METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING PATTERN FAULT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inspect a multilayer pattern with different inspecting references at respective layers by providing an illuminating means for illuminating an exciting light and a reference light on a pattern to be inspected formed on a printed circuit board. SOLUTION: An illuminating means illuminates an exciting light and a reference light (red light) on a pattern 1 (a resist pattern, a wiring pattern or a printing pattern) to be inspected formed on a printed circuit board. An image detecting means detects reflected images of a fluorescent image generated from a resist by illuminating the exciting light and the light by separating their wavelengths. The detected image is binarized by an image processing means, and separated and extracted into the resist pattern or the wiring pattern and the printing pattern by image processing. A fault deciding means inspects the separated layer patterns according to predetermined inspecting references. Thus, the fault can be stably and accurately inspected by cooperation of a feature amount comparing method and a length measuring method of a size or the like of the pattern.