Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus has a defect detection unit 152 that acquires first defect information on a defect of a photomask blank MB as a substrate; and a comparative information acquisition unit 150 that acquires a result of comparison between predetermined defect information stored in a storage unit 155 and the first defect information.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus has a defect detection unit 152 that acquires first defect information on a defect of a photomask blank MB as a substrate; and a comparative information acquisition unit 150 that acquires a result of comparison between predetermined defect information stored in a storage unit 155 and the first defect information.

Abstract: A photomask blank including a substrate and chromium-containing film, where the chromium-containing film has first to third layers from a substrate side remote, each containing chromium. The first layer contains oxygen and nitrogen and has 44 atom % or less chromium, 30 atom % or more oxygen, 26 atom % or less nitrogen, and thickness of 8 to 20 nm. The second layer contains nitrogen and 66 to 92 atom % Cr, 8 to 34 atom % N, and thickness of 40 to 70 nm. The third layer further contains oxygen and nitrogen and has 44 atom % or less Cr, 30 atom % or more O, 26 atom % or less N, and thickness of 10 nm or less. Thus, a photomask blank has a chromium-containing film with good surface roughness with defects of 50 nm, low resistivity for foreign matter adherence, and reads a barcode pattern.