Thickness measurement system and method

A system, comprising:

• a factory interface;
• a plurality of load lock chambers coupled to the factory interface and configured to load and transfer wafers from the factory interface;
• a buffer chamber coupled to the factory interface through the plurality of load lock chambers, the buffer chamber configured to receive the wafers from the plurality of load lock chambers;
• a plurality of process chambers disposed around and coupled to the buffer chamber, the plurality of process chambers configured to process the wafers from the buffer chamber;
• and
• at least one measuring device equipped in the factory interface, at least one of the plurality of load lock chambers, the buffer chamber, or the combination thereof, to perform weight measurements to the wafers carried therein.

A method, comprising:

• transferring a wafer from a factory interface through a load lock chamber to a buffer chamber;
• transferring the wafer from the buffer chamber to a process chamber;
• depositing the wafer by the process chamber, to deposit a material on the wafer;
• and
• after the wafer is deposited, performing weight measurements to the wafer in the factory interface, the load lock chamber, the buffer chamber, or the combination thereof, to detect whether the material has a required thickness.