Patent ID: 7754293

Claim:
A film forming method for forming an oxide film on a surface of a substrate to be processed in a processing vessel at a predetermined processing temperature, said method comprising: a step of elevating a temperature of said substrate incorporated into said processing vessel to a predetermined processing temperature, said step of elevating a temperature being a first processing step performed on said substrate after said substrate is incorporated into said processing vessel, said step of elevating the temperature including a step of holding said substrate in an atmosphere consisting of oxygen or oxygen and nitrogen before said substrate reaches a temperature of 450° C., and wherein said film forming method further comprises, after said step of elevating the temperature, a film forming step of forming a radical oxide film by irradiating said substrate surface with energy capable of exciting an oxygen gas, and wherein said temperature elevating step is carried out such that a surface of said substrate to be processed is covered, before formation of said oxide film at said predetermined temperature, with an oxide film of a thickness of about 0.4 nm.