Substrate processing method, substrate processing system and storage medium

Abstract

[Subject In a plasma process using an ammonia gas after conducting a plasma process by using a process gas containing fluorine and carbon to a silicone-containing substrate, an ammonium silicofluoride having toxicity and water absorbancy is formed on the substrate. [Means for Solution]After conducting the plasma process using an ammonia gas, the substrate is heated to a temperature not lower than the decomposition temperature of the ammonium silicofluoride to decompose the ammonium silicofluoride in a process container in which the plasma process was conducted, or in a process container connected with the processing vessel which the plasma process was conducted therein and is isolated from a clean room atmosphere.

1 . A substrate processing method including: 
 a step of conducting a step (a) of applying a plasma process using a processing gas containing fluorine to a silicon-containing film on a substrate, and a step (b) of applying a plasma process using a processing gas containing nitrogen and hydrogen to the substrate in one identical processing vessel, thereby forming an ammonium silicofluoride; and    a step of subsequently heating the substrate at a temperature not less than a decomposition temperature of the ammonium silicofluoride in a processing vessel before placing the substrate in a clean room atmosphere.    
   
   
       2 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step (b) is conducted after the step (a).  
   
   
       3 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the step (a) is a process for removing an etch stop film containing silicon and carbon formed on the surface of a metal interconnection formed on the substrate.  
   
   
       4 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step (b) is a process for removing an organic dielectric film containing carbon formed on a layer above the metal interconnection and/or a process for removing an organic film formed as a by-product on the metal interconnection by the step (a).  
   
   
       5 . The substrate processing method according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the step of heating the substrate is conducted in a processing vessel different from the processing vessel in which the step (a) and the step (b) are conducted.  
   
   
       6 . The substrate processing method according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein the processing gas containing fluorine is a gas containing fluorine and carbon.  
   
   
       7 . The substrate processing method according to any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein the processing gas containing nitrogen and hydrogen is ammonia gas.  
   
   
       8 . A substrate processing system including: 
 a plasma processing apparatus for conducting a step (a) of applying a plasma process using a processing gas containing fluorine to a silicon-containing film on a substrate, and a step (b) of applying a plasma process using a processing gas containing nitrogen and hydrogen to the substrate, and    a heating apparatus that heats the substrate in a processing vessel at a temperature not less than a decomposition temperature of ammonium silicofluoride in the processing vessel for decomposing the ammonium silicofluoride formed on the substrate by the plasma processes in the plasma processing apparatus.    
   
   
       9 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 8 , wherein the plasma processing apparatus is configured so as to conduct the step (b) succeeding to the step (a).  
   
   
       10 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the processing vessel of the plasma processing apparatus and the processing vessel of the heating apparatus are different from each other, and the processing vessels are air tightly connected to a transfer chamber having a vacuum atmosphere and provided with substrate transfer means.  
   
   
       11 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the gas containing fluorine is a gas containing fluorine and carbon.  
   
   
       12 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the processing gas containing nitrogen and hydrogen is ammonia gas.  
   
   
       13 . A storage medium storing a computer program to be used for a substrate processing system for processing a substrate in a processing vessel, and to be run on a computer, wherein 
 the computer program is incorporated with steps for practicing the substrate processing method according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 .