A charged particle beam examination equipment for examining and measuring
a semiconductor wafer, comprising a wafer exchange portion for exchanging
an unexamined wafer and an examiner wafer with each other, which has a
first arm longitudinally sliding for reciprocation, a first wafer
gripping part provided to the distal end of the first arm, for
gripping/releasing the wafer, a second arm longitudinally sliding for
reciprocation, and a second wafer gripping part provided to the distal
end of the second arm, for gripping/releasing the wafer. The apparatus
may shorten the time required for exchange of the wafers so as to enhance
the throughput during examination and measurement of the wafers.