JPH06265482A - Matching pattern signal generating method in pattern matching inspection and device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make any defect in a mast area effectively detectable by extracting each of both first and second contouring parts crossing and paralleling the scanning direction and then performing a mast expansion process for pattern matching separately. CONSTITUTION:A first difference processing circuit 8 extracts a first contouring part, crossing the scanning direction of a camera, from a difference between a camera signal A not passing through a delay line 9 and a delay camera signal B, outputting a signal of first contouring data C. The data C are binary-coded (10), and master first contour binary data D2, imparting an expanded master area to this data C is outputted (11). In addition, an AND circuit 7 inputted with real first binary-coded data F binary-coded the data C inputs corresponding data E into a first memory 5 synchronously, and when there is a difference after pattern matching, a signal G is outputted. When a defective object inclusive of this signal G is more than the specified size, a defect is judged (12). On the other hand, a second contouring part in parallel with the scanning direction is extracted (28), and a defective judgment (32) takes place with the same processing as the first one. Therefore a defect in one side mask area is situated at the outside of the other side mast area, whereby it is effectively detectable.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for generating a matching pattern signal which is carried out in a defect inspection for determining the quality of a pattern to be inspected such as a print pattern of a printed matter by a pattern matching inspection, Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a pattern matching inspection, an image pickup signal of a pattern to be inspected is subjected to signal processing to extract a contour of the pattern to be inspected, and a mask area is enlarged and given to the extracted contour pattern. Then, after the master pattern is formed by thickening the contour pattern), the real data that does not give a mask area to the contour pattern obtained by performing the signal processing of the image pickup signal is compared with the master pattern to perform pattern matching. I do.

In this pattern matching, the masked portion becomes a dead zone area in the defect inspection. Therefore, by enlarging the mask area as described above, it is possible to allow the positional accuracy of the material to be inspected such as printed matter and the deviation of the printing position of the pattern to be inspected, and to provide such a mask area to the master pattern. Are essential for pattern matching inspection.

[0004]

By the way, conventionally, pattern matching processing is performed for the entire contour pattern. Therefore, when the distance between adjacent inspection patterns is narrow and close to each other, as represented by a bar code, for example, the mask regions given to the respective inspection patterns overlap.

Therefore, for example, in the case of a bar code or the like, the entire area becomes a dead zone area due to the mask areas which overlap each other. Therefore, with respect to the defect occurring in this area, it has been a conventional practice to generate a matching pattern signal including the defect. Is impossible, and its defect cannot be detected.

Further, even when the pattern to be inspected has a large mutual interval, defects generated on the contour of the pattern and in the vicinity thereof are located in the mask area, and therefore a matching pattern signal for such a defect is also generated. No, it cannot detect its defects. An object of the present invention is to obtain a matching pattern signal generation method and its apparatus in a pattern matching inspection effective for detecting defects in a mask area.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a method for generating a matching pattern signal in a pattern matching inspection according to claim 1 of the present invention is an image obtained by imaging an inspection pattern of an inspection material. Based on the signal, the mask area enlargement process is performed on the first contour portion of the contour of the pattern to be inspected, which intersects the scanning direction of the imaging, to form the first contour portion master pattern. The master pattern and the real data of the first contour portion are compared to generate a matching pattern signal for a second contour portion of the contour of the pattern to be inspected, which is parallel to the scanning direction, and at the same time, the imaging signal is generated. Based on the second contour portion, mask area expansion processing is performed to form a second contour portion master pattern, and the second contour portion master pattern is formed. By comparing the real data for the second contour portion, and generating a matching pattern signal for said first contour portion.

