Method and system for managing wafer processing

A method of managing processing of a plurality W of semiconductor wafers, the method comprising:

• determining the values of a first characteristic parameter for each of the plurality W of wafers on which n (first to n-th) process steps have been performed, wherein the W wafers have been processed in different wafer processing orders in each of at least three of the n process steps;
• establishing for each one of the n (first to n-th) process steps a first data set that relates the characteristic parameter values to its wafer processing order;
• performing a Fourier transform on each one of the n (first to n-th) first data sets to calculate n conversion relations;
• and
• detecting any pattern in each first data set using the conversion relations.

A method of managing processing of a plurality P of semiconductor wafers, the method comprising:

• calculating characteristic parameter values for the plurality P of waters on which processes are performed in specific process orders;
• calculating relations that indicate relationships between the specific process orders and the characteristic parameter values;
• performing a Fourier transform on the relations so as to calculate conversion relations;
• and
• determining any patterns among the relations using the conversion relations;
• wherein the determining of the patterns among the relations comprises:
• calculating pattern parameter values from the conversion relations, respectively;
• comparing each of the pattern parameter values with a reference value;
• wherein each of the pattern parameter values is the ratio between the maximum value and an average value calculated from each of the conversion relations.