US 12,261,078 B2
Processing method and processing apparatus
Takuya Umise, Nirasaki (JP); Masato Shinada, Tokyo (JP); and Tetsuya Miyashita, Nirasaki (JP)
Assigned to Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Apr. 5, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/657,962.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-067478 (JP), filed on Apr. 13, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0328343 A1, Oct. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 21/68 (2006.01); H01L 21/687 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/68785 (2013.01) [H01L 21/68735 (2013.01); H01L 21/68742 (2013.01); H01L 21/68764 (2013.01); H01L 2221/68345 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A processing method performed in a processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
a first arrangement step of mounting, on a stage provided in a processing container to mount the substrate on the stage, a plate-shaped protective member which is prepared in advance at a location in the processing container different from a location on the stage and which is configured to protect an upper surface of the stage on which the substrate is mounted;
an adjustment step of adjusting a distance between the stage and an annular cover member provided above an edge portion of the stage to a second distance different from a first distance between the stage and the cover member when the substrate is processed; and
a pretreatment step of performing a pretreatment in the processing container to change a state in the processing container to a predetermined state,
wherein the protective member has a thickness different from a thickness of the substrate, and
wherein a difference between the first distance and the second distance is equal to a difference between the thickness of the substrate and the thickness of the protective member.