Pattern test apparatus including a plurality of pattern generators

Claim 1

A pattern test apparatus comprising: (a) imaging means for providng an image of an object under test by scanning said object using light in X-axis and Y-axis directions and for outputting a digital video signal of said image; (b) detecting means for detecting X and Y coordinates of said imaging means as said image is being scanned; (c) a design pattern generator including; converting means for converting design data including specific position coordinates of an aperture pattern used in manufacturing said object under test and specific position coordinates of a starting point and an end point of said aperture pattern, into test data in accordance with a predetermined order of patterns on said object under test, said test data including aperture data which contains a code indicating a pattern type and specific position coordinates of said aperture pattern, rectangular data which contains a code indicating a rectangular pattern and coordinate data corresponding to predetermined positions on said rectangular pattern, a memory for storing at least one of said aperture patterns as two dimensional image data with respect to said specific position coordinates thereof, aperture pattern generating means for reading out of said memory and said two dimensional image data, for converting said two dimensional image data into aperture pattern generating area data based on said specific position coordinates and for generating a bit train pattern corresponding to said aperture pattern generating for each scanning line in an X axis direction when said X and Y coordinates detected by said detecting means correspond to said converted aperture pattern generating area data, rectangular pattern generating means including a first arithmetic and comparing circuit for calculating starting point coordinates and end point coordinates of each side of said rectangular pattern based on inputted coordinate data representing said rectangular pattern and for generating a bit train pattern corresponding to said rectangular pattern for each scanning line in the X axis direction when said X and Y coordinates detected by said detecting means correspond to said starting point coordinates and end point coordinates calculated by said first arithmetic and comparing circuit, selecting means for selecting said aperture pattern generating means and said rectangular pattern generating means based on the order of said aperture data and said rectangular data designated by said converting means and for inputting said aperture data and said rectangular data to said aperture pattern generating means and said rectangular pattern generating means respectively, and a bit train synthesizing circuit for synthesizing a design pattern through a logic operation of said bit train pattern corresponding to said aperture pattern obtained from said aperture pattern generating means and said rectangular pattern obtained from said bit train pattern corresponding to said rectangular pattern generating means; and (d) comparing means for comparing said digital video signal obtained from said imaging means with said design pattern obtained from said design pattern generator.