Inspection method, method for producing composition, and method for verifying composition

An inspection method for a composition selected from the group consisting of an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive composition and a thermosetting composition, the inspection method comprising:

• a step X1 of applying the composition onto a substrate X to form a coating film;
• a step X2 of removing the coating film from the substrate X using a removal solvent including an organic solvent;
• and
• a step X3 of measuring the number of defects on the substrate X after the removal of the coating film, using a defect inspection device,
• wherein in a case where the composition is the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive composition, the step X2 is applied in a state where the coating film has not been subjected to an exposure treatment by irradiation with actinic rays or radiation,
• in a case where the composition is the thermosetting composition, the step X2 is applied in a state where the coating film has not been subjected to a thermosetting treatment,
• the organic solvent includes one or more selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, methyl amyl ketone, cyclohexanone, ethyl lactate, butyl acetate, and γ-butyrolactone, and
• the number of defects with a size of 19 nm or more derived from the removal solvent, calculated in the following defect inspection R1, is 1.50 defects/cm2 or less and greater than 0 defects/cm2,
• defect inspection R1:
• the defect inspection R1 has the following steps ZA1 to ZA4,
• step ZA1:
• a step of measuring the number of defects with a size of 19 nm or more on a substrate ZA using the defect inspection device,
• step ZA2:
• a step of applying the removal solvent onto the substrate ZA,
• step ZA3:
• a step of measuring the number of defects with a size of 19 nm or more on the substrate ZA onto which the removal solvent has been applied, using the defect inspection device, and
• step ZA4:
• a step of calculating the number of defects with a size of 19 nm or more derived from the removal solvent by subtracting the number of the defects measured in the step ZA1 from the number of the defects measured in the step ZA3.