Abstract: There is provided an automatic optical inspection tool of an apparatus for residue detection on polished wafers, including an inspection tool, an illumination source, capable of instantaneous entire wafer surface illumination, colour digital camera, encompassing the entire wafers surface without eclipse, in a duple of consecutive, properly delayed imaging shots and providing appropriate image resolution for tiny residue detection, computation means, implementing image processing and manipulation algorithms to enable residue detection and characterization, logic and command operations execution and camera control, the computation means accumulating an on-line created wafer images and wafer residue defects data base, the computation means providing for inspection tool worthiness monitoring, wafer handling and transportation means. A method of automatic optical self-contained inspection for pattern wafers' polishing residue detection is also provided.