Method and device for inspecting for defects

A defect inspecting device comprising:

• a pre-scan defect inspecting section including:
• a pre-scan irradiating system for casting irradiation light onto the surface of a sample,
• a pre-scan detecting system for detecting the scattered lights emanating from the area of the sample surface irradiated by the pre-scan irradiating system, and
• a pre-scan defect information collecting section for obtaining information on preselected defects present on the sample surface on the basis of the scattered lights detected by the pre-scan detecting system;
• a near-field defect inspecting section including:
• a near-field irradiating section in which the distance between the sample surface and a near-field head is adjusted on the basis of the information on the preselected defects obtained by the pre-scan defect information collecting section so that the irradiation of the sample surface is started from the position where the near-field head has been adjusted,
• a near-field detecting section for detecting near-field light response generated from that area on the sample surface which is irradiated by the near-field irradiating section, and
• a near-field defect information collecting section for obtaining information on the preselected defects present on the sample surface on the basis of the near-field light response detected by the near-field detecting section;
• and
• a merging section for inspecting defects present on the sample surface on the basis of the result obtained by merging the information on the preselected defects on the sample surface obtained by the pre-scan defect information collecting section and the information on the preselected defects on the sample surface obtained by the near-field defect information collecting section.