Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

A substrate processing method of processing a substrate, comprising:

• polishing a substrate in a CMP device by rubbing the substrate against a polishing surface while supplying a polishing liquid onto the polishing surface until a conductive material is exposed on a surface of the substrate;
• dissolving an inert gas in pure water at not less than a saturation solubility to replace oxygen dissolved in the pure water with the inert gas;
• generating bubbles of the inert gas in the pure water by depressurizing the pure water in which the inert gas is dissolved;
• scrubbing the surface of the substrate in a cleaning device while supplying chemical liquid onto the surface of the substrate, the surface having the exposed conductive material;
• rinsing the surface of the substrate with the pure water containing the bubbles of the inert gas;
• transporting the substrate, after the rinsing step, to a drying device while supplying the pure water containing the bubbles of the inert gas onto the surface of the substrate to cover the surface of the substrate with a film of the pure water containing the bubbles of the inert gas;
• supplying the pure water containing the bubbles of the inert gas onto the surface of the substrate after the substrate has been transported into the drying device;
• and
• drying the substrate inside the drying device.