Method and apparatus of evaluating a semiconductor manufacturing process

A semiconductor fabrication assembly for a semiconductor manufacturing process of a semiconductor wafer comprising at least one layer, the semiconductor manufacturing process having a plurality of process steps, the semiconductor fabrication assembly comprising:

• an exposure tool;
• a developing unit;
• at least one of an etch chamber or a deposition chamber;
• a processor;
• and
• a process step measurement database collecting process parameters from at least one of the exposure tool, the developing unit, the deposition chamber and the etch chamber during or after any one of a plurality of process steps in a process flow of a semiconductor manufacturing process of a semiconductor wafer;
• wherein the processor in operation
• retrieves process step parameters from the process step measurement database, the process step parameters comprising at least one of
• process step measurement data from measurements carried out on the semiconductor wafer,
• post-process data derived from the process step measurement data based on a process model,
• process step context data relating to the process steps and comprising a layer name of the at least one layer, or
• process step control data relating to processing tools used in the semiconductor manufacturing process;
• associates the process step parameters, and thereby at least the layer name of the at least one layer, with one or more of the plurality of the process steps in the process flow;
• evaluates the semiconductor manufacturing process based on the process step parameters, wherein the evaluating comprises identifying at least one of the plurality of process steps and the associated layer name of the at least one layer, and
• controls, dependent on a result of the evaluation, reworking of at least one layer of the semiconductor wafer and/or modifying the process step control data associated to the identified at least one of the plurality of process steps.