JP2000106389A - Wafer / mask inspection equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] A defect error measurement factor of a defect coordinate differs depending on an inspection apparatus, and an error cannot be sufficiently corrected by only one coordinate correction method. Also, it takes time to find the lowest coordinate correction formula. Kind Code: A1 A plurality of optimum coordinate correction methods corresponding to each inspection apparatus are prepared, an optimum correction method is selected and used from among them, and a defect is observed using defect coordinates acquired by another inspection apparatus. In this case, relative coordinate errors can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wafer / mask inspection apparatus for observing or detecting defects / contaminants on the surface and inside of a semiconductor wafer or a mask for semiconductor pattern exposure, and more particularly, to measurement using another wafer / mask inspection apparatus. The present invention relates to a wafer / mask inspection apparatus capable of observing a defect / contaminant using the detected defect / contaminant coordinate, and sufficiently reducing a coordinate error of a defect / contaminant coordinate on a wafer / mask measured by itself.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Defects or foreign matter in a semiconductor wafer and a semiconductor pattern exposure mask seriously impair the performance of a semiconductor and greatly affect the production efficiency of the semiconductor. In order to improve the production efficiency of semiconductors, it is necessary to minimize foreign matter adhering to wafers / masks and defects in semiconductor patterns and mask patterns on wafers. Therefore, it is important to detect and observe a defect / contamination of a wafer / mask during a semiconductor manufacturing process and to analyze a cause of the defect / contamination.

In recent years, semiconductors have been miniaturized, and semiconductors have been manufactured with a pattern width of about 0.25 μm. In such a semiconductor, a defect / foreign matter on a wafer of about 0.1 μm may seriously impair the performance of the semiconductor.

In order to observe such a small defect / foreign substance, first, a defect / foreign substance coordinate on a wafer / mask is measured using a defect / foreign substance inspection apparatus using a laser beam, and then the defect / foreign substance coordinate is measured. And observe with an electron microscope at a magnification of several thousand to several hundred thousand times.

However, since the range on the wafer / mask that can be observed at one time at a certain magnification is determined by the display screen size of the electron microscope, the defect / foreign matter coordinates obtained by the defect / foreign matter inspection apparatus include a large error. In such a case, the defect / foreign matter is out of the observation range of the electron microscope. For example, when observing defects / contaminants on a wafer at a magnification of 10,000 times using an electron microscope with a display screen size of 200 mm × 200 mm, the area on the wafer that can be observed at a time is only 20 μm × 20 μm, If the defect / foreign matter coordinates from the inspection device include an error of ± 10 μm or more, the defect / foreign matter cannot be captured in the display screen.

In order to reduce the coordinate error of the defect / foreign matter inspection apparatus, a method such as Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-193109 "Multiple scanning method for wafer particle analysis" has been proposed, but sufficient coordinate accuracy is still obtained. Things have not been done. There is also a coordinate error on the electron microscope side. Due to such a problem, fine defects / foreign matter of about 0.1 μm may not be sufficiently observed.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A wafer / mask inspection apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as an inspection apparatus) is intended to improve its mechanical and electrical accuracy or to correct mechanical and electrical deficiencies by software. Accordingly, the measurement error of the coordinates of the defect / foreign matter (hereinafter, the defect and the foreign matter are simply referred to as a defect) is reduced as much as possible. However, with the recent miniaturization of semiconductors, the required coordinate accuracy is dramatically increased, and it is necessary to further improve the coordinate accuracy of each inspection device. When exchanging coordinate data of a defect between a plurality of inspection apparatuses, it is necessary to improve the relative coordinate accuracy between the apparatuses.

