Substrate inspection apparatus, substrate inspection method and semiconductor device manufacturing method

A substrate inspection method comprising:

• generating an electron beam to irradiate the electron beam to a substrate;
• detecting at least one of a secondary electron, a reflection electron and a back scattering electron generated from a surface of the substrate by the irradiation of the electron beam in order to acquire signals constituting an image showing a state of the substrate surface;
• and
• creating a uniform surface potential of the substrate by generating ions and irradiating the ions to the substrate prior to the irradiation of the electron beam;
• wherein creating the uniform surface potential of the substrate comprises:
• forming a first electric field to guide the ions to the substrate until a value of the surface potential of the substrate becomes a preset value;
• and
• forming a second electric field whose direction is opposite to that of the first electric field to turn back the irradiated ions from the substrate in replacement of the first electric field, when an absolute value of the surface potential of the substrate becomes congruent with or exceeds an absolute value of the preset value.

A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising implementing a manufacturing process onto a substrate which is passed through inspection by a substrate inspection method, the substrate inspection method comprising:

• generating an electron beam to irradiate the electron beam to a substrate;
• detecting at least one of a secondary electron, a reflection electron and a back scattering electron generated from the surface of the substrate by the irradiation of the electron beam in order to acquire signals constituting an image showing a state of the substrate surface;
• and
• creating a uniform surface potential of the substrate by generating ions and irradiating the ions to the substrate prior to the irradiation of the electron beam;
• wherein creating the uniform surface potential of the substrate comprises:
• forming a first electric field to guide the ions to the substrate until a value of the surface potential of the substrate becomes a preset value;
• and
• forming a second electric field whose direction is opposite to that of the first electric field to turn back the irradiated ions from the substrate, in replacement of the first electric field, when an absolute value of the surface potential of the substrate becomes congruent with or exceeds an absolute value of the preset value.