Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

A substrate processing method of grinding a first substrate in a combined substrate in which the first substrate and a second substrate are bonded to each other, the substrate processing method comprising:

• measuring a total thickness distribution of the combined substrate;
• measuring a thickness distribution of the first substrate;
• calculating a thickness distribution of the second substrate by subtracting the thickness distribution of the first substrate from the total thickness distribution of the combined substrate;
• deciding a relative inclination between a substrate holder configured to hold the combined substrate and a grinder configured to grind the combined substrate, based on the thickness distribution of the second substrate;
• and
• grinding the first substrate while holding the combined substrate at the relative inclination which is decided,
• wherein the combined substrate includes multiple combined substrates, and the measuring of the total thickness distribution of the combined substrate, the measuring of the thickness distribution of the first substrate, the calculating of the thickness distribution of the second substrate, adjusting of the relative inclination, and the grinding of the first substrate are performed on the multiple combined substrates sequentially,
• wherein after performing the grinding of the first substrate on a first one of the multiple combined substrates, the measuring of the thickness distribution of the first substrate is performed, and
• wherein the adjusting of the relative inclination on a second one of the multiple combined substrates is performed based on a thickness distribution correction amount obtained by adding, to the thickness distribution of the first substrate of the first one of the multiple combined substrates after being subjected to the grinding, a difference between the thickness distribution of the second substrate of the first one of the multiple combined substrates and the thickness distribution of the second substrate of the second one of the multiple combined substrates.