[0008] The factors of the coordinate error of the inspection device depend on the operating principle of the device. For example, an inspection apparatus that moves a wafer in the X and Y directions generates a coordinate error depending on orthogonality when the wafer is moved in the X and Y directions. In order to use the defect coordinates acquired by the inspection apparatus having such an orthogonality error in the inspection apparatus having no error, the equations (Equation 1) and (Equation 2) may be used. In this equation, (x, y) is the defect coordinate measured by the inspection device having the orthogonality error, (X, Y) is the defect coordinate measured by the inspection device having no orthogonality error, and α is the orthogonality error. 9 shows the orthogonality error of the inspection device having the symbol “”.

[0009]

X = x (Equation 1)

[0010]

(Equation 2)

In addition, for example, an inspection apparatus for rotating a wafer causes a coordinate error due to a detection error of a rotation angle. In order to use the defect coordinates measured by the inspection apparatus having such a rotation error in the inspection apparatus having no rotation error, the coordinate error can be corrected using (Equation 3) and (Equation 4). . In this equation, (x, y) is the defect coordinate measured by the inspection apparatus having a rotation error, (X, Y) is the defect coordinate measured by the inspection apparatus having no rotation error, and β is the rotation error of the wafer. It shows a rotation error of the inspection device held.

[0012]

X = xcosβ−ysinβ (Equation 3)

[0013]

Y = x sin β + y cos β (Equation 4) When using coordinate data from inspection apparatuses having different error factors as described above, a coordinate correction formula suitable for the error factor of each inspection apparatus must be used. The coordinate error cannot be sufficiently corrected.

[0014] Further, the equation (Equation 1), (Equation 2) or (Equation 3),
The coordinate correction coefficient α or β in (Equation 4) can be obtained by the least square method using the coordinate values of a plurality of the same defects measured by the respective inspection apparatuses. It takes time and effort to obtain a plurality of coordinate values used for the square method.

An object of the present invention is to provide a means which includes a plurality of coordinate correction formulas and which can select an appropriate coordinate correction formula according to the error factor of the inspection apparatus which has acquired the defect coordinates to be used. Also, for each combined inspection device,
In a case where the obtained coordinate correction formula and the correction coefficient of the coordinate correction formula are reproduced, the means for storing the coordinate correction formula and the correction coefficient is provided to save time for calculating the coordinate correction formula and the correction coefficient. is there.

[0016]

Generally, defect coordinates on a wafer / mask are represented by two-dimensional orthogonal coordinates (x, y). An apparatus that inspects a wafer / mask by moving it in the XY directions measures the defect coordinates as they are (x, y) coordinates.

When an inspection is performed by moving the wafer / mask in the X and Y directions, the following coordinate error factors can be considered.

Positional deviation of the coordinate origin, deviation of the xy coordinate axis in the rotation direction, deviation of the orthogonality of the xy coordinate axis, dimensional deviation in the xy direction, defect coordinates measured by an inspection apparatus having such error factors have coordinate errors. When used in an inspection apparatus that does not have the above, coordinate correction equations such as Equations (5) and (6) are effective as examples. Here, (x, y) is a defect coordinate measured by an inspection device having an error factor, (X, Y) is a defect coordinate measured by an inspection device having no error factor, and a ₁ , a ₂ , a ₃ , a ₄ ,
_{a 5, a 6, a 7} , a 8, a 9 and a ₁₀ indicates the correction coefficient.

[0019]

X = a ₁ + a ₂ x + a ₃ y + a ₄ x ² + a ₅ y ² (Equation 5)

[0020]

Y = a ₆ + a ₇ x + a ₈ y + a ₉ x ² + a ₁₀ y ² (Equation 6) On the other hand, the apparatus for inspecting by rotating the wafer / mask rotates the defect in polar coordinates (r, θ). Measure it and (x,
y) Convert to coordinates and output. Here, r is the linear distance from the rotation center to the defect, and θ is the rotation angle of the position where the defect exists from the rotation start point. The conversion formulas in this case are formulas (7) and (8).

