Patent ID: 7221992

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of detecting features on a semiconductor wafer comprising: collecting data with a plurality of detectors that are positioned about the semiconductor wafer, wherein at least one of the detectors is configured to obtain data in a different manner from other detectors of the plurality of detectors, and wherein each detector collects one data frame for each of a plurality of device areas; transmitting the data frames from each detector to a data distribution node, which is part of a set of data distribution nodes and wherein each data distribution node comprises a plurality of image buffers configured to hold the data frames and wherein the image buffers are logically separated from each other; transferring a first data frame along a first data transfer path that connects a first and a second data distribution node; transferring a second data frame along a second data transfer path that connects the first and second data distribution nodes; routing the data frames from the data distribution nodes to processing nodes, wherein the data frames in the data distribution nodes are accessible by the processing nodes as read only data and wherein the transferring of data frames between data distribution nodes allows data from any one of the detectors to be routed to any one of the processing nodes; processing the data frames within each of the processing nodes by analyzing the data frames in order to obtain defect information.