Abstract: A primary defect detecting section performs a primary defect detection process for detecting a severe defect of more than a predetermined size on an inspection object. A secondary defect detecting section performs a secondary defect detection process for detecting a defect on the inspection object using image data of the inspection object. A process controller omits the secondary defect detection process upon detection of the severe defect in the primary defect detection process before starting the secondary defect detection process, or stops the secondary defect detection process upon detection of the severe defect in the primary defect detection process after starting the secondary defect detection process.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is disclosed a defect detection apparatus comprising an illuminating unit which irradiates an inspection object with illuminating light, and an image pickup unit which picks up an image of diffracted light from the inspection object to perform defect inspection of the inspection object from image data picked up by the image pickup unit, the apparatus further comprising a diffraction angle calculation unit to obtain the diffraction angle of the illuminating light with respect to the inspection object, which is optimum for picking up the image of the diffracted light, based on design information of the inspection object, and an illuminating setting unit which sets the angle of incidence of the illuminating unit to the diffraction angle calculated by the diffraction angle calculation unit.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is disclosed a defect detection apparatus comprising an illuminating unit which irradiates an inspection object with illuminating light, and an image pickup unit which picks up an image of diffracted light from the inspection object to perform defect inspection of the inspection object from image data picked up by the image pickup unit, the apparatus further comprising a diffraction angle calculation unit to obtain the diffraction angle of the illuminating light with respect to the inspection object, which is optimum for picking up the image of the diffracted light, based on design information of the inspection object, and an illuminating setting unit which sets the angle of incidence of the illuminating unit to the diffraction angle calculated by the diffraction angle calculation unit.