[0021]

X = r cos θ (Equation 7)

[0022]

Y = rsinθ (Equation 8) Even in the case of an apparatus for rotating and inspecting a wafer / mask, (x, s) obtained by conversion using Equations (7) and (8) If the defect coordinates are corrected by the formulas (7) and (8) in y), the relative coordinate error can be reduced as in the case of the inspection apparatus in which the wafer / mask is moved in the XY directions. It seems that sometimes doesn't work. This is because when the defect coordinate is measured by rotating the wafer / mask, the error factor depends on the polar coordinate component (r, θ), and after the conversion to the (x, y) coordinate, the error factor is well determined. This is because it cannot be corrected.

According to the present invention, in order to solve such a problem, when correcting a coordinate error of an inspection apparatus for measuring defect coordinates by rotating a wafer / mask using polar coordinates, polar coordinate components (r, θ) are used. The present invention provides a coordinate correction method using the coordinate correction formula arranged in (1). As specific examples of coordinate correction formulas arranged by polar coordinate components (r, θ), the present invention provides formulas (9) and (10). Here, (r, θ) is the polar coordinate of the defect measured by the inspection device having the coordinate error depending on the polar coordinate component, (X, Y) is the defect coordinate measured by the inspection device having no coordinate error, a ₁ , a _{2, a 3, a 4,} a 5 and a ₆ denotes a correction coefficient.

[0024]

X = a ₁ + a ₃ sin θ + a ₄ cos θ + a ₅ rsin θ + a ₆ rcos θ (Equation 9)

[0025]

Y = a ₂ −a ₃ cos θ + a ₄ sin θ−a ₅ r cos θ + a ₆ rsin θ (Equation 10) As a result of the actual coordinate correction calculation, a coordinate error of about 80 μm is obtained in Equations (5) and (6). In some cases, the use of equations (9) and (10) can reduce the coordinate error to 10 μm or less.

However, Equations (5) and (6) also indicate that the wafer /
The error factor when the defect coordinates are measured by moving the mask in the XY directions is sufficiently effective. Conversely, equation (Equation 9),
(Equation 10) may not be effective with respect to the error factor when the defect coordinates are measured by moving the wafer / mask in the XY directions. That is, unless an optimum error correction formula is selected according to the error factor, the coordinate error cannot be sufficiently reduced.

In the present invention, in order to solve such a problem, a plurality of correction formulas are prepared according to different error factors, and means for selecting a coordinate correction method suitable for each case is provided.

The correction coefficients a ₁ , a ₂ ,
When obtaining a ₃ , a ₄ , a ₅ , a ₆ , a ₇ , a ₈ , a ₉ , and a ₁₀ , the least-squares method is used.
(Equation 12) will be solved. Here, (x, y) is a defect coordinate measured by an inspection device having an error factor, (X, Y) is a defect coordinate measured by an inspection device having no error factor, Δx
_The terms with Σ such as _i and Σy _i indicate the sum of the values calculated for n defects.

[0029]

[Equation 11]

[0030]

(Equation 12)

Equations (11) and (12) each have five solutions. To find a solution, (x, y) coordinates and (X, Y) coordinates for at least five defects are required. It is.
In other words, the correction coefficients a ₁ , a ₂ , a
_{3, a 4, a 5,} a 6, a 7, a 8, can not be determined a _9, a _10. In such a case, it is necessary to use the expressions (Expression 13) and (Expression 14) obtained by reducing the order of Expressions (Expression 5) and (Expression 6). Here, (x, y) is the defect coordinate measured by another inspection device, (X, Y) is the defect coordinate measured by itself, a ₁ ,
a ₂ , a ₃ , a ₄ , a ₅ , and a ₆ indicate coordinate correction coefficients.

[0032]

X = a ₁ + a ₂ x + a ₃ y (Equation 13)

[0033]

X = a ₄ + a ₅ x + a ₆ y (Equation 14) Further, in order to obtain the correction coefficients a ₁ , a ₂ , a ₃ , a ₄ , a ₅ , and a ₆ , the equation (Equation 15) is used. , (Equation 16) needs to be solved.
Here (x, y) is defect coordinates measured by the inspection apparatus having the error factor, (X, Y) denotes marked defect coordinates measured by the inspection apparatus having no error factor,? X _i, sigma, such .sigma.y _i is The term indicates the sum of values calculated for n defects.

