Patent Publication Number: US-10761422-B2

Title: Processing fluid supply device, substrate processing device, processing fluid supply method, substrate processing method, processing fluid processing device, and processing fluid processing method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 14/431,992, filed Mar. 27, 2015, which is a 35 U.S.C. §§ 371 national phase conversion of PCT/JP2013/076006, filed Sep. 26, 2013, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2012-215293, filed Sep. 27, 2012, 2012-215294, filed Sep. 27, 2012, 2013-194293, filed Sep. 19, 2013, and 2013-194294, filed Sep. 19, 2013, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The PCT International Application was published in the Japanese language. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a processing liquid supplying apparatus, a substrate processing apparatus, a processing liquid supplying method, a substrate processing method, a processing liquid processing apparatus, and a processing liquid processing method. Examples of processing objects subject to processing using a processing liquid include substrates, containers, optical parts, etc. Examples of substrates used as processing objects include semiconductor wafers, glass substrates for liquid crystal displays, substrates for plasma displays, substrates for FEDs (Field Emission Displays), substrates for OLEDs (organic electroluminescence displays), substrates for optical disks, substrates for magnetic disks, substrates for magneto-optical disks, substrates for photomasks, ceramic substrates, substrates for solar cells, etc. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In a manufacturing process for a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal display device, a processing of supplying a processing liquid to a surface of a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display panel, to clean the substrate surface with the processing liquid, etc., are performed. 
     For example, a substrate processing apparatus that performs a single substrate processing type cleaning processing of cleaning a substrate one by one includes a spin chuck that rotates the substrate while holding the substrate substantially horizontally by a plurality of chuck pins and a processing liquid nozzle arranged to supply a processing liquid to a front surface of the substrate rotated by the spin chuck. 
     In processing the substrate, the substrate is rotated by the spin chuck. A chemical solution is then supplied from the nozzle to the front surface of rotating substrate. The chemical solution supplied onto the front surface of the substrate receives a centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate and flows along the front surface of the substrate toward the peripheral edge. The chemical solution is thereby supplied to the entire front surface of the substrate and processing of the front surface of the substrate by the chemical solution is achieved. After the processing by the chemical solution, a rinsing processing for rinsing off the chemical solution attached to the substrate by pure water is performed. That is, pure water is supplied from the processing liquid nozzle onto the front surface of the substrate that is being rotated by the spin chuck and by the pure water spreading upon receiving the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate, the chemical solution attached to the front surface of the substrate is rinsed off. After the rinsing processing, the speed of rotation of the substrate by the spin chuck is increased to perform a spin drying processing of spinning off the pure water attached to the substrate to dry (see Patent Literature 1 indicated below). 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-191511 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     However, with the conventional substrate processing apparatus, during the rinsing processing, contact segregation may occur between the front surface of the substrate in the rotating state and the pure water to cause flow electrification of the substrate. If the substrate is a glass substrate or a silicon wafer, the substrate becomes positively charged. If the substrate is charged, breakdown of a device formed on the front surface of the substrate may occur when the charge is discharged. 
     A batch type substrate processing apparatus, which processes a plurality of substrates in a batch, is also used in a manufacturing process for a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal display device, etc. The batch type substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of processing tanks including, for example, a chemical solution processing tank storing a chemical solution and a rinsing processing tank storing water. When the plurality of substrates are processed in a batch, the substrates are immersed successively in the chemical solution processing tank and the rinsing processing tank. 
     In the rinsing processing in the rinsing processing tank, the substrate may become charged. If the substrate is a silicon wafer or a glass substrate, the substrate becomes positively charged. If the substrate is charged after a series of processes, breakdown of a device formed on the front surface of the substrate may occur when the charge is discharged. A similar problem may also occur when a processing object is charged even before it is carried into a processing tank. It is therefore required that the rinsing processing (processing using a processing liquid) be performed while achieving charging prevention and static elimination of the substrate. 
     Charging prevention and static elimination in a processing using a processing liquid are issues that are not restricted to cases where the processing object is a substrate but are also issues in common to cases where the processing object is a container or other optical part, etc. 
     An object of the present invention is thus to provide a processing liquid supplying apparatus and a processing liquid supplying method by which a processing liquid can be supplied to a processing object while achieving charging prevention and static elimination of the processing object. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method by which processing using a processing liquid can be applied to a substrate while achieving charging prevention and static elimination of the substrate. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a processing liquid processing apparatus and a processing liquid processing method by which processing using a processing liquid can be applied to a processing object while achieving charging prevention and static elimination of the processing object. 
     Solution to Problem 
     A first aspect of the present invention provides a processing liquid supplying apparatus arranged to discharge a processing liquid from a discharge port to supply the processing liquid to a processing object and the processing liquid supplying apparatus includes a first piping, through the interior of which the processing liquid can flow, the interior of the first piping being in communication with the discharge port, and an X-ray irradiating means irradiating X-rays onto the processing liquid present inside the first piping. 
     With this arrangement, X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid present inside the first piping. Also, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port in communication with the interior of the first piping is supplied to the processing object. In a portion of the processing liquid irradiated by the X-rays (hereinafter referred to as the “irradiated portion of the processing liquid”), electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules and consequently, a plasma state is formed in which positive ions of water molecules and the electrons coexist. 
     The processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is supplied to the processing object and comes in liquid contact with the processing object. Hereinafter, a case where the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is connected in liquid form between the discharge port and the processing object shall be considered. In this case, the processing object and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid. 
     If at this point, the processing object is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged processing object causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing liquid in liquid contact with the processing object along the processing liquid connected in liquid form. The processing liquid in liquid contact with the processing object is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged processing object is thus achieved. 
     On the other hand, if the processing object is negatively charged, electrons from the processing object move toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of the processing liquid along the processing liquid connected in liquid form. Static elimination of the processing object that is negatively charged is thereby achieved. 
     Charging of the processing object during supplying of the processing liquid can thus be prevented. 
     Also, even if the processing object is positively or negatively charged from before the supplying of the processing liquid, static elimination of the processing object based on the principles described above can be performed via the processing liquid connected in liquid form. 
     By the above, the processing liquid can be supplied to the processing object while achieving charging prevention and static elimination of the processing object. 
     In the present specification and the claims, “X-rays” refer to electromagnetic waves having a wavelength of approximately 0.001 nm to 10 nm and is intended to include “soft X-rays” of comparatively long wavelength (approximately 0.1 nm to 10 nm) and “hard X-rays” of comparatively short wavelength (approximately 0.001 nm to 0.1 nm). 
     Also in the present specification and the claims, “processing object” includes a substrate, a container, and an optical part, etc. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first piping has an opening in its pipe wall and the opening is closed by a window member formed using a material that can transmit the X-rays, and the X-ray irradiating means irradiates the X-rays onto the processing liquid present inside the first piping via the window member. 
     With this arrangement, the window member is formed using the material that can transmit the X-rays. The X-rays irradiated by the X-ray irradiating means are irradiated via the window member onto the processing liquid present inside the first piping. The plasma state in which the positive ions of water molecules and the electrons coexist can thereby be formed satisfactorily in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, the window member may be formed using beryllium or a polyimide resin. 
     A substance of low atomic weight, such as beryllium, can transmit even X-rays of weak penetrability. The X-rays can thus be transmitted through the window member if the window member is formed using beryllium. 
     The X-rays can also be transmitted through the window member if the window member is formed using a polyimide resin. Also, a polyimide resin is excellent in chemical stability and enables use of the window member over a long period. 
     Also, the wall surface of the window member at the side at which the processing liquid is present is preferably hydrophilic. In this case, mixing in of air bubbles between the wall surface and the processing liquid can be suppressed or prevented. The X-rays can thereby be irradiated satisfactorily onto the processing liquid present in the first piping. 
     Also, the wall surface of the window member at the side at which the processing liquid is present may be coated with a coating film. The irradiating window can thereby be protected. In particular, if the window member is formed of beryllium, which is poor in acid resistance, the window member can be protected satisfactorily from an acidic processing liquid. 
     The coating film is preferably formed using a hydrophilic material. In this case, mixing in of air bubbles between the coating film and the processing liquid can be suppressed or prevented. The X-rays can thereby be irradiated satisfactorily onto the processing liquid present in the first piping. 
     In this case, the coating film may be a coating film that includes one or more materials among a polyimide resin, diamond-like carbon, fluororesin, and hydrocarbon resin. 
     The X-ray irradiating means may include an X-ray generator that has an irradiating window disposed to face the window member, generates X-rays, and irradiates the generated X-rays from the irradiating window. 
