METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING DEFECT IN SUBSTRATE SURFACE USING DITHERING FOR RECONSTRUCTING IMAGE OF INSUFFICIENT SAMPLING

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surface inspection apparatus for creating the reconstructed images of a target, having increased pixel density. SOLUTION: The surface inspection apparatus includes an optical system, having a plurality of time delay integration (TDI) sensors. The plurality of TDI sensors are configured to generate a plurality of images in the target so that groups of images are mutually offset by subpixel distances. In scanning elements, the target is scanned by the TDI sensor, and a series of continuous image groups in the target are generated. An image processing circuit processes a plurality of continuous image groups together and is used to create the reconstructed images of the target having increased pixel density. An embodiment includes a method for generating images reconstructed from a plurality of TDI image groups, obtained from at least two offset TDI sensors. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI