Patent ID: 7112805
Filing Date: 2006-09-26
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A vacuum processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for subjecting a sample to vacuum processing; a vacuum carriage means for carrying the sample into and out of the vacuum processing chambers; a switchable chamber enabling switching between atmosphere and vacuum for carrying the sample into and out of the vacuum processing chambers; a cassette supporting means for supporting a plurality of cassettes capable of housing samples; a carriage means enabling vertical movement for taking out a sample from a given cassette on the cassette supporting means; and a control means performing carriage control for carrying the sample taken out of the given cassette via the carriage means, the switchable chamber and the vacuum carriage means into at least one of the vacuum processing chamber, and for carrying the processed sample out of the at least one of the vacuum processing chambers; wherein the plurality of vacuum processing chambers include at least one vacuum etching chamber and at least one vacuum inspection chamber for inspecting the samples for defects; and wherein the vacuum inspection chamber is equipped with a critical dimension vacuum inspection chamber.