     With this arrangement, the X-rays generated by the X-ray generator are irradiated from the irradiating window of the X-ray generator onto the processing liquid flowing inside the first piping. 
     The X-ray irradiating means may further include a cover surrounding a periphery of the X-ray generator across an interval from the X-ray generator and a gas supplying means supplying a gas to the interior of the cover. 
     With this arrangement, the X-ray generator may become heated due to the driving of the X-ray generator. By supplying the gas to the interior of the cover, the X-ray generator can be cooled to suppress temperature rise of the ambient atmosphere of the X-ray generator. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first piping may include a processing liquid piping, through the interior of which the processing liquid flows toward the discharge port, and the X-ray irradiating means may irradiate the X-rays onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the first piping. 
     Also, another preferred embodiment of the present invention may further include a processing liquid piping, through the interior of which the processing liquid flows toward the discharge port, and the first piping may include a branch piping branching from the processing liquid piping. In this case, the processing liquid present in the branch piping is irradiated by the X-rays. 
     Preferably, a fibrous substance, disposed at the discharge port and along which the processing liquid, discharged from the discharge port, can flow, is further included. 
     With this arrangement, the processing liquid that is discharged from the discharge port flows along the fibrous substance and therefore the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port can be that of a continuous flow form connected to both the discharge port and the processing object even if the discharge flow rate of the processing liquid from the discharge port is a low flow rate. The processing object and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid can thus be connected via the processing liquid by a simple arrangement. 
     If a liquid film of the processing liquid is formed on the processing object by the discharge of the processing liquid from the discharge port, the tip of the fibrous substance may contact the liquid film of the processing liquid or the processing object. In this case, the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port can be maintained readily in a continuous flow form such as described above. 
     An electrode disposed further downstream in the processing liquid flowing direction than the X-ray irradiation position in the first piping and a power supply applying a voltage to the electrode may further be included. 
     With this arrangement, the power supply applies a voltage to the electrode in conjunction with the irradiation of the X-rays onto the processing liquid present in first piping. By the application of voltage to the electrode, the electrode can be made to generate positive charges or negative charges. 
     By making the electrode generate positive charges, the electrons present in the irradiated portion (plasma state) of the processing liquid are drawn by the positive charges at the electrode and move toward the electrode. The movement of electrons toward the substrate side can thereby be promoted. 
     The electrode may be disposed at a tip portion of the first piping. With this arrangement, the electrode is disposed at the tip portion of the first piping. The electrons present in the irradiated portion (plasma state) of the processing liquid are thus drawn by the positive charges at the electrode and move to the tip portion of the first piping. That is, a large amount of electrons can be drawn to the tip portion of the first piping. The movement of electrons toward the substrate side can thereby be promoted further. 
     The processing liquid supplying device may further include a processing liquid detecting means arranged to detect the presence or non-presence of the processing liquid at the irradiation position of the X-rays in the first piping and an X-ray irradiation control means that executes the irradiation of the X-rays by the X-ray irradiating means when the processing liquid is present at the irradiation position and does not perform the irradiation of X-rays by the X-ray irradiating means when the processing liquid is not present at the irradiation position. 
     If the X-rays are irradiated in a state where the processing liquid is not present at the irradiation position of the X-rays in the first piping, the X-rays may leak outside the first piping. 
     With the present arrangement, the irradiation of X-rays onto the irradiation position of the X-rays is prohibited when the processing liquid is not present at the irradiation position of the X-rays in the first piping. Leakage of the X-rays outside the first piping can thereby be suppressed or prevented. 
     The first aspect of the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus that includes a substrate holding means holding a substrate and the processing liquid supplying apparatus and supplies a processing liquid, discharged from the discharge port, to a major surface of the substrate. 
     With this arrangement, the X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid present in the first piping of the processing liquid supplying apparatus. Also, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port in communication with the interior of the first piping is supplied to the major surface of the substrate. In the irradiated portion of the processing liquid, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules and consequently, a plasma state is formed in which the positive ions of water molecules and the electrons coexist. 
     The processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is supplied to the major surface of the substrate and comes in liquid contact with the major surface of the substrate. Hereinafter, a case where the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is connected in liquid form between the discharge port and the major surface of the substrate shall be considered. In this case, the major surface of the substrate and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid. 
     If at this point, the substrate is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrate causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing liquid in liquid contact with the substrate along the processing liquid connected in liquid form. The processing liquid in liquid contact with the substrate is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrate is thus achieved. 
     Charging of the substrate due to contact segregation with respect to processing liquid is thereby avoided. Charging of the substrate during the supplying of the processing liquid can thus be prevented. 
     Also, even if the substrate is positively charged from before the supplying of the processing liquid, static elimination of the processing object based on the principles described above can be performed via the processing liquid connected in liquid form. Consequently, device breakdown due to charging of the substrate can be prevented. 
     By the above, processing using the processing liquid can be applied to the substrate while achieving charging prevention and static elimination of the substrate. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate holding means includes a substrate holding and rotating means that rotates the substrate around a predetermined vertical rotation axis while holding it in a horizontal attitude, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a cylindrical liquid receiver member surrounding a periphery of the substrate holding and rotating means, the processing liquid supplying apparatus further includes a processing liquid piping, through the interior of which the processing liquid flows toward the discharge port, the first piping of the processing liquid supplying apparatus includes a branch piping branching from the processing liquid piping, and the branch piping has a liquid receiver discharge port for discharging the processing liquid toward the liquid receiver member. 
     With this arrangement, the X-rays from the X-ray irradiating means are irradiated onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the branch piping while the processing liquid is discharged from the liquid receiver discharge port toward the liquid receiver member. In the irradiated portion of the processing liquid in the branch piping, a plasma state is formed in which positive ions of water molecules and electrons coexist. 
     The processing liquid discharged from the liquid receiver discharge port is supplied to the liquid receiver member and comes in liquid contact with the liquid receiver member. If the processing liquid discharged from the liquid receiver discharge port is connected in liquid form between the liquid receiver discharge port and the liquid receiver member, the liquid receiver member and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid. 
     If at this point, the liquid receiver member is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged liquid receiver member causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing liquid in liquid contact with the liquid receiver member along the processing liquid connected in liquid form. The processing liquid in liquid contact with the liquid receiver member is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged liquid receiver member is thus achieved. 
     On the other hand, if the liquid receiver member is negatively charged, electrons from the liquid receiver member move toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of the processing liquid along the processing liquid connected in liquid form. Static elimination of the liquid receiver member that is negatively charged is thereby achieved. 
     Not only charging prevention and static elimination of the substrate but prevention of charging of the liquid receiver member can thus be prevented. 
     In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate holding means includes a substrate holding and rotating means that rotates the substrate around a predetermined vertical rotation axis while holding it in a horizontal attitude, the substrate holding and rotating means has a supporting member contacting at least a portion of a lower surface of the substrate to support the substrate in the horizontal attitude, the supporting member is formed using a porous material, and the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is supplied to the supporting member. 
     With this arrangement, the processing liquid supplied to the supporting member impregnates the interior of the supporting member. The processing liquid impregnating the interior of the supporting member oozes out from the supporting member to form a liquid film of the processing liquid on the supporting member. The lower surface of the substrate is processed by the liquid film of the processing liquid coming in liquid contact with the lower surface of the substrate. 
     If at this point, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port takes on a continuous flow form connected to both the discharge port and the supporting member, the discharge port and the lower surface of the substrate are connected in liquid form via the processing liquid impregnated in the interior of the supporting member and therefore the lower surface of the substrate and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid. 
     Processing using the processing liquid can thereby be applied to the lower surface of the substrate while achieving charging prevention and static elimination of the substrate. 
     The substrate holding means may also include a substrate holding and conveying means that conveys the substrate toward a predetermined conveying direction while holding the substrate. With this arrangement, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is supplied to the major surface (upper surface) of the substrate conveyed by the substrate holding and conveying means and comes in liquid contact with the major surface (upper surface) of the substrate. 
     A case where the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is connected in liquid form between the discharge port and the major surface of the substrate shall now be considered. In this case, the major surface of the substrate and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid. 
     If at this point, the substrate is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrate causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing liquid in liquid contact with the substrate along the processing liquid connected in liquid form. The processing liquid in liquid contact with the substrate is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrate is thus achieved. 
     Preferably in this case, the substrate holding and conveying means conveys the substrate while holding it in an attitude along the conveying direction and inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. 
     With this arrangement, the substrate is held in an inclined attitude and therefore the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port flows along an inclined surface on the substrate. The processing liquid thus does not stay on the substrate and therefore concentration of load at a certain single location of the substrate due to the weight of the processing liquid can be prevented or suppressed. Also, the processing liquid flows smoothly on the substrate and therefore a liquid film of the processing liquid that spreads across a wide range can be formed on the upper surface of the substrate. Charging prevention and static elimination can thereby be achieved across a wide range of the substrate. 
     The first aspect of the present invention provides a processing liquid supplying method for making a processing liquid be discharged from a discharge port of a processing liquid supplying apparatus to supply the processing liquid to a processing object and the processing liquid supplying method includes a facing positioning step of positioning the discharge port to face the processing object, an X-ray irradiating step of irradiating X-rays onto the processing liquid present in the interior of a first piping in communication with the discharge port, and a processing liquid discharging step of making the processing liquid be discharged from the discharge port in parallel to the X-ray irradiating step, and in the processing liquid discharging step, the processing liquid is connected in liquid form between the discharge port and the processing object. 
     With this method, the X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid present inside the first piping. Also, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port in communication with the interior of the first piping is supplied to the processing object. In a portion of the processing liquid irradiated by the X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules and consequently, a plasma state is formed in which positive ions of water molecules and the electrons coexist. 
     The processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is connected in liquid form between the discharge port and the processing object. In this case, the processing object and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid. 
     If at this point, the processing object is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged processing object causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing liquid in liquid contact with the processing object along the processing liquid connected in liquid form. The processing liquid in liquid contact with the processing object is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged processing object is thus achieved. 
     On the other hand, if the processing object is negatively charged, electrons from the processing object move toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of the processing liquid along the processing liquid connected in liquid form. Static elimination of the processing object that is negatively charged is thereby achieved. 
     Charging of the processing object during supplying of the processing liquid can thus be prevented. 
     Also, even if the processing object is positively or negatively charged from before the supplying of the processing liquid, static elimination of the processing object based on the principles described above can be performed via the processing liquid connected in liquid form. 
     By the above, the processing liquid can be supplied to the processing object while achieving charging prevention and static elimination of the processing object. 
     Preferably in this case, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port takes on a continuous flow form connected to both the discharge port and the processing object in the processing liquid discharging step. In this case, the processing object and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid can be connected easily via the processing liquid. 
     The processing object may be a second piping, through the interior of which a liquid flows, or may be a container arranged to contain an article. 
     The first aspect of the present invention provides a substrate processing method for processing a substrate using a processing liquid discharged from a discharge port of a processing liquid supplying apparatus and the substrate processing method includes a facing positioning step of positioning the discharge port to face a major surface of the substrate that is held by a substrate holding means, an X-ray irradiating step of irradiating X-rays onto the processing liquid present in the interior of a first piping in communication with the discharge port, and a processing liquid discharging step of making the processing liquid be discharged from the discharge port in parallel to the X-ray irradiating step, and in the processing liquid discharging step, the processing liquid is connected in liquid form between the discharge port and the major surface of the substrate. 
     With this method, X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid present inside the first piping. Also, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port in communication with the interior of the first piping is supplied to the major surface of the substrate. In a portion of the processing liquid irradiated by the X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules and consequently, a plasma state is formed in which positive ions of water molecules and the electrons coexist. 
     The processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is supplied to an upper surface of the substrate and comes in liquid contact with the upper surface of the substrate. The processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is connected in liquid form between the discharge port and the major surface of the substrate. In this case, the major surface of the substrate and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid. 
     If at this point, the substrate is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrate causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing liquid in liquid contact with the substrate along the processing liquid connected in liquid form. The processing liquid in liquid contact with the substrate is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrate is thus achieved. 
     Charging of the substrate due to contact segregation with respect to processing liquid is thereby avoided. Charging of the substrate during the supplying of the processing liquid can thus be prevented. 
     Also, even if the substrate is positively charged from before the supplying of the processing liquid, static elimination of the processing object based on the principles described above can be performed via the processing liquid connected in liquid form. Consequently, device breakdown due to charging of the substrate can be prevented. 
     By the above, processing using the processing liquid can be applied to the substrate while achieving charging prevention and static elimination of the substrate. 
     Preferably in this case, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port takes on a continuous flow form connected to both the discharge port and the major surface of the substrate in the processing liquid discharging step. The major surface of the substrate and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid can thus be connected easily via the processing liquid. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate is held in a horizontal attitude by the substrate holding means and the facing positioning step includes a step of positioning the discharge port to face an upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding means. 
     With this method, the processing liquid discharged from the liquid discharge port is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate and comes in liquid contact with the upper surface of the substrate. The processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is connected in liquid form between the discharge port and the substrate upper surface and the processing object and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are thus connected via the processing liquid. Therefore if the upper surface of the substrate is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged upper surface of the substrate causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing liquid in liquid contact with the upper surface of the substrate along the processing liquid connected in liquid form. The processing liquid in liquid contact with the upper surface of the substrate is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged upper surface of the substrate is thus achieved. 
     In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate is held in a horizontal attitude by the substrate holding means, the facing positioning step includes a step of positioning the discharge port to face a lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding means, and the substrate processing method further includes a substrate rotating step, which is executed in parallel to the processing liquid discharging step and by which the substrate is rotated around a predetermined vertical rotation axis, and an upper surface processing liquid supplying step of supplying the processing liquid to the upper surface of the substrate in parallel to the processing liquid discharging step and the substrate rotating step. 
     With this method, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate and comes in liquid contact with the lower surface of the substrate. The processing liquid in liquid contact with the lower surface of the substrate spreads to a peripheral edge portion along the lower surface of the substrate such that a liquid film of the processing liquid is formed across the entirety of the lower surface of the substrate. The processing liquid that reaches the peripheral edge portion of the lower surface of the substrate flows around a peripheral end surface of the substrate to reach a peripheral edge portion of the upper surface of the substrate. 
     The processing liquid is also supplied to the upper surface of the substrate. The processing liquid supplied to the substrate receives a centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate to spread along the upper surface of the substrate to the peripheral edge portion such that a liquid film of the processing liquid is formed across the entirety of the upper surface of the substrate. The processing liquid that flows around from the substrate lower surface side joins the liquid film of the processing liquid at the substrate upper surface side and consequently, the liquid film of the processing liquid at the substrate upper surface side and the liquid film of the processing liquid at the substrate lower surface side become connected. 
     Both the upper surface of the substrate and the lower surface of the substrate are thereby connected with the irradiated portion of the processing liquid via the processing liquid. Charging prevention and static elimination of both the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate can thus be achieved. 
     A second X-ray irradiating step, which is executed in parallel to a liquid removing processing or a drying processing executed after the end of the processing liquid discharging step and by which X-rays are irradiated onto the major surface of the substrate, may further be included. 
     With this method, the processing liquid is removed from the major surface of the substrate by the liquid removing processing or the drying processing. The X-rays are irradiated onto the major surface of the substrate immediately after the removal of the processing liquid. Charging prevention and static elimination of the substrate can thereby be achieved even more reliably. 
     A second aspect of the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus including a substrate holding means holding a substrate, an X-ray irradiating means irradiating X-rays onto a front surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding means, a processing liquid supplying means supplying a processing liquid onto the front surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding means, and a control means controlling the X-ray irradiating means and the processing liquid supplying means so that the supplying of the processing liquid and the irradiation of X-rays onto the front surface of the substrate are performed in parallel. 
     With this arrangement, a liquid film of the processing liquid that is in liquid contact with the front surface of the substrate is formed on the front surface. The X-rays are irradiated onto the liquid film of the processing liquid. At a portion of the liquid film of the processing liquid that is irradiated by the X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules and consequently, a plasma state is formed in which a large amount of electrons and a large amount of positive ions of the water molecules coexist. Therefore even if positive charges are generated at the substrate due to contact segregation with respect to the processing liquid, the electrons generated in the processing liquid by the irradiation of X-rays move via the liquid film of the processing liquid by being drawn by the positive charges generated in the substrate and act to cancel out the charges. Charging of the substrate can thereby be suppressed. Also, even if the substrate is charged from before a rinsing processing, static elimination of the charged substrate can be performed by means of the liquid film of the processing liquid that is in liquid contact with the front surface of the substrate. Consequently, device breakdown due to charging of the substrate can be prevented. 
     Also, the liquid properties of the processing liquid are not changed by the irradiation of the X-rays and unlike a case of processing the substrate using an acidic processing liquid, such as carbonated water, there is no possibility of causing adverse effects to the device. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the X-ray irradiating means includes an X-ray generator that has an irradiating window, generates X-rays, and irradiates the generated X-rays from the irradiating window. 