In order to achieve the same object, a matching pattern signal generating device in a pattern matching inspection of the present invention according to a second aspect provides an image pickup signal of an inspection pattern of an inspection material imaged by an image pickup device. First contour extraction means for processing to extract a first contour portion that intersects the contour of the pattern to be inspected with respect to the scanning direction of the imager, and first contour data for the extracted first contour portion. In contrast, the mask area is enlarged and given first
Mask enlarging processing means, a first memory for storing the first contour data processed by the processing means, real data on the first contour portion extracted by the first contour extracting means, and the first memory A first matching pattern generating means for generating a matching pattern signal for a second contour portion of the contour of the pattern to be inspected which is parallel to the scanning direction by comparing the data stored in the first matching pattern generation means. Section, second contour extracting means for processing the image pickup signal from the image pickup device to extract the second contour portion, and enlarging the mask area with respect to the second contour data on the extracted second contour portion. Second mask enlarging processing means to be given by the above, a second memory for storing the second contour data processed by the processing means, and the second contour portion extracted by the second contour extracting means. Said the real data for the second
A second circuit for comparing the data stored in the memory to generate a matching pattern signal for the first contour portion;
And a second matching pattern generator having a generator.

[0009]

According to the structure of the present invention, the first contour portion master pattern to be compared with the real data of the first contour portion which intersects the contour of the pattern to be inspected in the scanning direction is the pattern to be inspected. The first contour portion master pattern is parallel to the scanning direction among the contours of the pattern to be inspected because the first contour portion master pattern is formed on the first contour portion that intersects the scanning direction with respect to the contour. There is no mask area for the second contour portion. Therefore, during pattern matching, the second contour portion is not located outside the mask area of the first contour portion master pattern and becomes a dead zone area, and the first contour portion master pattern and the first contour portion are not By comparing with the real data, it is possible to generate a matching pattern signal for the second contour portion of the contour of the pattern to be inspected, which is parallel to the scanning direction.

Similarly, the second contour portion master pattern, which is compared with the real data of the second contour portion parallel to the scanning direction for the contour of the pattern to be inspected, has the second contour parallel to the scanning direction for the contour of the pattern to be inspected. Since the contour portion is formed by performing the mask area enlargement process, the second contour portion master pattern is a mask area for the first contour portion of the contour of the pattern to be inspected which intersects in the scanning direction. do not have. Therefore, during pattern matching, the first contour portion is not located outside the mask area of the second contour portion master pattern and becomes a dead zone area, and the second contour portion master pattern and the second contour portion do not overlap each other. By comparing with the real data, it is possible to generate a matching pattern signal for the first contour portion of the contour of the pattern to be inspected that intersects in the scanning direction.

After extracting the contours of the first contour portion that intersects the scanning direction and the second contour portion that is parallel to the scanning direction of the pattern to be inspected in this way, mask enlargement processing is performed and pattern matching is performed separately. As a result, the defect included in the mask area in one pattern matching can be located outside the mask area in the other pattern matching, and the matching pattern signal including the defect in the mask area can be generated.

In the structure of the invention of claim 2, the first
The image pickup signal of the image pickup device is supplied to the first contour extraction means of the matching pattern generation unit, and the first contour extraction means
A first contour portion that intersects the scanning direction of the image pickup device is extracted from the inspection pattern of the inspection material imaged by the signal processing. The first mask enlargement processing unit enlarges and gives a mask region to the first contour data of the extracted first contour portion. The first memory has a capacity capable of storing at least all of the first contour data for the pattern to be inspected, and stores mask-given data therein. The first generation means compares the real data on the first contour portion extracted by the first contour extraction means with the data stored in the first memory,
A matching pattern signal is generated for a second contour portion of the contour of the pattern to be inspected which is parallel to the scanning direction.

Therefore, the first matching pattern generating section provides a mask on the first contour portion of the pattern to be inspected which intersects the scanning direction of the scanning lines, and the second contour parallel to the scanning direction in the pattern to be inspected. The pattern matching process is performed without providing a mask on the part.

The image pickup signal of the image pickup device is also supplied to the second contour extracting means of the second matching pattern generating section.
The contour extracting means extracts a second contour portion parallel to the scanning direction of the image pickup device for the inspection pattern of the inspection material imaged by the signal processing. The second mask enlargement processing unit enlarges and gives a mask area to the extracted second contour data of the second contour portion. The second memory has a capacity capable of storing at least all of the second contour data for the pattern to be inspected, and stores mask-given data therein. The second generation means compares the real data of the second contour portion extracted by the second contour extraction means with the data stored in the second memory, and selects the contour of the pattern to be inspected in the scanning direction. A matching pattern signal for the first contour portion intersecting with is generated.

