Inspection apparatus and inspection method

An inspection apparatus comprising:

• a stage for a sample to be placed;
• an image acquisition circuit configured to acquire an inspection image based on secondary electrons generated by an electron beam emitted to a first area of the sample;
• an estimation circuit configured to estimate an amount of rotation of the electron beam emitted to the first area based on an amount of misalignment between a reference image indicative of a pattern to be formed in the first area and the inspection image;
• a stage control circuit configured to control, based on the amount of rotation, a focus position of the electron beam to be emitted to a second area of the sample;
• and
• a comparison circuit configured to compare the reference image with the inspection image.

An inspection method comprising:

• acquiring a plurality of inspection images based on secondary electrons generated by a plurality of electron beams emitted to a first area of a sample, the first area including a plurality of sub areas;
• estimating an amount of rotation of an array of the plurality of electron beams emitted to the first area based on an amount of misalignment between a plurality of reference images respectively indicative of patterns to be respectively formed in the plurality of sub areas and the plurality of inspection images;
• controlling a focus position of the plurality of electron beams to be emitted to a second area of the sample based on the amount of rotation;
• and
• comparing the plurality of reference images with the plurality of inspection images.