Defect inspection apparatus and defect inspection method

A defect inspection apparatus to detect defects that exist in a sample surface comprising:

• an illumination unit configured to illuminate an inspection object region of the sample surface with light emitted from a light source;
• a detection unit configured to detect scattered light generated from the inspection object region,
• a photoelectric conversion unit configured to convert the scattered light detected by the detection unit into an electrical signal;
• and
• a signal processing unit configured to process the electrical signal converted by the photoelectric conversion unit to detect a defect in the sample surface, wherein
• the detection unit includes a first lens configured to converge the scattered light generated from the inspection object region;
• an imaging unit configured to divide an aperture and form a plurality of images on the photoelectric conversion unit, the aperture being set to allow passing of only light in a region to be converted by the photoelectric conversion unit,
• the signal processing unit is configured to synthesize electrical signals corresponding to the plurality of formed images to detect a defect in the sample surface, and
• the photoelectric conversion unit includes a plurality of pixel blocks corresponding to a plurality of arrays of a lens array
• wherein the optical axis of the first lens is tilted from the normal of the sample surface.