Therefore, the second matching pattern generating section provides the mask on the second contour portion of the pattern to be inspected which is parallel to the scanning direction of the scanning line, and the first contour portion of the pattern to be inspected which intersects in the scanning direction. Pattern matching processing is performed without providing a mask.

Therefore, in the invention of claim 2, the matching pattern signal generating method is carried out,
A defect included in the mask area in one pattern matching can be located outside the mask area in the other pattern matching to generate a matching pattern signal including a defect in the mask area.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a matching pattern signal generation device incorporated in a defect inspection machine for determining the quality of a printed pattern (inspected pattern) of a printed matter (inspected material). The matching pattern signal generation method is performed.

The signal generator comprises a first matching pattern generator 1 and a second matching pattern generator 2. This device has an image pickup signal A (for example, A1, A2, A3, ... if necessary to be distinguished) output from an image pickup device for picking up a print pattern under appropriate illumination, for example, a CCD line sensor camera (not shown). Will be supplied at the same time. The camera is included in a defect detector.

The first matching pattern generating section 1 has a first
A contour extracting means 3, a first mask area expanding means 4, a first
The memory 5 and the first real-purpose first contour binarizing means
A real comparator 6 and an AND circuit 7 with a negative logic input terminal as the first generating means are provided.

The first contour extracting means 3 receives the image pickup signal A through the delay line 9 at one input end of the first difference processing circuit 8 having, for example, two input ends, and at the other end. The image pickup signal A is inputted to the input end without passing through the delay line 9. The delay line 9 gives a time-axis delay of several bits, for example, four bits, to the pixel data of one line (one scanning line) of the image pickup signal. The first difference processing circuit 8 receives the image pickup signal A input without passing through the delay line 9.
Then, a process for obtaining a difference from the delayed image pickup signal B input with a delay with respect to the signal A is performed.

The configuration of the first difference processing circuit 8 is shown in FIG.
A subtractor 15 to which both signals A and B are supplied, a buffer circuit 16, an inverter circuit 17,
And a switching circuit 18. The subtractor 15 executes difference processing, and when the result is 0 or more (AB ≧ 0), no borrow occurs, so the subtractor 15 is switched to output a difference output through the buffer circuit 16. Control the circuit 18. Further, when a borrow occurs as a result of the difference processing, the subtractor 15 gives the borrow signal to the switching circuit 18 and controls the switching circuit 18 so that a differential output is output through the inverter circuit 17. As a result, the first difference processing circuit 8 outputs the absolute value of (AB) for both signals A and B.

By the processing by the first contour extracting means 3,
Of the contours of the pattern to be inspected, a first contour portion intersecting the pattern at right angles to the scanning direction of the camera is extracted. Specifically, the letter “F” illustrated in FIG. 3 is a print pattern P of the same color in each part, and the case where the pattern P is scanned by the camera in the arrow direction of FIG. 3 will be described below as a representative. .

As the image pickup signal A1 is input to the first difference processing circuit 8 as it is along with the image pickup by the camera, the image pickup signal A1 is delayed by the delay line 9 for t time as shown in FIG. B (B1, B2, B3, ... Bn) is input to the first difference processing circuit 8. As a result, the first difference processing circuit 8 obtains the difference between adjacent pixel data that are temporally displaced within one line.

When there is no difference in the result of this difference processing, it is determined that there is no color difference between the adjacent pixel data in the one line, and when the difference is obtained, it is 1
It is determined that there is a color difference between the boundary as a change point of the image pickup signal in the line, in other words, the adjacent pixel data in the one line.

In this way, the contour portion of the print pattern P within the one line, in other words, the first contour portion of the contour of the print pattern P intersecting at right angles to the scanning direction is extracted. This contour portion is supplied from the first difference processing circuit 8 to the first mask area enlarging means 4 and the first real-purpose comparator 6 as the first contour data C having a value (multivalue) corresponding to the color difference. .

The first mask area enlarging means 4 includes a first master comparator 10 as a master first contour binarizing means,
It is formed by the first mask area expansion processing circuit 11.
The input terminal of the first mask comparator 10 has a first difference processing circuit 8
Of the first contour data C.
Quantify. In FIG. 2, S1 is a threshold value (threshold level) of the comparator 10, and the first contour data C is binarized at this threshold value to become the master first contour binary data D1.

