Abstract: A device and method for inspecting an object (2) uses a bright field illumination beam path (4) of a bright field light source (5), said beam path being formed so that it passes through the projection optics (3), and a dark field illumination beam path (6) of a dark field light source (7), this beam path being formed so that it also passes through the projection optics (3). The object (2) can be projected by the projection optics (3) onto the least one detector (8), and the object (2) is simultaneously illuminated by both light sources (5, 7). In order to simultaneously detect bright field images and dark field images without involving complicated filtering operations, the light used for the dark field illumination is pulsed and the pulse intensity of the light used for the dark field illumination is greater by at least one order of magnitude than the intensity of the continuous light, which is used for the bright field illumination, during a pulsed interval.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for inspecting an object (2) involving the use of a bright field illumination beam path (4) of a bright field light source (5), said beam path being formed so that it passes through the projection optics (3), and involving the use or a dark field illumination beam path (6) of a dark field light source (7), this beam path being formed so that it also passes through the projection optics (3). The object (2) can be projected by the projection optics (3) onto the least one detector (8), and the object (2) is simultaneously illuminated by both light sources (5, 7).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are described for the optical examination of structured surfaces of objects, especially of wafers and/or masks. The optical apparatus has an observation beam path (6) whose central axis (42) is directed vertically against the surface of the object (16), an illumination beam (2) whose central ray (40) falls vertically on the surface of the object, and an illumination beam (3) whose central ray (41) falls obliquely onto the surface of the object (16). In the observation beam path (6) the image of the surface of the object (6) is observed and/or detected. In the observation beam path (6) a filter device (38) and/or detector device (18) is disposed. The optical system has an illumination device (39) for the simultaneous production of a dark field illumination, a device for the coding (11) of the illumination beams (2, 3) being associated with the bright field (2) and/or the dark field illumination beam (3).