     With this arrangement, the X-rays generated by the X-ray generator are irradiated from the irradiating window of the X-ray generator onto the front surface of the substrate. 
     The substrate processing apparatus further includes a cover surrounding a periphery of the X-ray generator across an interval and an opening is formed in a portion of the cover facing the irradiating window. 
     With this arrangement, if the atmosphere at the periphery of the X-ray generator contains a large amount of moisture, leakage of high voltage may occur when the X-rays are generated. The periphery of the X-ray generator is thus covered by the cover to prevent moisture from entering the periphery of the X-ray generator. In this case, the opening is provided in the portion of the cover facing the irradiating window and the X-rays from the irradiating window are guided to the front surface of the substrate via the opening. Moisture can thereby be suppressed from entering the atmosphere at the periphery of the X-ray generator without obstructing the irradiation of X-rays from the X-ray generator. 
     Preferably in this case, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a gas supplying means supplying a gas into the interior of the cover. When the opening is formed in the cover, the atmosphere outside the cover that contains a large amount of moisture may enter inside the cover via the opening. 
     With the present arrangement, a gas flow leading to the opening is formed in a space between the X-ray generator and the cover by the gas being supplied inside the cover. The atmosphere outside the cover can thus be suppressed or prevented from entering inside the cover via the opening. Examples of the gas supplied into the interior of the cover from the gas supplying means include CDA (clean dry air) and nitrogen gas. 
     The gas supplying means may supply a gas of higher temperature than ordinary temperature. 
     With this arrangement, the high temperature gas supplied inside the cover passes through the space between the X-ray generator and the cover and reaches an outer surface of the irradiating window. By the high temperature gas, water droplets attached to the outer surface of the irradiating window can be eliminated by evaporation and fogging of the irradiating window can thereby be suppressed or prevented. 
     The outer surface of the irradiating window may be coated with a coating film. The irradiating window can thereby be protected. In particular, if the irradiating window is formed of beryllium, which is poor in acid resistance, the irradiating window can be protected satisfactorily from an acidic processing liquid. 
     The coating film is preferably formed using a water repellant material. In this case, the precipitation of moisture in the form of a film across the entire surface of the irradiating window is prevented and the moisture is formed into minute water droplets. The water droplets attached to the outer surface of the irradiating window are in a state of being easily movable along the outer surface. The water droplets can thus be removed readily from the outer surface of the irradiating window. Fogging of the irradiating window can thereby be suppressed or prevented. 
     It is especially preferable for the substrate processing apparatus to include both the coating by the outer surface of the irradiating window by the coating film and the gas supplying means. The water droplets attached to the outer surface of the irradiating window are in a state of being easily movable along the outer surface and therefore the water droplets attached to the outer surface of the irradiating window move upon receiving the gas flow formed inside the space. The water droplets can thereby be removed satisfactorily from the outer surface of the irradiating window and fogging of the irradiating window can be prevented reliably. 
     The coating film may be a coating film of a polyimide resin. 
     Also, the coating film may be a coating film of diamond-like carbon. 
     Further, the coating film may be a coating film of an amorphous fluororesin. 
     Preferably, a heating member is disposed at least at one of either a periphery of the opening in the cover or the irradiating window. 
     With this arrangement, the periphery of the irradiating window of the X-ray generator is heated by the heating member. Water droplets attached to the outer surface of the irradiating window can thus be eliminated by evaporation and the fogging of the irradiating window can thereby be suppressed or prevented. 
     The substrate processing apparatus may further include a shielding member disposed to face the front surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding means and arranged to shield a space above the front surface of the substrate from a periphery thereof. The shielding member is arranged to keep the X-rays, irradiated from the irradiating window, within the space above the substrate. 
     With this arrangement, the X-rays, irradiated from the irradiating window, are kept within the space above the front surface of the substrate. Scattering of the X-rays, irradiated from the irradiating window, to the periphery of the substrate can thus be suppressed or prevented. Safety of the substrate processing apparatus can thereby be improved. 
     The shielding member may be provided to be integrally movable with the cover. 
     The substrate processing apparatus further includes a moving means moving the X-ray irradiating means along the front surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding means. 
     With this arrangement, the X-rays are irradiated from the X-ray irradiating means and the X-ray irradiating means is moved along the front surface of the substrate while the X-ray irradiating means is made to face the front surface of the substrate. The ionized processing liquid can thereby be supplied to the entirety of the front surface of the substrate. Static elimination of the substrate can thereby be performed across the entirety of the substrate. 
     Also, the processing liquid may be water. 
     The second aspect of the present invention provides a substrate processing method including a processing liquid supplying step of supplying a processing liquid onto a front surface of a substrate held by a substrate holding means, and an X-ray irradiating step of irradiating X-rays onto the front surface of the substrate, held by the substrate holding means, in parallel to the processing liquid supplying step. 
     With the method according to the present invention, a liquid film of the processing liquid that is in liquid contact with the front surface of the substrate is formed on the front surface. The X-rays are irradiated onto the liquid film of the processing liquid. At a portion of the liquid film of the processing liquid that is irradiated by the X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules and consequently, a plasma state is formed in which a large amount of electrons and a large amount of positive ions of the water molecules coexist. Therefore even if positive charges are generated at the substrate due to contact segregation with respect to the processing liquid, the electrons generated in the processing liquid by the irradiation of X-rays move via the liquid film of the processing liquid by being drawn by the positive charges generated in the substrate and act to cancel out the charges. Charging of the substrate can thereby be suppressed. Also, even if the substrate is charged from before a rinsing processing, static elimination of the charged substrate can be performed by means of the liquid film of the processing liquid that is in liquid contact with the front surface of the substrate. Consequently, device breakdown due to charging of the substrate can be prevented. 
     A third aspect of the present invention is a processing liquid processing apparatus with which processing is performed by immersing a processing object in a processing liquid and the processing liquid processing apparatus includes a processing tank storing the processing liquid and arranged to perform immersion of the processing object in the processing liquid, and an X-ray irradiating means irradiating X-rays onto the processing liquid stored in the processing tank or onto the processing liquid present inside a piping, through the interior of which the processing liquid can flow, the interior of the piping being in communication with the interior of the processing tank. 
     With this arrangement, the X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid stored in the processing tank or the processing liquid present inside the piping, the interior of which is in communication with the interior of the processing tank. In a portion of the processing liquid irradiated by the X-rays (irradiated portion of the processing liquid), electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules and consequently, a plasma state is formed in which positive ions of water molecules and the electrons coexist. 
     In the case where the X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, the processing object immersed in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank. If at this point, the processing object is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged processing object causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing object via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank. The processing object is thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged processing object is consequently achieved. On the other hand, if the processing object is negatively charged, electrons from the processing object move toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of the processing liquid via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank. Electrons are thereby eliminated from the processing object and static elimination of the negatively charged processing object is consequently achieved. 
     Also, in the case where the X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid present inside the piping, the processing object immersed in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank and the processing liquid inside the piping. If at this point, the processing object is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged processing object causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing object via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank and the processing liquid inside the piping. The processing object is thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged processing object is consequently achieved. On the other hand, if the processing object is negatively charged, electrons from the processing object move toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of the processing liquid via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank and the processing liquid inside the piping. Electrons are thereby eliminated from the processing object and static elimination of the negatively charged processing object is consequently achieved. 
     Also, even if the processing object is positively or negatively charged from before the immersion in the processing liquid, static elimination of the processing object based on the principles described above can be performed via the processing liquid inside the processing tank and the processing liquid inside the piping. 
     With the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pipe wall of the piping or a wall of the processing tank has an opening, the opening is closed by a window member formed using a material that can transmit the X-rays, and the X-ray irradiating means irradiates the X-rays via the window member. 
     With this arrangement, the window member is formed using the material that can transmit the X-rays. The X-rays irradiated by the X-ray irradiating means are irradiated via the window member onto the processing liquid present inside the piping. The plasma state in which the positive ions of water molecules and the electrons coexist can thereby be formed satisfactorily in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, the window member may be formed using beryllium or a polyimide resin. 
     A substance of low atomic weight, such as beryllium, can transmit even X-rays of weak penetrability. The X-rays can thus be transmitted through the window member if the window member is formed using beryllium. 
     The X-rays can also be transmitted through the window member if the window member is formed using a polyimide resin. Also, a polyimide resin is excellent in chemical stability and enables use of the window member over a long period. 