The binary data D1 is input to the first mask area enlargement processing circuit 11, and the circuit 11 performs the processing for delaying or advancing the signal with respect to the supplied binary data D1. The binary data D1 is thickened in the time axis direction to form an enlarged mask area, which is given to the binary data D1. By enlarging and providing the mask area in this way, it is possible to reduce the influence of the positional accuracy of the printed matter, the print position shift of the print pattern P, and the like.

The first memory 5 outputs to the first mask area enlarging means 11, that is, the master first contour binary data to which the enlarging mask area is given for the first contour data C.
D2 is supplied. The first memory 5 has a capacity capable of storing at least the master first contour binary data D2 for at least the entire print pattern P. The master first contour binary data D2 stored in the first memory 5 is 1 with respect to the corresponding real data at the time of pattern matching.
Each line is read out, and its output E is supplied to the non-logical input terminal of the AND circuit 7. The master first contour binary data D2 stored in the first memory 5 is updated each time.

An image of the print pattern P stored in the first memory 5 is shown in FIG. 4 (A). In the figure, X1 to X5 are first contour portions along a direction intersecting at right angles to the scanning direction, and an area portion Ma shown by diagonal lines in the figure is the first zone which becomes a dead zone in defect inspection. 1
The first mask area for the contour portions X1 to X5 is shown.

The first real comparator 6 connected to the output terminal of the first difference processing circuit 8 binarizes the first contour data C. In FIG. 2, S2 is a threshold value (threshold level) of the comparator 6, and the first contour data C is binarized at this threshold value to become the first real contour binary data F. The level of the threshold S2 is set lower than the threshold S1 of the comparator 10. The output of the comparator 6 (real first contour binary data F) is supplied to the other input terminal of the AND circuit 7. The supply of the real first contour binary data F and the reading of the corresponding data from the first memory 5 are performed in synchronization.

As described above, the AND circuit 7 is supplied with the real first contour binary data F generated by the first real comparator 6 after the contour extraction, and at the same time with the timing, First for master corresponding to data F
The contour binary data E is supplied. This AND circuit 7
Performs pattern matching on the same image pickup signal supplied as described above, and outputs a matching pattern signal G when there is a difference between both patterns.

The matching pattern signal G is given to the first size judging circuit 12. The determination circuit 12 determines the size of a defect target included in the matching pattern signal G, and determines the defect target as a defect when the defect target is a predetermined size or more. . In this defect determination, the value of the area obtained by multiplying the width of the defect pattern by the number of pixels in the scanning direction is compared with the reference area value to make the determination.

The second matching pattern generating section 2 has a second
A contour extracting means 23, a second mask area expanding means 24,
It is provided with a second memory 25, a second real comparator 26 as real second contour binarization means, and an AND circuit 27 with negative logic input terminal as second generation means.

The second contour extracting means 23 has, for example, one input end of the second difference processing circuit 28 having two input ends,
A plurality of, for example, two 1-line memories 29a and 29b are connected in series, and the image pickup signal A is input through the delaying unit 29, and the image pickup signal is input to the other input terminal without passing through the delaying unit 29. This is a configuration in which A is input.

Each of the line memories 29a and 29b stores an image pickup signal for one line, and the time is set in a direction in which the scanning lines are arranged, that is, in a direction intersecting the scanning lines at a right angle in accordance with the number of used signals. In this embodiment, a time delay of two lines is given. Second difference processing circuit 28
Is an image pickup signal A input without passing through the delay unit 29.
Then, a process for obtaining a difference from the delayed image pickup signal B input with a delay with respect to the signal A is performed. The second difference processing circuit 28 has the same configuration as the first difference processing circuit 8 shown in FIG. 5, and outputs an absolute value.

By the processing by the first contour extracting means 23, the second contour portion parallel to the scanning direction of the camera is extracted from the contour of the pattern to be inspected. For more information,
When the image pickup signal A1 is input to the first difference processing circuit 28 as it is taken by the camera, the delay unit 29 delays the image pickup signal A1 by two lines so that the image pickup signal A1 is transferred to the first difference processing circuit 28.
Entered in. Therefore, the circuit 28 finds a difference between scanning lines which are parallel to the scanning direction of the camera and are adjacent to each other in a direction intersecting each other at a right angle to the scanning direction.

If there is no difference in the result of this difference processing, it is determined that there is no color difference between the pixel data of the scanning lines arranged in the direction intersecting at right angles with the scanning direction, and the difference is obtained. In that case, it is determined that there is a color difference between the boundary as the change point of the image pickup signal, in other words, between the pixel data of the scanning lines arranged in the direction intersecting with the scanning direction at a right angle.

In this way, the contour portion of the print pattern P, in other words, the second contour portion which intersects the contour of the print pattern P at a right angle to the scanning direction is extracted. This contour part has a value (multivalue) corresponding to the color difference.
2nd contour data J of the second difference processing circuit 28 from the second mask area enlarging means 24 and the second real comparator 26.
And supplied respectively.

The second mask area expanding means 24 is a second master comparator 30 as the second contour binarizing means for master.
And a second mask area expansion processing circuit 31. The input end of the second mask comparator 30 is connected to the output end of the second difference processing circuit 28, which binarizes the second contour data J. In FIG. 2, S3 is a threshold value (threshold level) of the comparator 30.
The contour data J is binarized to become the master second contour binary data K1.

The second mask area enlargement processing circuit 31 is supplied with the master second contour binary data K1.
Is the second contour binary data by the processing of delaying or advancing the signal with respect to the supplied second contour binary data K1.
An enlarged mask region is formed by thickening K1 in the time axis direction, and the enlarged mask region is given to the second contour binary data K1. By enlarging and providing the mask area in this way, the influence of the positional accuracy of the printed matter, the print position shift of the print pattern P, and the like can be reduced.

The second memory 25 is supplied with the output of the second mask area enlarging means 24, that is, the master second contour binary data K2 to which the enlarging mask area is given for the second contour data J. The second memory 25 has a capacity capable of storing at least the master second contour binary data K2 for at least the entire print pattern P. Second memory 2
5 is the stored second contour binary data K2 for master,
At the time of pattern matching, the corresponding real data is read out line by line, and its output L is supplied to the non-logical input terminal of the AND circuit 27. The master second contour binary data K2 stored in the second memory 25 is updated each time.

An image of the print pattern P stored in the second memory 25 is shown in FIG. 4 (B). In the figure, Y1 to Y5 are second contour portions along a direction parallel to the scanning direction, and area portions Mb shown by oblique lines in the figure.
Indicates the second contour portion Y1 to be a dead zone in the defect inspection.
The second mask area for Y5 is shown.

The second real-purpose comparator 26 connected to the output terminal of the second difference processing circuit 28 binarizes the second contour data J. In FIG. 2, S4 is a threshold value (threshold level) of the comparator 26, and the second contour data J is binarized on the basis of this threshold value to obtain the real second contour binary data N.
Becomes The level of the threshold value S4 is set lower than the threshold value S3 of the comparator 30. The output of the comparator 26 (the second contour binary data N for real) is the AND circuit 2.
7 to the other input terminals. Supply of this real second contour binary data N and the corresponding second memory 2
The reading of data from 5 is performed in synchronization.

As described above, the AND circuit 27 is supplied with the real second contour binary data N generated by the second real comparator 26 after the contour extraction, and at the same time, The master second contour binary data L corresponding to the data N is supplied. The AND circuit 27 performs pattern matching on the same image pickup signal supplied as described above, and when there is a difference between the two patterns, the matching pattern signal O
Is output.

The matching pattern signal O is given to the second size judging circuit 32. The determination circuit 32 determines the size of the defect target included in the matching pattern signal O, and determines the defect target as a defect when the defect target is equal to or larger than a predetermined size. . In this defect determination, the area obtained by multiplying the number of pixels of the length of the defect pattern along the scanning direction by the number of pixels of the width along the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction by 90 ° Judgment is made by comparing area values.

