Visual inspection method and apparatus and image analysis system
AssigneeHitachi High-Technologies Corporation
InventorsHisae Shibuya, Shunji Maeda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A visual inspection method and apparatus detecting a defect with the use of a detected signal obtained by illuminating one of a light and an electron beam onto a substrate to be inspected. The visual inspection method and apparatus includes calculation of an image feature based on an image of the detected defect, calculation of a coordinate feature based on position information of the detected defect, and outputting of real defect information by performing false alarm judgment by processing with respect to one of the image feature and the coordinate feature.
Claims6
A visual inspection method detecting a defect with the use of a detected signal obtained by illuminating one of a light and an electron beam onto a substrate to be inspected, the visual inspection method comprising the steps of:
- calculating an image feature based on an image of the detected defect;
- calculating a coordinate feature based on mutual position information of more than three defects;
- and
- outputting real defect information by performing false alarm judgment by processing with respect to one of the image feature and the coordinate feature.
A visual inspection apparatus comprising:
- a stage operable to hold a substrate to be inspected;
- image detection means operable to detect an image of the substrate to be inspected by illuminating one of a light and an electron beam onto the substrate to be inspected;
- defect detecting means operable to detect a defect by image processing of the detected image;
- image feature calculating means operable to calculate an image feature based on an image of the detected defect;
- coordinate feature calculating means operable to calculate a coordinate feature based on mutual position information of more than three defects;
- and
- false alarm judging means operable to output real defect information by performing false alarm judgment according to a processing with respect to one of the image feature and the coordinate feature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.