Patent ID: 8329050

Claim:
A substrate processing method for processing a substrate on which a processing target layer, an intermediate layer, and a mask layer having an opening to expose a part of the intermediate layer are stacked in this order, the method comprising: a shrink etching step for reducing an opening width of the opening of the mask layer by depositing deposits on a sidewall surface thereof by a plasma generated from a gaseous mixture of depositive gas expressed by a general formula C x H y F z , x, y and z being positive integers, and SF 6 gas, and also forming, in the intermediate layer, an opening having an opening width corresponding to the reduced opening width of the opening of the mask layer by etching the intermediate layer, and a processing target layer etching step for transcribing the opening onto the target layer by a plasma generated from a gaseous mixture of Ar gas, N 2 gas, depositive gas and SF 6 gas or a plasma generated from a gaseous mixture of Ar gas, N 2 gas and depositive gas.