In the above structure, the first matching pattern generator 1 extracts the first contour portions X1 to X5 of the print pattern P by the first contour extracting means 3 as described above, which intersects the scanning direction of the camera. After this, this first contour part X1
To X5 only, mask area expansion processing is performed to form a first contour portion master pattern (see FIG. 4A), and this first contour portion master pattern is compared with real data for the first contour portions X1 to X5. Then, the matching pattern signal G for the second contour portions Y1 to Y5 parallel to the scanning direction among the contours of the pattern P to be inspected is generated.

By the way, since there is no change in chromaticity in the inner portion of the print pattern P in FIG. 3, in the contour extraction by the first contour extracting means 3, as shown in FIG. 4 (A), the first contour is extracted. No contour pattern is formed between the portions X1 to X5, and therefore the portion other than the first contour portions X1 to X5 is not subjected to the enlarging mask processing.

Therefore, the print pattern P shown in FIG.
In this case, since the defect Q1 in the contour portion parallel to the scanning direction, for example, the second contour portion indicated by Y1 is a no mask, the matching pattern signal G including the information of this defect Q1 is used.
Can be generated by the first matching pattern generation unit 1.
In the generation unit 1, the defect Q2 in the contour portion intersecting the print pattern P at right angles to the scanning direction, for example, the first contour portion X1 is formed in the mask area Ma for the first contour portion X1. Since it is included in the dead zone region, it cannot be detected.

However, the matching pattern signal O including the information of this defect Q2 can be generated by the second matching pattern generating section 2. Ie. As described above, the second matching pattern generation unit 1 extracts the second contour portions Y1 to Y5 of the print pattern P by the second contour extraction means 23, which are parallel to the scanning direction of the camera, and then the second contour portion Y1. To Y5 only, a mask area expansion process is performed to form a second contour portion master pattern, and the second contour portion master pattern is compared with the real data of the second contour portions Y1 to Y5, and A matching pattern signal O is generated for the first contour portion of the contour of the inspection pattern that intersects the scanning direction at a right angle.

Since there is no change in the chromaticity in the inner part of the print pattern P in FIG. 3, the second contour part Y1 is extracted in the contour extraction by the second contour extracting means 23 as shown in FIG. 4 (B). No contour pattern is formed between ~ Y5,
Therefore, the enlarged mask processing is not applied to the portions other than the second contour portions Y1 to Y5.

Therefore, the print pattern P shown in FIG.
Contours that intersect at right angles to the scanning direction at, for example, X1
Since there is no mask for the defect Q2 in the contour portion indicated by, the matching pattern signal O including the information of this defect Q2 can be generated by the second matching pattern generation unit 2. In the generation unit 2, the defect Q1 in the contour portion parallel to the scanning direction in the print pattern P, for example, Y1.
For, the mask area Mb for the second contour portion Y1
Since it is included in the dead zone region formed by the above, it cannot be detected, but the matching pattern signal G for this defect Q1 can be generated by the first matching pattern generation unit 1 as described above.

For the above reasons, the print pattern P
A matching pattern signal G for defects inside the
Not only can O be generated, but this print pattern P
Even if the defect is located in the vicinity of and is included in the mask region, the matching pattern signals G and O for the defect are included.
Can be generated. Therefore, even if the print patterns are close and dense as in the case of inspecting the print quality of a bar code by the device having the above-described configuration, the matching pattern signal for the defect in the mask area can be obtained. It can be reliably generated and used for defect detection.

In the above-mentioned one embodiment, it is not possible to deal with defects such as blurring and chipping of the print pattern, but in this case, it is sufficient to do as shown in FIG. That is, without applying mask expansion processing to the output of the first master comparator 10,
The output (master first contour binary data) is stored in the first memory 5, and the first real comparator 6 (the threshold value S5 is the threshold value S6 of the comparator 10).
Greater than ) Output (first contour binary data for real)
To the AND circuit 7 via the first mask area expansion processing circuit 11.

Similarly, the output of the second master comparator 30 (master second contour binary data) is not subjected to the mask enlargement process, and the master second contour binary data is converted into the first second contour binary data. The second real-purpose comparator 26 (the threshold level thereof is higher than the threshold of the comparator 30) while being stored in the second memory 25 (the second real-purpose second).
The binary contour data) is given to the AND circuit 27 via the second mask area expansion processing circuit 31. The configuration other than these points is the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore the description thereof is omitted. By doing so, it is possible to generate a matching pattern signal for the defect of chipping. Further, the present invention may have a configuration in which the portion shown in FIG. 6 is added to the first embodiment.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but can be applied to all those requiring pattern matching inspection. Further, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the delay line, the one-line memory, etc. may use other delay circuits, and instead of each difference processing circuit, a differential processing circuit or a spatial filter may be used for contour extraction. good.

