Method and its apparatus for inspecting a specimen

A method for inspecting a specimen comprising:

• inspecting a specimen in a previous inspection process, detecting defects, and storing position information for said detected defects;
• inspecting said specimen current inspection process, detecting defects, and storing position information for said detected defects;
• acquiring attribute information indicating characteristics of said defects based on said stored position information from said previous inspection process and attribute information indicating characteristics of said defects based on said stored position information from said current inspection process;
• associating said position information of said defects with said attribute information;
• determining positions of defects on said specimen for which detailed inspection is to be performed, said defects for which detailed inspection is to be performed being determined based on said associated attribute information and said position information;
• and
• performing detailed inspection on defects at said positions determined for detailed inspection, including setting conditions for said detailed inspection based on said attributes.

A device for inspecting defects in a specimen comprising:

• means for detecting defects that detects defects on a specimen and obtains position information for said detected defects;
• means for extracting attribute information that extracts attribute information for said defects detected by said defect detecting means;
• means for storing that stores said defect position information obtained by said defect detecting means in association with said attribute information of said defects extracted by said attribute information extracting means;
• means for selecting defects that selects defects for detailed inspection based on said attribute information of said defects stored in said storing means;
• and
• means for performing detailed inspection that performs detailed observation of said defects selected by said defect selecting means, said means for performing detailed inspection including means for setting detailed inspection conditions based on said attribute information.

A device for inspecting defects on a specimen comprising:

• means for detecting defects that inspects said specimen, detects defects, and outputs position information of said detected defects and information relating to attributes of said defects;
• means for storing that stores position information of said defects and information relating to attributes of said defects output from said defect detecting means;
• means for selecting that selects defects on which to perform detailed inspection based on said information relating to attributes of said defects stored in said storing means;
• and
• means for performing detailed inspection that performs detailed inspection on said defects selected for detailed inspection by said selecting means, said means for performing detailed inspection including means for setting detailed inspection conditions based on said information relating to attributes.

A device for inspecting defects on a specimen comprising:

• first means for inspecting including a detector for detecting defect positions on said specimen and an output unit outputting position information of said defects detected by said detector;
• second means for inspecting including an information acquiring unit acquiring said position information of said defects output from, said output unit of said first inspecting means, a control unit controlling a position of said specimen based on said defect position information acquired using said information acquiring unit, an inspecting unit inspecting defects of said specimen whose position is controlled by said control unit, an attribute information forming unit forming attribute information based on inspection results from said inspecting unit, an attribute adding unit adding attribute information formed by said attribute information forming unit to said defects inspected by said inspecting unit, and an output unit outputting said defect attribute information added by said attribute adding unit;
• and
• third means for inspecting including an information acquiring unit acquiring said defect attribute information output from said output unit of said second inspecting means, a selecting unit selecting defects on which detailed inspection is to be performed based on said attribute information acquired by said information acquiring unit, and a detailed inspection unit performing detailed inspection of defects selected by said selecting unit and to which said attribute information is attached, said detailed inspection unit configured to set detailed inspection conditions based on said attribute information.

An automated inspection apparatus comprising:

• at least one of a plurality of inspection stations, comprising:
• an adjustable work area that receiving a specimen,
• a controller for positioning said adjustable work area,
• an inspection apparatus, disposed over said work area to inspect specimens placed on said work area, and
• a data gathering apparatus that collects information from said inspection apparatus,
• wherein a first inspection is performed at a first inspection station, resulting in a first set of inspection data comprising information about defects located in said specimen, said first set of inspection data including attributes of said defects,
• wherein a second inspection is conditionally performed at a second inspection station on selected ones of said defects, said selected ones of said defects being based upon said attributes,
• wherein one or more inspection conditions for said second inspection are set based on said attributes.

A device for inspecting defects in a specimen comprising:

• means for detecting defects that detects defects on a specimen and obtains position information for said detected defects;
• means for extracting attribute information that extracts attribute information for said defects detected by said defect detecting means;
• means for storing that stores said defect position information obtained by said defect detecting means in association with said attribute information of said defects extracted by said attribute information extracting means;
• and
• means for selecting defects that selects defects for detailed inspection based on said attribute information of said defects stored in said storing means.

A method for inspecting a specimen comprising:

• inspecting said specimen to identify one or more detected defects;
• obtaining attribute information indicating characteristics of said one or more detected defects;
• and
• identifying candidate defects from among said one or more detected defects for detailed inspection based on said attributes of said one or more detected defects.