Patent US 6,344,897

An inspection apparatus for foreign matter and pattern defects includes an optical portion (D) and an analyzer (AN). The optical portion (D) includes a microscope illumination optical system (D1) for detecting the surface of a semiconductor wafer (2) in the form of a piece of first surface information by using microscope illumination, and a laser scattering type optical system (D2) for detecting scattered laser light from the semiconductor wafer by using laser light to detect the surface of the semiconductor wafer (2) in the form of a piece of second surface information. The analyzer (AN) detects a plurality of pieces of defect information from the piece of first surface information and the piece of second surface information to categorize the plurality of pieces of defect information into three modes: a first mode containing pieces of defect information represented only in the piece of first surface information, a second mode containing pieces of defect information represented only in the piece of second surface information, and a third mode containing pieces of defect information represented in both the piece of first surface information and the piece of second surface information. The inspection apparatus can easily distinguish the types of foreign matter and defects from each other.