DEFECT INSPECTING DEVICE AND DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress effectively generation of pseudo-defects, in defect detection for detecting pattern defects on a sample surface, by inspecting a photographed image on the sample surface. SOLUTION: This defect inspection device 1 for detecting a pattern defect formed on the sample 2 surface is equipped with a pseudo-defect determining part 31 for determining that a defect candidate is a pseudo-defect, when the size of the defect candidate detected on the imaged image photographed by an imaging part 13 is smaller than a resolution limit of an imaging optical system of the imaging part 13, and when a spatial change of the gray level value from a pixel around a defect candidate pixel, showing the defect candidate to the defect candidate, pixel exceeds a resolving power of the imaging optical system. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT