattern of the main pattern or the auxiliary pattern in the photomask shown in FIGS. 1 to 3B, wherein FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams each showing the defect on the basis of coordinate position variation and FIGS. 4C and 4D are schematic diagrams each showing the defect on the basis of size variation;
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a photomask as an inspection object to be inspected in the defect inspection method of FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a photomask in which the shape of each of unit patterns of an auxiliary pattern differs from that of the photomask shown in FIG. 5;
FIGS. 7A and 7B are plan views each showing a substrate formed with main patterns of two photomasks; and
FIG. 8 is a side sectional view showing a photomask to be inspected in a defect inspection method according to a second embodiment of this invention.
Patent Application
20070229814
