Method of evaluating systematic defect, and apparatus therefor

An apparatus for judging a systematic defect attributable to a circuit design of a semiconductor device, the apparatus comprising:

• input means adapted to input circuit design data of the semiconductor device;
• sampling means adapted to sample a circuit pattern of a specific layer from the circuit design data of the semiconductor device inputted by the input means;
• first superposition judgment means adapted to judge a state of superposition of the circuit pattern of the specific layer of the semiconductor device sampled by the sampling means and a circuit pattern of at least one layer other than the specific layer;
• reference ratio calculation means adapted to classify the state of superposition judged by the first superposition judgment means in accordance with the state of superposition, and calculating the classified ratio as a reference ratio;
• circuit pattern identification means adapted to identify a circuit pattern on the circuit design data corresponding to a position of a defect detected by inspecting the specific layer with another inspection device;
• second superposition judgment means adapted to judge a state of superposition of the circuit pattern identified by the circuit pattern identification means and the circuit pattern of the layer other than the specific layer;
• inspection result ratio calculation means adapted to classify the state of superposition judged by the second superposition judgment means and calculate a classified ratio as an inspection result ratio;
• comparison means adapted to compare the reference ratio calculated by the reference ratio calculation means with the inspection result ratio calculated by the inspection result ratio calculation means;
• and
• systematic defect judgment means adapted to judge the systematic defect attributable to the circuit design of the semiconductor device based on results of the comparison between the reference ratio and the inspection result ratio by the comparison means.