Substrate processing method and substrate processing system

A substrate processing method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a substrate processing system including:
• first processing units that number N each adapted to process a substrate by a first treatment with a first processing fluid, where N is a natural number not less than 3;
• at least one second processing unit adapted to process the substrate;
• and
• a supply device adapted to generate the first processing fluid to be supplied to the first processing units;
• (b) processing one of the substrates including the steps of;
• (i) loading said one of the substrates into one of the first processing units;
• (ii) performing the first treatment by using the first processing fluid to said one of the substrates in said one of the first processing units;
• (iii) transferring said one of the substrates, having been processed by said one of the first processing units, to the second processing unit;
• and
• (iv) performing the second treatment to said one of the substrate by using the second processing unit;
• and
• (c) repeating the step (b) plural times to process the substrates, while changing the first processing unit used in the steps (i) and (ii), with at least two of the first processing units simultaneously carrying out the step (ii);
• wherein:
• the supply device has a capacity of supplying the first processing fluid to only N−n of the first processing units simultaneously at respective supply rates each in accordance with a demand for appropriately performing the first process in each of the first processing units, where n is a natural number and N−n is not less than 2;
• and
• in the step (c), timing of starting of the steps (i) is determined so as to avoid a case where more than N−n of the first processing units are simultaneously carrying out the steps (ii) each use the first processing fluid.