Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

A substrate processing method includes a water removing unit for removing water from a substrate, a silylating agent supplying unit for supplying a silylating agent to the substrate and an etching agent supplying unit for supplying an etching agent to the substrate. A control unit controls the said units to execute a water removing step, a silylating step and an etching step in that order.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a water removing unit that is configured to remove water from a substrate;   a silylating agent supplying unit that is configured to supply a silylating agent to the substrate;   an etching agent supplying unit that is configured to supply an etching agent to the substrate; and   a control unit that is programmed and configured to execute a water removing step of removing water from the substrate by controlling the water removing unit, to execute a silylating step of supplying the silylating agent to the substrate after the water removing step by controlling the silylating agent supplying unit, and to execute an etching step of supplying the etching agent to the substrate after the silylating step by controlling the etching agent supplying unit.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the water removing unit includes at least one unit among a heating unit that is configured to heat the substrate, an irradiating unit that is configured to irradiate light onto the substrate, and a pressure reducing unit that is configured to reduce an atmospheric pressure ambient to the substrates. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein the substrate has a surface on which a nitride film and a hygroscopic oxide film are exposed, and
 the water removing unit is configured to remove water adsorbed on the hygroscopic oxide film.   
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the silylating agent supplying unit is configured to form a protective film that covers the hygroscopic oxide film by reacting the silylating agent with the hygroscopic oxide film. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the etching agent supplying unit is configured to execute a selective etching in which the nitride film is etched selectively by the etching agent. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the hygroscopic oxide film includes a porous silicon oxide film or a low temperature oxide film. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the etching agent supplying unit is configured to supply the etching agent that includes a vapor having an etching component to the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the etching component includes a hydrofluoric acid. 
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the water removing unit includes a venting unit that is configured to vent an atmosphere around the substrate, and
 the control unit is programmed and configured to execute a venting step of venting water that is removed from the substrate concurrently with the water removing step by controlling the venting unit.   
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the silylating agent supplying unit includes;
 a substrate holding unit that is configured to hold the substrate;   a heater that is configured to heat the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; and   wherein the control unit is programmed and configured to execute a heating step of heating the substrate concurrently with the silylating step by controlling the heater.   
     
     
         11 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a substrate transfer unit that is configured to transfer the substrate to a water removing processing position at which the water removing unit acts on the substrate, a silylating processing position at which the silylating agent supplying unit acts on the substrate, and an etching processing position at which the etching agent supplying unit acts on the substrate,
 wherein the control unit is programmed and configured to control a transferring of the substrate by the substrate transfer unit so that the substrate is disposed at the water removing processing position when the water removing step is executed, the substrate is disposed at the silylating processing position when the silylating step is executed, and the substrate is disposed at the etching processing position when the etching step is executed.   
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a cleaning unit that is configured to clean the substrate,
 wherein the control unit is programmed and configured to control the substrate transfer unit so that the substrate is carried into the cleaning unit after the etching step.   
     
     
         13 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of processing units that are disposed to surround the substrate transfer unit in a planer view,
 wherein the plurality of processing units include the water removing unit, a silylating unit that includes the silylating agent supplying unit, and an etching unit that includes the etching agent supplying unit.   
     
     
         14 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of processing units include a plurality of the etching units. 
     
     
         15 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of processing units that are disposed to surround the substrate transfer unit in a planer view,
 wherein the plurality of processing units include the water removing unit, and a silylating/etching unit that includes the silylating agent supplying unit and the etching agent supplying unit.   
     
     
         16 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of processing units that are disposed to surround the substrate transfer unit in a planer view,
 wherein the plurality of processing units include a water removing/silylating/etching unit that includes the water removing unit, the silylating agent supplying unit and the etching agent supplying unit.   
     
     
         17 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of processing units that are disposed to surround the substrate transfer unit in a planer view,
 wherein the plurality of processing units include a water removing/silylating/etching/cleaning unit that includes the water removing unit, the silylating agent supplying unit, the etching agent supplying unit, and a cleaning fluid supplying unit that is configured to supply a cleaning fluid to the substrate.