     Also, the wall surface of the window member at the side at which the processing liquid is present is preferably hydrophilic. In this case, mixing in of air bubbles between the wall surface and the processing liquid can be suppressed or prevented. The X-rays can thereby be irradiated satisfactorily onto the processing liquid present in the piping. 
     Also, the wall surface of the window member at the side at which the processing liquid is present may be coated with a coating film. The irradiating window can thereby be protected. In particular, if the window member is formed of beryllium, which is poor in acid resistance, the window member can be protected satisfactorily from an acidic processing liquid. 
     The coating film is preferably formed using a hydrophilic material. In this case, mixing in of air bubbles between the coating film and the processing liquid can be suppressed or prevented. The X-rays can thereby be irradiated satisfactorily onto the processing liquid present in the piping. 
     In this case, the coating film may be a coating film that includes one or more materials among a polyimide resin, diamond-like carbon, fluororesin, and hydrocarbon resin. 
     The X-ray irradiating means may include an X-ray generator that has an irradiating window disposed to face the window member, generates X-rays, and irradiates the generated X-rays from the irradiating window. 
     With this arrangement, the X-rays generated by the X-ray generator are irradiated from the irradiating window of the X-ray generator onto the processing liquid flowing inside the piping. 
     The X-ray irradiating means may further include a cover surrounding a periphery of the X-ray generator across an interval from the X-ray generator and a gas supplying means supplying a gas to the interior of the cover. 
     With this arrangement, the X-ray generator may become heated due to the driving of the X-ray generator. By supplying the gas to the interior of the cover, the X-ray generator can be cooled to suppress temperature rise of the ambient atmosphere of the X-ray generator. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the piping may include a processing liquid supplying piping, being in communication with the interior of the processing tank and arranged to supply the processing liquid into the processing tank, and the X-ray irradiating means may irradiate the X-rays onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the processing liquid supplying piping. 
     Also, with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the processing tank may include an inner tank, storing the processing liquid and in which the processing object is immersed in the processing liquid, and an outer tank recovering the processing liquid overflowing from the inner tank, the piping may include an overflow piping, through which the processing liquid recovered in the outer tank flows, and the X-ray irradiating means may irradiate the X-rays onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the overflow piping. 
     With yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the processing tank may include an inner tank, storing the processing liquid and in which the processing object is immersed in the processing liquid, and an outer tank recovering the processing liquid overflowing from the inner tank, and the X-ray irradiating means may irradiate the X-rays onto the processing liquid stored in the inner tank. 
     With yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the processing tank may include an inner tank, storing the processing liquid and in which the processing object is immersed in the processing liquid, and an outer tank recovering the processing liquid overflowing from the inner tank, and the piping may include a piping, the interior of which is in communication with the interior of the inner tank. 
     The third aspect of the present invention is a processing liquid processing method including a processing object immersing step of immersing a processing object in a processing liquid stored in a processing tank and an X-ray irradiating step of performing, in parallel to the processing object immersing step, irradiation of X-rays onto the processing liquid stored in the processing tank or onto the processing liquid present inside a piping, through the interior of which the processing liquid can flow, the interior of the piping being in communication with the interior of the processing tank. 
     With this method, the X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid stored in the processing tank or the processing liquid present inside the piping, the interior of which is in communication with the interior of the processing tank. In a portion of the processing liquid irradiated by the X-rays (irradiated portion of the processing liquid), electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules and consequently, a plasma state is formed in which positive ions of water molecules and the electrons coexist. 
     In the case where the X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, the processing object immersed in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank. If at this point, the processing object is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged processing object causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing object via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank. The processing object is thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged processing object is consequently achieved. On the other hand, if the processing object is negatively charged, electrons from the processing object move toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of the processing liquid via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank. Electrons are thereby eliminated from the processing object and static elimination of the negatively charged processing object is consequently achieved. 
     Also, in the case where the X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid present inside the piping, the processing object immersed in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank and the processing liquid inside the piping. If at this point, the processing object is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged processing object causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing object via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank and the processing liquid inside the piping. The processing object is thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged processing object is consequently achieved. On the other hand, if the processing object is negatively charged, electrons from the processing object move toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of the processing liquid via the processing liquid stored in the processing tank and the processing liquid inside the piping. Electrons are thereby eliminated from the processing object and static elimination of the negatively charged processing object is consequently achieved. 
     Also, even if the processing object is positively or negatively charged from before the immersion in the processing liquid, static elimination of the processing object based on the principles described above can be performed via the processing liquid inside the processing tank and the processing liquid inside the piping. 
     A fourth aspect of the present invention is a processing liquid processing method for processing a processing object by immersing it in a processing liquid stored in a processing tank and the processing liquid processing method includes a processing object immersing step of immersing the processing object in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, a processing liquid discharging step of making the processing liquid be discharged from a discharge port toward the processing tank in parallel to the processing object immersing step, and an X-ray irradiating step of irradiating X-rays onto the processing liquid present in the interior of a piping in communication with the discharge port in parallel to the processing liquid discharging step, and in the processing liquid discharging step, the processing liquid is connected in liquid form between the discharge port and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the processing tank. 
     With this method, the X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid present inside the piping. Also, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port in communication with the interior of the piping is supplied to the processing object. In a portion of the processing liquid irradiated by the X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules and consequently, a plasma state is formed in which positive ions of water molecules and the electrons coexist. 
     The processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is connected in liquid form with the liquid surface of the processing liquid. In this case, the processing object and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid. 
     If at this point, the processing object is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged processing object causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the processing object via the processing liquid connected in liquid form and the processing liquid stored in the processing tank. The processing object is thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged processing object is consequently achieved. On the other hand, if the processing object is negatively charged, electrons from the processing object move toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of the processing liquid via the processing liquid connected in liquid form and the processing liquid stored in the processing tank. Electrons are thereby eliminated from the processing object and static elimination of the negatively charged processing object is consequently achieved. 
     By the above, processing using a processing liquid can be applied to a processing object while achieving charging prevention and static elimination of the processing object. 
     The aforementioned and other objects, features, and effects of the present invention shall be clarified by the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustrative vertical sectional view of an integral head shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the electrical arrangement of the substrate processing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a process diagram of a processing example executed in the substrate processing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an illustrative sectional view of a state of irradiation of soft X-rays onto the interior of a water nozzle. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of a state where a rinsing processing is performed on a substrate. 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart for describing a modification example of the processing example shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of an integral head according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view taken along section line IX-IX in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIGS. 10A and 10B  are diagrams showing the arrangement of an integral head according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram for describing the discharging of a processing liquid in the fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 15A and 15B  are diagrams showing the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to an eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 17A and 17B  are diagrams showing the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a ninth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a tenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a diagram of the flow of DIW during a rinsing processing in the substrate processing apparatus shown in  FIG. 18 . 
         FIG. 20  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to an eleventh preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 21  is a diagram of a state where a water supplying unit, shown in  FIG. 20 , is supplying DIW to an inclined portion of an upper portion of a cup. 
         FIG. 22  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a twelfth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 23  is a diagram of a state where a water supplying unit, shown in  FIG. 22 , is supplying DIW to an outer cylindrical portion. 
         FIG. 24  is an illustrative perspective view of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a thirteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 25  is a perspective view of the arrangement of a roller conveying unit shown in  FIG. 24 . 
         FIG. 26  is a sectional view of a state where a water supplying unit, shown in  FIG. 24 , is supplying DIW to a substrate. 
         FIG. 27  is a sectional view of a state where a soft X-ray irradiating apparatus, shown in  FIG. 24 , is irradiating soft X-rays onto an upper surface of the substrate. 
         FIG. 28  is a diagram of the arrangement of an article cleaning apparatus according to a fourteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 29  is a perspective view of the arrangement of a substrate container shown in  FIG. 28 . 
         FIG. 30  is a diagram for describing a test apparatus used in a static elimination test. 
         FIG. 31  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a fifteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 32  is an illustrative vertical sectional view of a soft X-ray irradiating head shown in  FIG. 31 . 
         FIG. 33  is a plan view of the movement of the soft X-ray irradiating head shown in  FIG. 31 . 
         FIG. 34  is a block diagram of the electrical arrangement of the substrate processing apparatus shown in  FIG. 31 . 
         FIG. 35  is a process diagram of a processing example executed in the substrate processing apparatus shown in  FIG. 31 . 
         FIG. 36  is an illustrative diagram for describing a rinsing processing. 
         FIG. 37  is an illustrative diagram of a state of a vicinity of a front surface of a substrate in the rinsing processing. 
         FIG. 38  is a diagram for describing a test apparatus used in tests. 
         FIG. 39  is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a sixteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 40  is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to a seventeenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 41  is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus according to an eighteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 42  is a diagram of a modification example (1) of the present invention. 
         FIG. 43  is a diagram of a modification example (2) of the present invention. 
         FIG. 44  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a nineteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         FIG. 45A  is an illustrative sectional view of the respective arrangements of a branch piping and a soft X-ray irradiating unit shown in  FIG. 44 . 
         FIG. 45B  is a process diagram of a processing example of substrate processing executed in the substrate processing apparatus shown in  FIG. 44 . 
         FIG. 46  is an illustrative diagram of a state of irradiation of soft X-rays onto the interior of the branch piping shown in  FIG. 44 . 
         FIG. 47  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twentieth preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         FIG. 48  is a schematic sectional view of a state where a processing liquid is overflowing from an upper end portion of an inner tank. 
         FIG. 49  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-first preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         FIG. 50  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-second preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         FIG. 51  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-third preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         FIG. 52  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         FIG. 53  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         FIG. 54  is a diagram of the arrangement of an article cleaning apparatus to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         FIG. 55  is a diagram of the arrangement of an article cleaning apparatus to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         FIG. 56  is a perspective view of the arrangement of a substrate container shown in  FIG. 55 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  1  according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The substrate processing apparatus  1  is a single substrate processing type apparatus that is used to perform processing using processing liquids (a chemical solution and water) on a front surface (processing surface) of a circular semiconductor wafer (silicon wafer) as an example of a substrate (processing object) W. With the present preferred embodiment, water is used for the rinsing of the substrate W that is performed after a chemical solution processing. 
     The substrate processing apparatus  1  includes, inside a processing chamber  3  partitioned by a partition wall (not shown), a spin chuck (substrate holding and rotating means)  4  that holds and rotates the substrate W in a horizontal attitude, a water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus)  100  arranged to supply DIW (deionized water) as an example of water to an upper surface (major surface at the upper side; front surface) of the substrate W and to irradiate soft X-rays onto the DIW before it is supplied to the substrate W, and a chemical solution nozzle  7  arranged to supply the chemical solution to the upper surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck  4 . 
     As the spin chuck  4 , for example, that of a clamping type is adopted. Specifically, the spin chuck  4  includes a spin motor  8 , a spin shaft  9  made integral to a driveshaft of the spin motor  8 , a disk-shaped spin base  10  mounted substantially horizontally on an upper end of the spin shaft  9 , and a plurality of clamping members  11  disposed at a plurality of locations at substantially equal intervals of a peripheral edge portion of the spin base  10 . The spin chuck  4  is thereby enabled to rotate the spin base  10  by the rotational driving force of the spin motor  8  in a state where the substrate W is clamped by the plurality of clamping members  11  to rotate the substrate W, maintained in the substantially horizontal attitude, around a vertical rotation axis C together with the spin base  10 . 
     The spin chuck  4  is not restricted to a clamping type and, for example, a vacuum suction type (vacuum chuck) arrangement that vacuum-suctions a rear surface of the substrate W to hold the substrate W in a horizontal attitude and further performs rotation around a vertical rotation axis in this state to rotate the held substrate W may be adopted instead. 
     The spin chuck  4  is housed inside a cup (liquid receiver member)  17 . The cup  17  has a cup lower portion  18  and a cup upper portion  19  disposed above the cup lower portion  18  so as to be capable of being raised and lowered. 
     The cup lower portion  18  has the shape of a bottomed circular cylinder, the central axis of which matches the rotation axis C. An exhaust port (not shown) is formed in a bottom surface of the cup lower portion  18  and during operation of the substrate processing apparatus  1 , the atmosphere inside the cup  17  is constantly exhausted from the exhaust port. 
     The cup upper portion  19  integrally includes a circular cylindrical portion  20  of circular cylindrical shape having the central axis in common with the cup lower portion  18  and an inclined portion  21  that is inclined so as become higher as the central axis of the circular cylindrical portion  20  is approached from an upper end of the circular cylindrical portion  20 . A cup raising and lowering unit  22 , arranged to raise and lower (move up and down) the cup upper portion  19 , is coupled to the cup upper portion  19 . By the cup raising and lowering unit  22 , the cup upper portion  19  is moved to a position at which the circular cylindrical portion  20  is disposed at a side of the spin base  10  and a position at which the upper end of the inclined portion  21  is disposed below the spin base  10 . 
     The cup upper portion  19  and the cup lower portion  18  are respectively formed using a resin material (for example, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)). 
     The chemical solution nozzle  7  is, for example, a straight nozzle that discharges the chemical solution in a continuous flow state and is disposed fixedly above the spin chuck  4  in a state where a discharge port thereof is directed toward a vicinity of a rotation center of the substrate W. The chemical solution nozzle  7  is connected to a chemical solution supplying pipe  15  to which the chemical solution is supplied from a chemical solution supply source. A chemical solution valve  16  arranged to switch between supplying and stopping the supplying of the chemical solution from the chemical solution nozzle  7  is interposed in an intermediate portion of the chemical solution supplying pipe  15 . 
     Also, the chemical solution nozzle  7  is not required to be disposed fixedly with respect to the spin chuck  4  and, for example, a so-called scan nozzle arrangement may be adopted where the nozzle is mounted on an arm capable of swinging within a horizontal plane above the cup  17  and a liquid landing position of the chemical solution on the front surface of the substrate W is scanned by the swinging of the arm. 
     As the chemical solution, that which is in accordance with the contents of the processing performed on the front surface of the substrate W is used. For example, when a cleaning processing for eliminating particles from the front surface of the substrate W is to be performed, APM (ammonia-hydrogen peroxide mixture), etc., is used. Also, when a cleaning processing for etching an oxide film, etc., from the front surface of the substrate W is to be performed, hydrofluoric acid, BHF (buffered HF), or TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydroxide aqueous solution), etc., is used, or when a resist peeling processing of peeling off a resist film formed on the front surface of the substrate W or a polymer eliminating processing for eliminating a resist residue remaining as a polymer on the front surface of the substrate W after resist peeling is to be performed, a resist peeling solution or a polymer eliminating solution, such as SPM (sulfuric acid/hydrogen peroxide mixture) or APM (ammonia-hydrogen peroxide mixture), is used. In a cleaning processing of eliminating a metal contaminant, hydrofluoric acid, HPM (hydrochloric acid/hydrogen peroxide mixture), or SPM (sulfuric acid/hydrogen peroxide mixture), etc., is used. 
     The water supplying unit  100  has an integral head  6  disposed above and so as to face the spin chuck  4 . The integral head  6  integrally includes a water nozzle (processing liquid nozzle)  61  for discharging DIW as an example of water and a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  62  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto the water flowing through the interior of the water nozzle  61 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  is mounted onto the water nozzle  61 . The water nozzle  61  is, for example, a straight nozzle that discharges a chemical solution in a continuous flow state and is disposed in a state where its discharge port  53  is directed downward. The water nozzle  61  is connected to a water supplying piping  13  to which DIW is supplied from a DIW supply source. A water valve  14  arranged to switch between supplying and stopping the supplying of the DIW from the water nozzle  61  is interposed in an intermediate portion of the water supplying piping  13 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  shall be described later. 
       FIG. 2  is an illustrative vertical sectional view of the integral head  6 . 
     The water nozzle  61  of the integral head  6  has a first nozzle piping  51  of round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape) that extends in a vertical direction. The first nozzle piping  51  is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). The round discharge port  53  is opened at a tip portion (lower end portion) of the first nozzle piping  51 . A first opening  52 , for example, of circular shape is formed in a pipe wall at an intermediate portion of the first nozzle piping  51 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  is mounted onto the first nozzle piping  51  so as to close the first opening  52 . The integral head  6  is disposed fixedly above the axis C of rotation of the substrate W by the spin chuck  4  with its discharge port  53  directed downward (toward a vicinity of the rotation center of the substrate W). 
     A circular annular electrode  56  is externally fitted and fixed to the tip portion of the first nozzle piping  51 . A voltage with respect to an apparatus ground is applied to the electrode  56  by a power supply  57  (see  FIG. 3 ) and an electric field is thereby applied to the processing liquid passing through a vicinity of the electrode  56 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  includes a soft X-ray generator (X-ray generator)  25 , a cover  26  made, for example, of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and surroundingly covering a periphery of the soft X-ray generator  25 , and a gas nozzle (gas supplying means)  27 , arranged to supply a gas into the interior of the cover  26 , and irradiates soft X-rays laterally. The cover  26  has an oblong rectangular box shape that surrounds the periphery of the soft X-ray generator  25  across an interval from the soft X-ray generator  25  and has a second opening  28 , having, for example, a circular shape and the same diameter as the first opening  52 , formed in a portion of a vertical plate-shaped side wall  26 A facing an irradiating window  35  to be described after the soft X-ray generator  25 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  is mounted onto the nozzle piping  51  so that the second opening  28  of the cover  26  is matched with the first opening  52  of the first nozzle piping  51  and the side wall  26 A is closely adhered to an outer periphery of the first nozzle piping  51 . 
