Abstract: A wafer surface inspection method and device including a low angle light receiving system having an elevation angle less than 30.degree. with reference to the wafer surface, and a high angle light receiving system having an elevation angle equal to or larger than 30.degree., scans the wafer with a laser beam, receives scattered light to perform extraneous substance detection in response to the scanning, and detects wafer defects only by the high angle light receiving system, and sticking extraneous substances by either the low angle receiving system or by both the low angle light receiving system and the high angle light receiving system.

Abstract: A detector is provided to optically monitor the outer periphery of a wafer rotated by rotation of a rotary stage, so as to detect how much the center of the wafer placed on the rotary inspection stage is offset from the rotational center of the rotary stage as well as an angular position, on the stage, of a V-shaped notch formed in the wafer. From the detected eccentricity of the wafer, it is determined whether a precise positioning operation, using at least three positioning pins, to locate the center of the wafer at the rotational center of the rotary stage should be performed or not. When the detected eccentricity is so great as to necessitate the precise positioning operation, one of the positioning pins is caused to fit into the V-shaped notch of the wafer on the basis of the detected angular position of the notch and then the precise positioning of the wafer is performed using the other two positioning pins.