[0056]

As described in detail above, according to the method of the present invention according to claim 1, the contours of the first contour portion which intersects the scanning direction and the contour of the second contour portion which is parallel to the scanning direction are respectively contoured. After the extraction, mask enlargement processing is performed and pattern matching is performed separately, so that defects included in the mask area in one pattern matching are located outside the mask area in the other pattern matching, and Since it is possible to generate the matching pattern signal including the defect of (1), it is effective to detect the defect in the mask area on the contour of the pattern to be inspected or in the vicinity thereof even if the patterns to be inspected are close to each other.

According to the apparatus of the present invention as defined in claim 2, the method can be carried out, whereby the intended object of the present invention is to detect defects in the mask area for the pattern to be inspected. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a matching pattern signal generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a time chart of a signal waveform at each point in the one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a pattern to be inspected.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a configuration of a first contour portion master pattern formed by the apparatus of the one embodiment for the pattern to be inspected shown in FIG. FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a configuration of a second contour portion master pattern formed by the apparatus of the one embodiment for the pattern to be inspected shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a difference processing circuit of the same embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a partial configuration of a matching pattern signal generation device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... 1st matching pattern generation part, 2 ... 2nd matching pattern generation part, 3 ... 1st outline extraction means,
4 ... First mask area expanding means, 5 ... First memory,
6 ... 1st real comparator, 7 ... AND circuit (1st production | generation means), 8 ... 1st difference processing circuit, 9 ... Delay line, 10 ... 1st
Mask comparator 11, 11 ... First mask area expansion processing circuit,
12 ... First size determination circuit, 23 ... Second contour extraction means, 24 ... Second mask area expansion means, 25
... second memory, 26 ... second real comparator, 27 ... AND circuit (second generating means), 28 ...
Second difference processing circuit, 29 ... Delay unit,
29a, 29b ... 1 line memory, 30 ... 2nd mask comparator, 31 ... 2nd mask area expansion processing circuit, 32 ... 2nd size determination circuit.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A mask area is enlarged in a first contour portion which intersects a scanning direction of the imaging with respect to a contour of the pattern to be inspected, based on an imaging signal obtained by imaging the pattern to be inspected of a material to be inspected. Processing is performed to form a first contour portion master pattern, and the first contour portion master pattern is compared with the real data of the first contour portion to parallelize the contours of the pattern to be inspected in the scanning direction. A matching pattern signal for the second contour portion is generated, and a mask area expansion process is performed on the second contour portion based on the imaging signal to form a second contour portion master pattern. It is characterized in that the partial master pattern is compared with the real data of the second contour portion to generate a matching pattern signal for the first contour portion. A matching pattern signal generation method in a pattern matching inspection. 2. A first contour portion that intersects the scanning direction of the image pickup device with respect to the contour of the pattern to be inspected by processing an image pickup signal of the pattern to be inspected of the material to be inspected picked up by the image pickup device. First contour extracting means, first mask enlarging processing means for enlarging and providing a mask area with respect to the first contour data of the extracted first contour portion, and the first mask processed by the processing means. A first memory for storing contour data; real data on the first contour portion extracted by the first contour extracting means; and the first
A first matching pattern, which is compared with data stored in a memory to generate a matching pattern signal for a second contour portion of the contour of the pattern to be inspected, which is parallel to the scanning direction. A generation unit, second contour extraction means for processing the image pickup signal from the image pickup device to extract the second contour portion, and a mask area for the second contour data on the extracted second contour portion. Second mask enlarging processing means for enlarging and giving, second memory for storing the second contour data processed by this processing means, and real for the second contour portion extracted by the second contour extracting means. A second matching pattern including a second generation unit that compares the data with the data stored in the second memory to generate a matching pattern signal for the first contour portion. A matching pattern signal generation device for pattern matching inspection, comprising: a turn generation unit.