[0034]

(Equation 15)

[0035]

(Equation 16)

In equations (15) and (16), since there are three solutions, (x,
If there is the y) coordinate and the (X, Y) coordinate, the correction coefficient can be obtained.

Equations (5) and (5) are better than equations (13) and (14).
(Equation 6) has higher coordinate correction accuracy, but because of the higher order, if there are no defect coordinates measured by another inspection apparatus for many defects and the defect coordinates measured by itself, a correction coefficient can be obtained. Can not.

In the present invention, in order to solve such a problem, means for selecting an optimum coordinate correction formula in accordance with the number of given coordinate data is provided. In addition, by previously determining which equation of each order is used for each number of coordinate data, a means is provided for automatically selecting a coordinate correction equation to be used according to the number of input coordinate data. .

The causes of the coordinate error of the inspection apparatus are different depending on the operation principle of the apparatus, but the tendency of the coordinate error of each inspection apparatus is often reproduced. When exchanging coordinate data between inspection apparatuses that reproduce the tendency of the coordinate error, the correction coefficients of the coordinate correction formula obtained by the least squares method have almost the same value.

According to the present invention, an empirically obtained coordinate correction equation and a correction coefficient of the equation, which are optimal for an inspection apparatus for acquiring coordinate data to be used, are registered. The present invention provides a means for converting coordinate data from another inspection apparatus from the beginning by using a coefficient to save the trouble of finding an optimum coordinate correction formula and its correction coefficient.

Further, according to the present invention, when exchanging coordinate data with another inspection apparatus by using communication, empirically using each of the inspection apparatuses by using connection information for the communication. A means is provided for automatically selecting the obtained coordinate correction formula and the correction coefficient of the formula.

Specifically, when coordinate data is exchanged between inspection devices connected to a network using TCP / IP, a unique IP address is set for each inspection device, and which coordinate data is You can see if it was sent from the device with the IP address. Therefore, if an empirically obtained coordinate correction formula and correction coefficient are set in advance for each IP address, the optimum coordinate correction formula and correction coefficient are automatically set in accordance with the IP address of the inspection apparatus that sent the coordinate data. Can be selected.

The means for correcting the relative error between the defect coordinates measured by another inspection apparatus and the defect coordinates measured by itself has been described above. However, these inventions are also applied to reducing the own coordinate error. it can.

For example, a diameter 1 for which exact coordinates are known
A wafer having a hole of about μm is prepared, and the coordinates of the hole are measured by an inspection device that corrects the coordinates. If the inspection apparatus moves the wafer in the X and Y directions to measure defect coordinates, equations (9) and (1) are used for at least five defects.
The defect coordinates measured by the inspection device at (x, y) of (0) are
The correct coefficient of the defect is entered in (X, Y)
_{1, a 2, a 3,} a 4, a 5, seeking _{a 6, a 7, a 8} , a 9, a 10. The equations (Equation 5) and (Equation 6) into which the obtained correction coefficients are substituted are registered, and the coordinate of the defect measured by the inspection device is corrected using the equations (Equation 5) and (Equation 6). This makes it possible to always obtain defect coordinates without a coordinate error.

According to the present invention, as shown in this example, an optimum coordinate correction formula corresponding to the error factor of each inspection apparatus and a means for calculating an optimum correction coefficient of the formula, and a coordinate correction formula obtained by substituting the obtained correction coefficient. A means is provided for correcting the error of the defect coordinates measured using the equation.

