Detection method, inspection method, detection apparatus, and inspection apparatus

An inspection method comprising:

• illuminating an object to be inspected by using illumination light including pulsed light;
• acquiring image data of the object to be inspected by concentrating light from the object to be inspected illuminated by the illumination light and detecting the concentrated light by an inspection detector;
• acquiring image data of a luminance distribution of the illumination light, the luminance distribution being detected by illuminating a correction detector by using part of the illumination light;
• detecting inspection image data by correcting the image data of the object to be inspected based on the image data of the luminance distribution;
• and
• inspecting the object to be inspected by using the inspection image data.

A detection apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system configured to illuminate an object to be inspected by using illumination light including pulsed light;
• a detection optical system configured to acquire image data of the object to be inspected by concentrating light from the object to be inspected illuminated by the illumination light and detecting the concentrated light by an inspection detector;
• a monitor unit configured to acquire image data of a luminance distribution of the illumination light, the luminance distribution being detected by illuminating a correction detector by using part of the illumination light;
• and
• a processing unit configured to detect inspection image data by correcting the image data of the object to be inspected based on the image data of the luminance distribution.

An inspection apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system configured to illuminate an object to be inspected by using illumination light including pulsed light;
• a detection optical system configured to acquire image data of the object to be inspected by concentrating light from the object to be inspected illuminated by the illumination light and detecting the concentrated light by an inspection detector;
• a monitor unit configured to acquire image data of a luminance distribution of the illumination light, the luminance distribution being detected by illuminating a correction detector by using part of the illumination light;
• and
• a processing unit configured to detect inspection image data by correcting the image data of the object to be inspected based on the image data of the luminance distribution, wherein
• the processing unit inspects the object to be inspected by using the detected inspection image data.