Sheet beam-type testing apparatus

Abstract

An electron beam apparatus such as a sheet beam based testing apparatus has an electron-optical system for irradiating an object under testing with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and projecting an image of a secondary electron beam emitted by the irradiation of the primary electron beam, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron beam image projected by the electron-optical system; specifically, the electron beam apparatus comprises beam generating meansfor irradiating an electron beam having a particular width, a primary electron-optical systemfor leading the beam to reach the surface of a substrateunder testing, a secondary electron-optical systemfor trapping secondary electrons generated from the substrateand introducing them into an image processing system, a stagefor transportably holding the substratewith a continuous degree of freedom equal to at least one, a testing chamber for the substrate, a substrate transport mechanism for transporting the substrateinto and out of the testing chamber, an image processing analyzerfor detecting defects on the substrate, a vibration isolating mechanism for the testing chamber, a vacuum system for holding the testing chamber at a vacuum, and a control systemfor displaying or storing positions of defects on the substrate