Abstract: The surface of an epitaxial wafer is inspected using an optical scattering method. The intensities of light scattered with a narrow scattering angle and light scattered with a wide scattering angle reflected from laser light scatterers (LLS) on the wafer surface are detected. If the intensifies of narrowly and widely scattered lights are within a prescribed sizing range, it is judged whether the laser light scatterer is a particle or killer defect by deciding into which zone (410, 414, 418, 439) within the sizing range the PLS size based on the narrowly scattered light intensity and the PLS size based, on the widely scattered light intensity fall. If the intensity of the narrowly or widely scattered light exceeds the sizing range (417, 420, 421, 423, 424, 425), or if a plenty of laser light scatterers are continuous or concentrated (422), the laser light scatterers are judged to be killer defects.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer surface inspection apparatus detects LADs (Large Area Defects) which are flat and have low heights and differentiates them from particles. This inspection apparatus irradiates each point on the surface of a semiconductor wafer 200 with two parallel laser beams perpendicularly to the points while scanning the surface, and by measuring the phase difference between the two reflected beams, detects points 400 at which an upward inclination exists and points 402 at which a downward inclination exists on the surface of the wafer 200. Areas 404 in which pairs or sets of upward-inclination points 400 and downward-inclination points 402 exist within a prescribed range of mutual distances are inferred to be LADs.

Abstract: The surface of an epitaxial wafer is inspected using an optical scattering method. The intensities of light scattered with a narrow scattering angle and light scattered with, a wide scattering angle reflected from laser light scatterers (LLS) on the wafer surface are detected. If the intensifies of narrowly and widely scattered lights are within a prescribed sizing range, it is judged whether the laser light scatterer is a particle or killer defect by deciding into which zone (410, 414, 418, 439) within the sizing range the PLS size based on the narrowly scattered light intensity and the PLS size based, on the widely scattered light intensity fall. If the intensity of the narrowly or widely scattered light exceeds the sizing range (417, 420, 421, 423, 424, 425), or if a plenty of laser light scatterers are continuous or concentrated (422), the laser light scatterers are judged to be killer defects.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer surface inspection apparatus detects LADs (Large Area Defects) which are flat and have low heights and differentiates them from particles. This inspection apparatus irradiates each point on the surface of a semiconductor wafer 200 with two parallel laser beams perpendicularly to the points while scanning the surface, and by measuring the phase difference between the two reflected beams, detects points 400 at which an upward inclination exists and points 402 at which a downward inclination exists on the surface of the wafer 200. Areas 404 in which pairs or sets of upward-inclination points 400 and downward-inclination points 402 exist within a prescribed range of mutual distances are inferred to be LADs.