Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus
A substrate processing method includes a water removing step of removing water from a substrate, a silylating step of supplying a silylating agent to the substrate after the water removing step, and an etching step of supplying an etching agent to the substrate after the silylating step. The substrate may have a surface on which a nitride film and an oxide film are exposed and in this case, the etching step may be a selective etching step of selectively etching the nitride film by the etching agent. The etching agent may be supplied in a form of a vapor having an etching component.
1. A substrate processing method, wherein the substrate has a surface on which a nitride film and an oxide film are exposed, the oxide film being a hygroscopic oxide film, comprising:
a water removing step of removing water adsorbed on the hygroscopic oxide film on the substrate;
a silylating step of supplying a silylating agent to the substrate after the water removing step; and
an etching step of supplying an etching agent to the substrate after the silylating step.
2. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the etching step is a selective etching step of selectively etching the nitride film by the etching agent.
3. The substrate processing method according to claim 2 , wherein the oxide film includes a porous silicon oxide or a low temperature oxide film.
4. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the etching agent is a vapor having an etching component.
5. The substrate processing method according to claim 4 , wherein the etching component is hydrofluoric acid.
6. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the water removing step includes at least one of a heating step of heating the substrate, a pressure reducing step of reducing an atmospheric pressure ambient to the substrate, and an irradiating step of irradiating light onto the substrate.
7. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rinsing step of supplying a rinse liquid to the substrate after the etching step has been performed; and
a drying step of drying the substrate after the rinsing step has been performed.
8. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising: a heating step of heating the substrate in parallel to the silylating step.