Pattern inspection apparatus and method

A pattern inspection apparatus for inspecting a pattern to-be-inspected by using an image of said pattern to-be-inspected and data for fabricating said pattern to-be-inspected, said pattern inspection apparatus comprising:

• an image generation device configured to generate said image of said pattern to-be-inspected;
• and
• a memory storing a plurality of machine readable instructions that when executed perform the steps of:
• (a) storing in said memory a reference pattern generated from said data, said reference pattern represented by one or both of (i) one or more line segments, and (ii) one or more curves, said reference pattern generated from said data;
• (b) storing in said memory detected edges of said image;
• (c) inspecting said pattern to-be-inspected by comparing said detected edge with at least one of said line segment and said curve of said reference pattern to generate defect information;
• (d) setting a profile acquisition section by using at least one of said line segment and said curve of said reference pattern;
• (e) obtaining a profile by using said profile acquisition section and said image of said pattern to-be-inspected;
• and
• (f) detecting said edge from said profile.

A pattern inspection apparatus for inspecting a pattern to-be-inspected by using an image of said pattern to-be-inspected and data for fabricating said pattern to-be-inspected, said pattern inspection apparatus comprising:

• an image generation device configured to generate said image of said pattern to-be-inspected;
• and
• a memory storing a plurality of machine readable instructions that when executed perform the steps of:
• (a) storing in said memory a reference pattern generated from said data, said reference pattern represented by edge vectors;
• (b)storing in said memory detected edge vectors of said image, said detected edge vectors of said image detected from said image by using at least one of a zero crossing of the second derivative of the image and a zero crossing of the first derivative of the image;
• and
• (c) inspecting said pattern to-be-inspected by comparing said edge vectors of said image with said edge vectors of said reference pattern to generate defect information.

A pattern matching apparatus for matching a pattern by using an image of said pattern and data for fabricating said pattern, said pattern matching apparatus comprising:

• an image generation device configured to generate said image of said pattern;
• and
• a memory storing a plurality of machine readable instructions that when executed perform the steps of:
• (a) storing in said memory a reference pattern generated from said data, said reference pattern represented by edge vectors;
• (b) storing in said memory detected edge vectors of said image, said edge vectors of said image detected from said image by using at least one of a zero crossing of the second derivative of the image and a zero crossing of the first derivative of the image;
• and
• (c) matching features of said image and said reference pattern by using at least one of said edge vectors of said image of said pattern to-be-inspected and at least one of said edge vectors of said reference pattern.

A method of inspecting a pattern to-be-inspected by using an image of said pattern to-be-inspected and data for fabricating said pattern to-be-inspected, said method comprising:

• generating a reference pattern from said data, said reference pattern represented by edge vectors;
• generating said image of said pattern to-be-inspected;
• detecting edge vectors of said image of said pattern to-be-inspected, said detected edge vectors of said image detected from said image by using at least one of a zero crossing of the second derivative of the image and a zero crossing of the first derivative of the image;
• and
• inspecting said pattern to-be-inspected by comparing said edge vectors of said image with said edge vectors of said reference pattern to generate defect information.

A pattern inspection apparatus for inspecting a pattern to-be-inspected by using an image of said pattern to-be-inspected and data for fabricating said pattern to-be-inspected, said pattern inspection apparatus comprising:

• an image generation device configured to generate said image of said pattern to-be-inspected;
• and
• a memory storing a plurality of machine readable instructions that when executed perform the steps of:
• (a) storing in said memory a reference pattern generated from said data, said reference pattern obtained from simulation of fabrication process using said data and represented by edge vectors;
• (b) storing in said memory detected edge vectors of said image, said detected edge vectors of said image detected from said image by using at least one of a zero crossing of the second derivative of the image and a zero crossing of the first derivative of the image;
• and
• (c) inspecting said pattern to-be-inspected by comparing said edge vectors of said image with said edge vectors of said reference pattern to generate defect information.

A pattern inspection apparatus for inspecting a pattern to-be-inspected by using an image of said pattern to-be-inspected and data for fabricating said pattern to-be-inspected, said pattern inspection apparatus comprising:

• an image generation device configured to generate said image of said pattern to-be-inspected;
• and
• a memory storing a plurality of machine readable instructions that when executed perform the steps of:
• (a) storing in said memory a reference pattern generated from said data, said reference pattern represented by edge vectors;
• (b) storing in said memory detected edge vectors of said image;
• and
• (c) inspecting said pattern to-be-inspected by comparing said edge vectors of said image with said edge vectors of said reference pattern to generate defect information;
• wherein said machine readable instructions, when executed, set a profile acquisition section by using at least one of said edge vectors of said reference pattern, obtain a profile by using said profile acquisition section and said image of said pattern to-be-inspected, and detect said edge vectors of said image of said pattern to-be-inspected from said profile.