Patent ID: 7896973
Filing Date: 2011-03-01
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A substrate processing method comprising the steps of: placing a substrate in a processing container; supplying a processing gas into the processing container to establish, within the processing container, an atmosphere of the processing gas having a first pressure higher than atmospheric pressure; generating a solvent vapor in a solvent vapor generator with fluid communication between the solvent vapor generator and the processing container being disconnected while monitoring, by using a sensor, the pressure of the solvent vapor in the solvent vapor generator; comparing the pressure in the solvent vapor generator with pressure in the processing container supplied with the processing gas; and based on the comparison result, connecting the fluid communication between the solvent vapor generator and the processing container, thereby supplying the solvent vapor from the solvent vapor generator into the processing container in which the atmosphere of the processing gas having the first pressure has been established, when the monitored pressure in the solvent vapor generator is higher than the pressure in the processing container supplied with the processing gas, wherein the solvent vapor is water vapor, the solvent vapor generator being configured to heat water contained therein to generate water vapor, and wherein the processing gas is ozone gas.