     The second opening  28  is closed by a disk-shaped window member  71 . The window member  71  closes the second opening  28  from the inner side of the cover  26 . Not only the second opening  28  but the first opening  52  is also closed by the window member  71 . As the material of the window member  71 , a substance of low atomic weight is used so that the soft X-rays of weak penetrability can be transmitted readily and, for example, beryllium (Be), is adopted. The thickness of the window member  71  is set, for example, to approximately 0.3 mm. 
     The soft X-ray generator  25  emits (radiates) soft X-rays used to ionize the processing liquid flowing through the first nozzle piping  51 . The soft X-ray generator  25  includes a case body  29 , a soft X-ray tube  30  that is long in the right/left direction and arranged to generate the soft X-rays, and a high voltage unit  31  supplying a high voltage to the soft X-ray tube  30 . The case body  29  has an oblong rectangular cylindrical shape, houses the soft X-ray tube  30  and the high voltage unit  31  in its interior, and is formed using a material having electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity (for example, a metal material, such as aluminum.). 
     The high voltage unit  31  inputs a driving voltage of high electrical potential, for example, of −9.5 kV into the soft X-ray tube  30 . The high voltage unit  31  is supplied with a voltage from a power supply (not shown) via a feeder  43  led outside the cover  26  through a penetrating hole  42  formed in the cover  26 . 
     The soft X-ray tube  30  is constituted of a vacuum tube of circular cylindrical shape made of glass or metal and is disposed so that the tube direction is horizontal. A circular opening  41  is defined by one end portion (opening end portion; left end portion shown in  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray tube  30 . The other end portion (right end portion shown in  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray tube  30  is closed and constitutes a stem  32 . Inside the soft X-ray tube  30 , a filament  33 , which is a cathode, and a target  36 , which is an anode, are disposed so as to face each other. The soft X-ray tube  30  houses the filament  33  and a focusing electrode  34 . Specifically, the filament  33  is disposed as the cathode at the stem  32 . The filament  33  is electrically connected to the high voltage unit  31 . The filament  33  is surrounded by the focusing electrode  34  of circular cylindrical shape. 
     The opening end portion of the soft X-ray tube  30  is closed by the plate-shaped irradiating window  35  of vertical attitude. The irradiating window  35  has, for example, a disk shape and is fixed to the wall surface at the opening end portion of the soft X-ray tube  30  by silver alloy brazing. As the material of the irradiating window  35 , a substance of low atomic weight is used so that the soft X-rays of weak penetrability can be transmitted readily and, for example, beryllium (Be), is adopted. The thickness of the irradiating window  35  is set, for example, to approximately 0.3 mm. The irradiating window  35  is disposed to face an inner surface  71 A of the window member  71  across a minute interval with respect to the window member  71 . 
     The target  36  made of metal is formed by vapor deposition on an inner surface  35 A of the irradiating window  35 . A metal of high atomic weight and high melting point, such as tungsten (W) or tantalum (Ta), is used in the target  36 . 
     By application of the driving voltage from the high voltage unit  31  to the filament  33  that is the cathode, electrons are emitted from the filament  33 . The electrons emitted from the filament  33  are converged and made into an electron beam by the focusing electrode  34  and generate soft X-rays upon colliding against the target  36 . The generated soft X-rays are emitted (radiated) toward a lateral direction (left direction shown in  FIG. 2 ) from the irradiating window  35  and irradiate the interior of the first nozzle piping  51  through the window member  71  and the first opening  52 . The irradiation angle (irradiation range) of the soft X-rays from the irradiating window  35  is a wide angle (for example, 130°) as shown in  FIG. 5 . The soft X-rays irradiated from the irradiating window  35  onto the interior of the first nozzle piping  51  are, for example, 0.13 to 0.4 nm in wavelength. 
     The entirety of an outer surface (wall surface of the closed window at the side at which the processing liquid flows)  71 B of the window member  71  is covered by a hydrophilic coating film (coating film)  38 . The hydrophilic coating film  38  is, for example, a polyimide resin coating film. The outer surface  71 B of the window member  71  is covered with the hydrophilic coating film  38  to protect the window member  71 , which is made of beryllium that is poor in acid resistance, from an acid contained in water or other processing liquid. The film thickness of the hydrophilic coating film  38  is not more than 50 μm and is especially preferably approximately 10 μm. The hydrophilic coating film  38  has hydrophilicity and is thus capable of suppressing or preventing the mixing in of air bubbles between the coating film  38  and DIW. The soft X-rays from the irradiating window  35  can thereby be irradiated satisfactorily onto the DIW flowing through the first nozzle piping  51 . 
     A discharge port of the gas nozzle  27  is opened in a side wall of the cover  26 . A gas from a gas supply source (not shown) is supplied to the gas nozzle  27  via a gas valve (gas supplying means)  37 . As examples of the gas discharged by the gas nozzle  27 , an inert gas such as CDA (clean dry air), nitrogen gas, can be cited. The gas discharged from the gas nozzle  27  is supplied to the interior of the cover  26 . Although heat may be generated by the soft X-ray generator  25  due to driving of the soft X-ray generator  25 , the soft X-ray generator  25  can be cooled and temperature rise of the ambient atmosphere of the soft X-ray generator  25  can be suppressed by supplying the gas into the interior of the cover  26 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the electrical arrangement of the substrate processing apparatus  1 . The substrate processing apparatus  1  further includes a controller (X-ray irradiation control means)  40  with an arrangement that includes a microcomputer. The cup raising and lowering unit  22 , the spin motor  8 , the high voltage unit  31 , the chemical solution valve  16 , the water valve  14 , the power supply  57 , the gas valve  37 , etc., are connected as control objects to the controller  40 . 
     To release the heat inside the cover  26 , the gas valve  37  is constantly opened while the power of the substrate processing apparatus  1  is turned on. 
       FIG. 4  is a process diagram of a processing example executed on the substrate W in the substrate processing apparatus  1 . In this processing example, a rinsing processing is executed after execution of a chemical solution processing. The processing of the substrate W in the substrate processing apparatus  1  shall now be described with reference to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 4 . 
     In the processing of the substrate W, the unprocessed substrate W is carried inside the processing chamber  3  by a transfer robot (not shown) (step S 1 ) and is transferred with its front surface facing upward onto the spin chuck  4 . 
     After the substrate W is held by the spin chuck  4 , the controller  40  controls the spin motor  8  to start rotation of the substrate W by the spin chuck  4  (step S 2 ). The rotation speed of the substrate W is increased to a predetermined liquid processing speed (for example, 500 rpm) and is thereafter maintained at the liquid processing speed. 
     When the rotation speed of the substrate W reaches the liquid processing speed, the controller  40  opens the chemical solution valve  16  to make the chemical solution be discharged from the chemical solution nozzle  7  toward the rotation center of the upper surface of the substrate W. The chemical solution supplied to the upper surface of the substrate upper surface W flows toward a peripheral edge of the substrate W upon receiving the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate W (spreads across the entirety of the substrate W). Processing by the chemical solution is thereby applied to the entire front surface of the substrate W (S 3 : chemical solution processing). 
     When a predetermined chemical solution processing time elapses from the start of supplying of the chemical solution, the controller  40  closes the chemical solution valve  16  to stop the supplying of the chemical solution from the chemical solution nozzle  7 . 
     Also, the controller  40  opens the water valve  14  to make DIW be discharged from the water nozzle  61  of the integral head  6  toward the rotation center of the upper surface of the substrate W in the rotating state (step S 4 ). 
     A soft X-ray irradiation timing arrives when a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds) elapses from the opening of the water valve  14 . The predetermined time is set so that the irradiation of the soft X-rays is started when the interior of the first nozzle piping  51  is sufficiently filled with DIW. When the soft X-ray irradiation timing arrives, the controller  40  controls the high voltage unit  31  to make the soft X-ray generator  25  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated from the irradiating window  35  toward the interior of the first nozzle piping  51  via the window member  71  (step S 5 ). The soft X-rays are thereby irradiated onto the DIW flowing through the interior of the first nozzle piping  51 . 
