Substrate processing method and system

Abstract

A substrate processing method includes a first step of subjecting a target substrate to a gas process within an atmosphere containing a fluorine-containing process gas, thereby forming a fluorine-containing reaction product on a surface of the target substrate. The method further includes a second step of subjecting the target substrate treated by the gas process to a heating process and a gas process within an atmosphere containing a reactive gas that reacts with fluorine.

1 . A substrate processing method comprising:
 a first step of subjecting a target substrate to a gas process within an atmosphere containing a fluorine-containing process gas, thereby forming a fluorine-containing reaction product on a surface of the target substrate; and   a second step of subjecting the target substrate treated by the gas process to a heating process and a gas process within an atmosphere containing a reactive gas that reacts with fluorine.   
   
   
       2 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second step comprises:
 subjecting the target substrate treated by the gas process to a heating process, thereby decomposing the fluorine-containing reaction product; and   subjecting the target substrate treated by the heating process to a gas process within an atmosphere containing the reactive gas that reacts with fluorine, thereby removing residues containing fluorine and/or fluorine compound from the surface of the target substrate treated by the heating process.   
   
   
       3 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the reactive gas that reacts with fluorine is selected from the group consisting of NH 3 , CO, and NO. 
   
   
       4 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluorine-containing process gas is selected from the group consisting of HF and NF 3 . 
   
   
       5 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 4 , wherein said forming a fluorine-containing reaction product on a surface of the target substrate comprises transforming a natural oxide film into a reaction product. 
   
   
       6 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises subjecting the target substrate treated by the second step to a gas process within an atmosphere containing a reducing gas, thereby applying hydrogen termination to the surface of the target substrate treated by the second step. 
   
   
       7 . A substrate processing system comprising:
 a gas process section including a process gas supply section for supplying a fluorine-containing process gas, the gas process section being configured to subject a target substrate to a gas process within an atmosphere containing the fluorine-containing process gas, which is supplied from the process gas supply section, thereby forming a fluorine-containing reaction product on a surface of the target substrate; and   a heating and gas process section including a heating mechanism for heating the target substrate and a reactive gas supply section for supplying a reactive gas that reacts with fluorine, the heating and gas process section being configured to subject the target substrate treated by the gas process to a heating process by the heating mechanism and a gas process within an atmosphere containing the reactive gas that reacts with fluorine, which is supplied from the reactive gas supply section.   
   
   
       8 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 7 , wherein the gas process section and the heating and gas process section are connected to each other through a portion that allows the target substrate to be transferred without being exposed to atmospheric air. 
   
   
       9 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 7 , wherein the heating and gas process section further comprises a reducing gas supply section for supplying a reducing gas. 
   
   
       10 . A substrate processing system comprising:
 a gas process section including a process gas supply section for supplying a fluorine-containing process gas, the gas process section being configured to subject a target substrate to a gas process within an atmosphere containing the fluorine-containing process gas, which is supplied from the process gas supply section, thereby forming a fluorine-containing reaction product on a surface of the target substrate; and   a heating process section including a heating mechanism for heating the target substrate, the heating process section being configured to subject the target substrate treated by the gas process to a heating process by the heating mechanism,   wherein the gas process section further includes a reactive gas supply section for supplying a reactive gas that reacts with fluorine, and is configured to subject the target substrate treated by the heating process to a gas process within an atmosphere containing the reactive gas that reacts with fluorine, which is supplied from the reactive gas supply section.   
   
   
       11 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 10 , wherein the gas process section and the heating process section are connected to each other through a portion that allows the target substrate to be transferred without being exposed to atmospheric air. 
   
   
       12 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 10 , wherein the gas process section further includes a gas supply section for supplying a gas containing hydrogen atoms. 
   
   
       13 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 7 , wherein the reactive gas that reacts with fluorine is selected from the group consisting of NH 3 , CO, and NO. 
   
   
       14 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 7 , wherein the fluorine-containing process gas is selected from the group consisting of HF and NF 3 . 
   
   
       15 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 14 , wherein the fluorine-containing reaction product is formed on the surface of the target by transforming a natural oxide film into a reaction product. 
   
   
       16 . A substrate processing method using the substrate processing system according to  claim 7 , the method comprising
 a first step of transferring the target substrate into the gas process section, supplying the fluorine-containing process gas into the gas process section, subjecting the target substrate to a gas process within an atmosphere containing the fluorine-containing process gas, thereby forming a fluorine-containing reaction product on a surface of the target substrate; and   a second step of transferring the target substrate treated by the gas process from the gas process section into the heating and gas process section, subjecting the target substrate treated by the gas process to a heating process in the heating and gas process section, supplying the reactive gas that reacts with fluorine into the heating and gas process section, and subjecting the target substrate to a gas process within an atmosphere containing the reactive gas that reacts with fluorine.   
   
   
       17 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 16 , wherein the second step comprises:
 subjecting the target substrate treated by the gas process to a heating process, thereby decomposing the fluorine-containing reaction product; and   subjecting the target substrate treated by the heating process to a gas process within an atmosphere containing the reactive gas that reacts with fluorine, thereby removing residues containing fluorine and/or fluorine compound from the surface of the target substrate treated by the heating process.   
   
   
       18 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 16 , wherein the target substrate treated by the gas process is transferred from the gas process section into the heating and gas process section without being exposed to atmospheric air. 
   
   
       19 . A substrate processing method using the substrate processing system according to  claim 10 , the method comprising
 a first step of transferring the target substrate into the gas process section, supplying the fluorine-containing process gas into the gas process section, subjecting the target substrate to a gas process within an atmosphere containing the fluorine-containing process gas, thereby forming a fluorine-containing reaction product on a surface of the target substrate;   a second step of transferring the target substrate treated by the gas process from the gas process section into the heating process section, and subjecting the target substrate treated by the gas process to a heating process in the heating process section, thereby decomposing the fluorine-containing reaction product; and   a third step of transferring the target substrate treated by the heating process from the heating process section into the gas process section, supplying the reactive gas that reacts with fluorine into the gas process section, and subjecting the target substrate to a gas process within an atmosphere containing the reactive gas that reacts with fluorine, thereby removing residues containing fluorine and/or fluorine compound from the surface of the target substrate treated by the heating process.   
   
   
       20 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 19 , wherein the target substrate treated by the gas process is transferred from the gas process section into the heating process section without being exposed to atmospheric air, and
 the target substrate treated by the heating process is transferred from the heating process section into the gas process section without being exposed to atmospheric air.   
   
   
       21 . A computer readable storage medium that stores a control program for execution on a computer to control the substrate processing system, wherein, when executed, the control program controls the substrate processing system to conduct the substrate processing method according to  claim 16 . 
   
   
       22 . A computer readable storage medium that stores a control program for execution on a computer to control the substrate processing system, wherein, when executed, the control program controls the substrate processing system to conduct the substrate processing method according to  claim 19 .