Patent ID: 7149341

Claim:
A wafer inspection apparatus comprising: a supporting means for rotatably supporting a wafer formed of a disk, a circumferential edge imaging means for imaging a circumferential edge of the wafer that is supported by the supporting means and rotated, a control means for processing image data imaged by the circumferential edge imaging means, wherein the circumferential edge imaging means includes a plurality of imaging cameras for imaging a plurality of different parts of the circumferential edge of the wafer, respectively, wherein the plurality of different parts include an apex, a front side bevel and a back side bevel, the apex being at right angles to a surface of the wafer, the front side bevel and the back side bevel being inclined relative to the apex, wherein the plurality of imaging cameras correspond to the apex, the front side bevel and the back side bevel, and wherein an apex imaging camera, a front side bevel imaging camera, and a back side bevel imaging camera are provided in such a condition that imaging directions thereof are at substantially right angles to the faces, respectively.