Optical inspection method and optical inspection apparatus
First Claim
1. A detection apparatus comprising:
- a detection unit which receives pulse light, and outputs a detection signal;
a switching unit which executes switching as a function of a photoelectric conversion signal, and outputs said detection signal; and
a wave generating unit which generates a predetermined signal, wherein;
said switching unit is configured to use said photoelectric conversion signal and said predetermined signal as input for said switching,said photoelectric conversion signal corresponds to emission of said pulse light, andsaid wave generating unit is arranged between said switching unit and a photoelectric conversion unit which outputs said photoelectric conversion signal.
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Abstract
In the conventional contaminant particle/defect inspection method, if the illuminance of the illumination beam is held at not more than a predetermined upper limit value not to give thermal damage to the sample, the detection sensitivity and the inspection speed being in the tradeoff relation with each other, it is very difficult to improve one of the detection sensitivity and the inspection speed without sacrificing the other or improve both at the same time. The invention provides an improved optical inspection method and an improved optical inspection apparatus, in which a pulse laser is used as a light source, and a laser beam flux is split into a plurality of laser beam fluxes which are given different time delay to form a plurality of illumination spots. The scattered light signal from each illumination spot is isolated and detected by using a light emission start timing signal for each illumination spot.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A detection apparatus comprising:
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a detection unit which receives pulse light, and outputs a detection signal; a switching unit which executes switching as a function of a photoelectric conversion signal, and outputs said detection signal; and a wave generating unit which generates a predetermined signal, wherein; said switching unit is configured to use said photoelectric conversion signal and said predetermined signal as input for said switching, said photoelectric conversion signal corresponds to emission of said pulse light, and said wave generating unit is arranged between said switching unit and a photoelectric conversion unit which outputs said photoelectric conversion signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A switching apparatus comprising:
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a switching unit which executes switching as a function of a photoelectric conversion signal, and outputs a signal; and a wave generating unit which generates a predetermined signal, wherein; said switching unit is configured to use said photoelectric conversion signal and said predetermined signal as input for said switching, said photoelectric conversion signal corresponds to emission of a pulse light, and said wave generating unit is arranged between said switching unit and a photoelectric conversion unit which outputs said photoelectric conversion signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification