The invention provides a semiconductor fabrication apparatus capable of preventing increase of carriage time of samples, deterioration of sample output, increase of footprint and increase of investment costs. The vacuum processing apparatus comprises a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for subjecting a sample to vacuum processing; a vacuum carriage for carrying the sample into and out of the vacuum processing chamber; a switchable chamber capable of being switched between atmosphere and vacuum for carrying the sample into and out of the vacuum processing chamber; a cassette support for supporting a plurality of cassettes and a controller for controlling carrying of the sample from a cassette through the switchable chambers, the vacuum carriage means into and out of the vacuum processing chamber. The vacuum processing chamber is equipped with an etching chamber and a critical dimension measurement chamber for critical dimension inspection of the sample.