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Method of and apparatus for detecting pattern defects by means of a plurality of inspecting units each operating in accordance with a respective inspecting principle

  • US 5,046,113 A
  • Filed: 01/12/1989
  • Issued: 09/03/1991
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of inspecting an object to detect pattern defects thereof, comprising the steps of:

  • (a) providing a plurality of inspecting units each of which operates in accordance with a respective inspecting principle;

    (b) defining, in a defining means, an inspection domain which forms a source of the inspection signals and an inhibition domain which forms a source of the inhibition signals, said inspection and inhibition domains being defined for each inspecting unit on the object;

    (c) obtaining groups of domain signals on the basis of each image of the defining means, each said group of domain signals comprising inspection signals and inhibition signals;

    (d) storing groups of domain signals in a memory in addresses thereof which correspond to positions on the object, each said group of domain signals having a particular relation to a respective one of the inspecting units;

    (e) binarizing an image of the object;

    (f) reading out the domain signals of every group of the domain signals from the memory according to inspection position addresses on the object;

    (g) controlling the operation of each inspecting unit according to the type of domain signals read out therefor from the memory; and

    (h) forming an inspection decision according to an output signal of the inspecting units.

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