Abstract: Provided are a defect classifying method and an inspection apparatus which are capable of classifying a defect by distinguishing a basal plane dislocation, which is a killer defect in bipolar high-voltage elements, from other defects. The defect classifying method according to the present invention includes: projecting an illumination beam toward a silicon carbide substrate and forming a reflection image and a photoluminescence image; a first inspection step of detecting a defect image from the reflection image formed; a second inspection step of detecting a defect image from the photoluminescence image formed; and a defect classification step of classifying detected defects based on whether or not the defect image is detected and the shape of the detected defect image.

Abstract: Provided are a defect classifying method and an inspection apparatus which are capable of classifying a defect by distinguishing a basal plane dislocation, which is a killer defect in bipolar high-voltage elements, from other defects. The defect classifying method according to the present invention includes: projecting an illumination beam toward a silicon carbide substrate and forming a reflection image and a photoluminescence image; a first inspection step of detecting a defect image from the reflection image formed; a second inspection step of detecting a defect image from the photoluminescence image formed; and a defect classification step of classifying detected defects based on whether or not the defect image is detected and the shape of the detected defect image.

Abstract: According to the invention, the surface of the Sic substrate or the epitaxial layer formed on the Sic substrate using the optical apparatus including the differential interference optical system. The reflected light from the surface of the Sic substrate or the epitaxial layer is received by the line sensor (23), and the output of the line sensor is supplied to the processor (11). The processor comprises means for forming the differential interference contrast image of the surface of the Sic substrate. The differential interference contrast image of the surface of the Sic substrate is supplied to the defect detection means in order to detect the defects formed in the substrate. The image of the detected defect is supplied to the defect classification means (36) to classify the type of the defect based on the shape and luminance distribution of the defect image.