SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor device manufacturing method and semiconductor device manufacturing system that can suppress the impact made by the variation in the thickness of stopper films. SOLUTION: On the front and rear surfaces of a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film is formed as a buffer film. Then, on the first insulating film, a second insulating film and third insulating film are deposited that can perform controlled etching of the second insulating film using etching liquid that removes the third insulating film, and the thickness of the second insulating film is measured. On the side of the front surface, etching removal of the third insulating film is performed. According to the thickness of the second insulating film that has been measured, etching removal of part of the thickness of the second insulating film is performed. After that, patterning of the remaining second insulating film is performed. Then, an element isolation groove is formed on the semiconductor substrate. After the element isolation groove is filled, the element isolation insulating film is removed by polishing using the second insulating film as a stopper. Finally, wet-etching of the exposed second insulating film is performed, and then it is removed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT