Patent ID: 8747689

Claim:
A liquid processing method for etching, by using an etching solution, a substrate on which silicon nitride and silicon oxide are exposed, the method comprising: producing the etching solution by mixing a fluorine ion source material, water and a boiling point adjusting agent; introducing the produced etching solution into a first heating unit and a second heating unit; heating the etching solution by the first heating unit and the second heating unit to a substrate processing temperature equal to or higher than about 140° C.; after a temperature of the etching solution reaches the substrate processing temperature, maintaining the temperature of the etching solution at the substrate processing temperature for a first preset time; and after a lapse of the first preset time, etching the substrate by supplying the etching solution maintained at the substrate processing temperature, wherein heating the etching solution in the first heating unit is performed at a different timing from heating the etching solution in the second heating unit, so that a timing when the substrate is ready to be etched is coincident with a timing when the first heating unit or the second heating unit is ready to supply the etching solution after the lapse of the first preset time.