[0046]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an inspection apparatus using an electron microscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

This inspection apparatus comprises an electron gun 1, an electron lens 2,
Lens control circuit 9, deflector 3, deflection control circuit 10, secondary particle detector 4, analog / digital converter 11, address control circuit 12, image memory 13, control means 14, display 15, computer 16, image synthesis means 17,
It comprises a keyboard 18 and a mouse 19.

The electron beam 7 emitted from the electron gun 1 is converged by the electron lens 2, scanned and deflected two-dimensionally by the deflector 3, and illuminates the sample 5. When the sample 5 is irradiated with the electron beam 7, secondary particles 8 such as reflected electrons and secondary electrons according to the shape and material of the sample are generated. The secondary particles 8 are detected and amplified by the secondary particle detector 4, and are converted into digital values by the analog / digital converter 11. The data converted into the digital value is stored in the image memory 13. Image memory 1 at this time
As address 3, the address control circuit 12 generates an address synchronized with the scanning signal of the electron beam. Further, the image memory 13 transfers the stored image data of the SEM image to the image synthesizing unit 17 as needed. The image combining means 17 combines the image data with the screen data in the display memory of the computer 16 and displays the combined data on the display 15 in real time.

The sample 5 observed by the scanning electron microscope is held by a sample stage 6. In addition, the moving stage 20
The position of the electron beam 7 with respect to the sample 5 can be changed by moving, tilting, or rotating the sample table 6 three-dimensionally in accordance with a control signal from the control device 14. The moving stage 20 accurately measures how much it is moving in which direction and reports the result to the control means 14.

From the position information of the moving stage 20 and the deflection amount of the deflector 3, the position of the obtained image on the sample is calculated.
Further, the position of the target on the sample is calculated by designating the position of the target in the image using the mouse 19 or the like.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an inspection apparatus using a laser beam according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

This inspection apparatus irradiates a sample 5 with a laser beam 26 generated from a laser source 25, and scatters light 27 irregularly reflected by a projection or a dent on the sample, to a photodetector 2.
8 to detect. The amount of the laser beam 26 is adjusted by the output adjusting means 3.
5. The signal detected by the photodetector 28 is converted into a digital value by an analog / digital converter 29.

The sample 5 is held by a sample stage 6, and the sample stage 6 is linearly moved while being rotated by a rotary stage 31 and a linear moving stage 32 while being irradiated with a laser beam 26. By optimizing the rotation speed of the rotation stage 31 and the movement speed of the linear movement stage 32, the entire surface of the sample 5 can be irradiated with the laser beam. The rotation angle of the rotary stage 31 is measured by a rotation angle measuring device 33, and the moving position of the linear moving stage 32 is measured by a linear moving amount measuring device 34.

The defect coordinates on the sample 5 are the rotation angle θ measured by the rotation angle measuring device 33 and the moving distance r from the rotation center measured by the linear moving amount measuring device 34 at the moment when the scattered light 27 is captured. Given by the polar coordinates (r, θ) defined by

FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment in which a plurality of inspection apparatuses of the present invention are connected by communication.

The inspection devices 40 and 41 are connected to each other via the communication means 21. The defect coordinates measured by the inspection device 40 are transferred to the inspection device 41 using this communication means. The inspection apparatus 41 uses the defect coordinates (x, y) measured by the inspection apparatus 40 and several points of the defect coordinates (X, Y) measured by the inspection apparatus 40 to obtain an equation (Equation 5), (Equation 6) or (Equation 9). , (Equation 10)
Equation (5), (Equation 6) or (Equation 9) in which the optimum correction coefficient is obtained between the respective inspection apparatuses and the obtained correction coefficient is substituted.
By using (Equation 10), it is possible to convert all the defect coordinates acquired from the inspection apparatus 40 into almost the same defect coordinates as those measured by the user.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment in which a plurality of inspection apparatuses according to the present invention are connected by communication.

