Patent ID: 8828260

Claim:
A substrate processing method for forming a space extending along a predetermined line in a silicon substrate, the method comprising: a first step of converging a laser light which is an elliptically-polarized light having an ellipticity other than 1 at the silicon substrate so as to form a plurality of modified spots within the silicon substrate along the line and produce a modified region including the plurality of modified spots, the line lying in a direction that is tilted with respect to a thickness direction of the silicon substrate; and a second step of anisotropically etching the silicon substrate after the first step so as to advance an etching selectively along the modified region and form the space in the silicon substrate, wherein, in the first step, the laser light is converged at the silicon substrate such that a moving direction of the laser light with respect to the silicon substrate and a direction of polarization of the laser light form an angle of 45° or greater therebetween, and the plurality of modified spots are aligned in. one row along the line.