Patent ID: 6791680
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: G01N,H01L

Abstract:
A semiconductor manufacturing system comprising:a wafer handling chamber having a plurality of facets, the wafer handling chamber containing a vacuum environment; a plurality of wafer processing tools, each of the tools being attached to a respective facet, on the wafer handling chamber, wherein one of the tools has attached a modular optical inspection system that reviews semiconductor wafers for defects, the modular optical inspection system including, a plurality of modular inspection subsystems each configured to detect defects on a portion of a semiconductor wafer, wherein at least two of the subsystems are of different types, each type measuring a different parameter for detecting a specific wafer defect; a mechanism for moving at least one of the semiconductor wafer and the plurality of modular inspection subsystems with respect to one another; and a master processor configured to process data delivered from at least some of the modular inspection subsystems, wherein a first one of the plurality of modular inspection subsystems includes a local processor configured to process data collected by the first modular inspection subsystem; and a wafer handler located within the wafer handling chamber for transporting semiconductor wafers between each of the plurality of facets.