The inspection devices 40, 41, and 42 are
Is connected to the coordinate converter 43 via the. In the coordinate converter 43, an optimum coordinate correction formula and a correction coefficient of the coordinate correction formula are registered between the inspection devices determined empirically. When transferring the defect coordinates measured by a certain inspection device to another inspection device via communication, the coordinate converter 43
The coordinate conversion is performed using the optimum coordinate correction formula according to the combination of the inspection devices and the correction coefficient of the coordinate correction formula. Which inspection apparatus and which inspection apparatus exchange defect coordinates is automatically determined by using individual information for communication of each inspection apparatus.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a wafer used for obtaining an optimum correction coefficient for correcting a coordinate error of the inspection apparatus of the present invention.

This wafer has a notch 51 defining the direction of rotation of the wafer. The XY coordinates of the target object on the wafer are in contact with the outer peripheral portion 50 of the wafer,
The X-axis is defined by an X-axis parallel to one linear portion and a Y-axis which is in contact with the wafer outer peripheral portion 50 and is orthogonal to the X-axis. A plurality of regularly arranged holes 52 having a diameter of several μm are provided on the surface of the wafer, and the XY coordinates of each of the holes 52 are accurately measured using another inspection device.

The coordinate value (x, y) obtained by actually measuring the hole 52 of the wafer with the inspection apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the coordinate value without error accurately measured using another inspection apparatus.
By using (X, Y), the equations (Equation 5) and (Equation 6)
Alternatively, a correction coefficient optimal for itself in (Equation 9) and (Equation 10) is obtained. Expression (Equation 5) with the obtained correction coefficient substituted,
If (Equation 6) or (Equation 9) or (Equation 10) is used, it is possible to always convert the defect coordinates measured by itself into accurate defect coordinates without errors.

[0063]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to correct a relative error of defect coordinates measured by a plurality of inspection devices. Further, the absolute error of the defect coordinates measured by the inspection apparatus having different coordinate error factors can be corrected by an optimum correction method corresponding to each error factor. Further, it is possible to save the trouble of finding the coordinate correction formula and the correction coefficient of the coordinate correction formula by using the coordinate correction formula and the correction coefficient of the coordinate correction formula empirically obtained. In addition, when transferring defective coordinates using communication, a plurality of empirically obtained coordinate correction formulas and correction coefficients of the coordinate correction formulas are obtained by using individual information of each inspection apparatus set for communication. , The coordinate correction formula and the correction coefficient of the coordinate correction formula can be automatically selected. With these functions, it is possible to provide a wafer / mask inspection apparatus that can always deliver a defect coordinate having a small coordinate error without the need for a user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wafer / mask inspection apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wafer / mask inspection apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a first embodiment in which a plurality of inspection apparatuses of the present invention are connected using communication.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second embodiment in which a plurality of inspection devices of the present invention are connected using communication.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an embodiment of a wafer used for obtaining an optimum correction coefficient for correcting a coordinate error of the inspection apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electron gun, 2 ... Electron lens, 3 ... Deflector, 4 ... Secondary particle detector, 5 ... Sample, 6 ... Sample stage, 7 ... Electron beam, 8 ... Secondary particle, 9 ... Lens control circuit, 10 ... Deflection control circuit, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Analog / digital converter, 12 ... Address control circuit, 13 ... Image memory, 14 ... Control means, 15 ... Display, 16 ... Computer, 17 ... Image synthesis means, 1
8 ... keyboard, 19 ... mouse, 20 ... moving stage,
21 communication means, 25 laser source, 26 laser beam, 27 scattered light, 28 photodetector, 31 rotary stage, 32 linear movement stage, 33 rotation angle measuring device, 34 linear movement amount measurement Container, 35 ... output adjusting means, 4
0, 41, 42 ... inspection device, 43 ... coordinate converter, 50 ...
Wafer outer peripheral part, 51 ... notch, 52 ... hole, 53 ...
X axis, 54 ... Y axis.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2G051 AA51 AA56 AB01 AB02 BA10 CA02 CB05 DA07 DA08 EA12 EA14 FA10 2H095 BD02 4M106 AA01 AA09 BA02 BA04 CA38 CA42 CA50 DJ40

Claims (6)

[Claims] An irradiation unit for irradiating a defect / contamination on the surface or inside of a semiconductor wafer or a mask for semiconductor pattern exposure with an electron beam or a light beam, and a signal from the defect / contamination generated by the irradiated electron beam or the light beam. A detection unit for detecting, a sample stage that holds the wafer / mask and arbitrarily changes the position of the observation site of the wafer / mask, a stage coordinate measurement unit that measures the position coordinates of the observation site on the stage, A wafer including a defect / foreign matter coordinate calculation unit for calculating the position coordinates of the detected defect / foreign matter on the wafer / mask based on the position coordinates of the observed part on the stage /
Means for inputting defect / contaminant coordinates on a wafer / mask measured by another wafer / mask inspection device, and defect / contamination coordinates on a wafer / mask measured by the other wafer / mask inspection device; And the defect / contaminant coordinates measured by the own wafer / mask inspection apparatus to correct a relative coordinate error between the other wafer / mask inspection apparatus and the own wafer / mask inspection apparatus. A relative coordinate error correcting unit, a correcting system selecting unit having a plurality of the relative coordinate error correcting units, and selecting one of the relative coordinate error correcting systems in accordance with the cause of the relative coordinate error; Using the relative coordinate correction method selected by the means, the defect / foreign matter coordinates on the wafer / mask measured by the other wafer / mask inspection apparatus are previously calculated. A wafer / mask inspection apparatus characterized by having relative coordinate conversion means for converting the coordinates so as to be close to the defect / foreign matter coordinates measured by the wafer / mask inspection apparatus. A means for inputting an ideal defect / contaminant coordinate on the wafer / mask having no error, a defect / contaminant coordinate on the ideal wafer / mask and a defect / particle measured by the wafer / mask inspection apparatus. Compare the wafer /
It has a plurality of absolute coordinate error correcting means for correcting an absolute coordinate error of the mask inspection apparatus, and a plurality of the absolute coordinate correction means, and selects one of the absolute coordinate correction methods in accordance with a cause of a coordinate error of the wafer / mask inspection apparatus. The defect / foreign matter coordinates measured by the wafer / mask inspection apparatus are made closer to the ideal defect / foreign matter coordinates using the correction method selecting means to perform the correction and the absolute coordinate correction method selected by the correction method selecting means. Wafer / mask inspection apparatus, which has absolute coordinate conversion means for performing the above conversion. 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: using a coordinate correction formula arranged by polar components when measuring the coordinates of a defect / foreign substance on a wafer / mask in polar coordinates. Wafer / mask inspection equipment. 4. A wafer / mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for changing the order of the coordinate correction equation according to the number of defect / foreign substance coordinates to be compared when performing coordinate correction. apparatus. 5. A means for registering a plurality of empirically obtained relative coordinate error correction methods, and the other wafer / mask inspection apparatus selected from the plurality of empirically obtained relative coordinate error correction methods. Means for arbitrarily selecting the empirically determined relative coordinate error correction method optimal for combination with its own wafer / mask inspection apparatus, wherein the selected optimal empirically determined relative coordinate error correction method is selected. 2. The wafer / mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first coordinate conversion is performed by using the following. 6. A method for transmitting / receiving information on defects / foreign matter between said another wafer / mask inspection apparatus and said own wafer / mask inspection apparatus using communication, said second wafer / mask inspection apparatus and said other wafer / mask inspection apparatus. A relative coordinate error correction method suitable for a combination of the another wafer / mask inspection apparatus and the own wafer / mask inspection apparatus from among a plurality of registered relative coordinate error correction methods using identification information for communication. Having means for automatically selecting one of
2. The wafer / mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first coordinate conversion is performed using a relative coordinate error correction method automatically selected.