       FIG. 5  is an illustrative sectional view of a state of irradiation of the soft X-rays onto the interior of the water nozzle  61 . 
     During the rinsing processing, the DIW flowing through the interior of the first nozzle piping  51  of the water nozzle  61  is irradiated with the soft X-rays. Also, the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  53  is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W. At a portion of DIW inside the first nozzle piping  51  irradiated with the soft X-rays (the portion inside the first nozzle piping  51  facing the first opening  52 ; the hatched portion shown in  FIG. 5 ; hereinafter referred to as the “irradiated portion  54  of DIW”), electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules. Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion  54  of DIW. 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram of a state where the rinsing process is performed on the substrate W. 
     The DIW supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W receives a centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate W and flows toward a peripheral edge portion of the substrate W (spreads across the entirety of the substrate W). A liquid film  63  of DIW in liquid contact with the upper surface is thereby formed across the entire upper surface of the substrate W. The chemical solution attached to the upper surface of the substrate W is rinsed off by the liquid film  63  of DIW. 
     The supply flow rate of DIW with respect to the water nozzle  61  during the rinsing processing is set to a comparatively high flow rate (for example, 0.5 to 2.0 L/min). The form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  53  of the water nozzle  61  is thus the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  53  and the liquid film  63  of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W and also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the first nozzle piping  51 . At this point, the liquid film  63  of DIW and the irradiated portion  54  of DIW are connected via the DIW. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , if the substrate W is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion  54  of DIW and the positively charged substrate W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion  54  of DIW to move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the liquid film  63  of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W. The liquid film  63  of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrate W is thus achieved. 
     By the above, even if DIW is supplied to the substrate W in the rotating state, charging of the substrate due to contact segregation with respect to the processing liquid does not occur. Charging of the substrate W during the rinsing processing can thus be prevented. Also, even if the substrate W is charged from before the rinsing processing, the charges carried by the substrate W can be eliminated (that is, static elimination can be achieved). Consequently, device breakdown due to charging of the substrate W can be prevented. 
     By the above, the rinsing processing can be applied to the substrate W while achieving charging prevention or static elimination of the substrate W. 
     Also, the liquid properties of the DIW are not changed by the irradiation of the soft X-rays and unlike a case of processing the substrate W using an acidic processing liquid, such as carbonated water, there is no possibility of causing adverse effects to the device on the substrate W. 
     Also, in parallel to the irradiation of soft X-rays by the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 , application to the electrode  56  of the power supply  57  is performed. In this case, the electrode  56  is preferably charged with positive charges. In this case, the electrons generated in the irradiated portion  54  of DIW by the irradiation of the soft X-rays are drawn toward the electrode  56  by the positive charges at the electrode  56  and move to the tip portion of the first nozzle piping  51  (water nozzle  61 ) at which the electrode  56  is disposed. That is, a large amount of electrons can be drawn toward the discharge port  53  of the water nozzle  61 . Movement of electrons toward the substrate W can thereby be promoted. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 4 , when a predetermined rinsing time elapses from the start of supplying of DIW, the controller  40  closes the water valve  14  to stop the supplying of DIW (step S 6 ) and controls the high voltage unit  31  to stop the irradiation of soft X-rays from the irradiating window  35  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  (step S 7 ). Also in accompaniment with the stoppage of irradiation of soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 , the controller  40  stops the application of electric field to the electrode  56 . 
     Thereafter, the controller  40  controls the spin motor  8  to raise the rotation speed of the substrate W to a spin drying rotation speed (for example of 2500 rpm). The DIW attached to the upper surface of the substrate W after the rinsing processing is thereby spun off by a centrifugal force and drying is achieved (S 8 : spin drying (drying processing)). 
     After the spin drying has been performed for a predetermined drying time, the rotation of the spin chuck  4  is stopped. Thereafter, the processed substrate W is carried out of the processing chamber  3  by the transfer robot (not shown) (step S 9 ). 
     By the above arrangement, with the first preferred embodiment, the DIW flowing through the interior of the first nozzle piping  51  of the water nozzle  61  is irradiated with the soft X-rays. The plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of the positive ions of water molecules coexist, is thereby formed in the irradiated portion  54  of DIW. These electrons move along the DIW of continuous flow form to the liquid film  63  of DIW and consequently, the liquid film  63  of DIW is made to have a large amount of electrons. Therefore, even if DIW is supplied to the substrate W in the rotating state, charging of the substrate W due to contact segregation with respect to the DIW does not occur. Charging of the substrate W during the rinsing processing can thus be prevented. Also, even if the substrate W is charged from before the rinsing processing, the charges carried by the substrate W can be eliminated (that is, static elimination can be achieved). Consequently, device breakdown due to charging of the substrate W can be prevented. 
     Also, the liquid properties of the DIW are not changed by the irradiation of the soft X-rays and unlike a case of processing the substrate W using an acidic processing liquid, such as carbonated water, there is no possibility of causing adverse effects to the device on the substrate W. 
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart for describing a modification example of the processing example shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     With the modification example shown in  FIG. 7 , when the soft X-ray irradiation timing arrives, the irradiation of soft X-rays by the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  is executed if DIW is present near the first opening  52  of the first nozzle piping  51  and the irradiation of soft X-rays by the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  is not executed if DIW is not present near the first opening  52  of the first nozzle piping  51 . This shall now be described specifically. 
     As indicated by alternate long and two short dashed lines in  FIG. 1 , with the water supplying unit  100 , a liquid detection sensor (processing liquid detecting means)  101 , arranged to detect the presence or non-presence of DIW inside the first nozzle piping  51  at a predetermined water detection position  102 , is disposed in the first nozzle piping  51  of the water nozzle  61 . In regard to the direction of flow through the first nozzle piping  51 , the water detection position  102  is set at the same position as the first opening (opening; soft X-ray irradiation position)  52  (see  FIG. 2 ) or a position close to the first opening  52 . 
     The liquid detection sensor  101  is arranged, for example, from a capacitive sensor and disposed by being directly attached to or disposed proximally to an outer peripheral wall (not shown) of the first nozzle piping  51 . The liquid detection sensor  101  detects the presence or non-presence of DIW inside the first nozzle piping  51  at a periphery of the water detection position  102  and outputs a signal corresponding to the detection result. If DIW is present near the first opening  52  of the first nozzle piping  51 , DIW is detected, and on the other hand, if DIW is not present near the first opening  52  of the first nozzle piping  51 , DIW is not detected. 
     Also, as the liquid detection sensor  101 , an optical type (for example, an arrangement combining a light emitting diode and a light receiving element and making use of a refractive index difference between gas and liquid) sensor or a conductivity sensor may be adopted. 
     When the soft X-ray irradiation timing arrives (YES at step S 11 ), the controller  40  references the detection output of the liquid detection sensor  101  to check whether or not DIW is present or not present (whether there is liquid or there is no liquid) near the first opening  52  (step S 12 ). If DIW is present near the first opening  52  (YES in step S 12 ), the controller  40  starts the X-ray irradiation by the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  (step S 13 ). On the other hand, if DIW is not present near the first opening  52  (NO in step S 12 ) or the soft X-ray irradiation timing has not arrived (NO in step S 11 ), a return is thereafter performed in the processing of  FIG. 7  without the X-ray irradiation by the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  being started. 
     In this case, the irradiation of soft X-rays onto the first opening  52  is prohibited if DIW is not present near the first opening  52 . Leakage of soft X-rays to the exterior of the first nozzle piping  51  can thereby be suppressed or prevented. 
     The liquid detection sensor  101  may also be adopted in water supplying units  230 ,  250 , and  600  (see  FIGS. 15A and 15B ,  FIG. 16 , and  FIG. 28 ) in which arrangements equivalent to the water supplying unit  100  are adopted. In this case, the processing shown in  FIG. 7  can be executed. 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of an integral head  6 A according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 9  is a sectional view taken along section line IX-IX in  FIG. 8 . 
     Portions of the integral head  6 A that are in common to the integral head  6  according to the first preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 6  and description thereof shall be omitted. A main point of difference of the integral head  6 A with respect to the integral head  6  is that a first nozzle piping  51 A with a tip portion of flat shape is used in the water nozzle  61 . A region of the first nozzle piping  51 A besides the tip portion has the same round tube shape (circular cylindrical shape) as the first nozzle piping  51 . As with the first nozzle piping  51 , the first nozzle piping  51 A extends in a vertical direction and is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). 
     A flat portion  151  with a cross section of substantially oblong shape is formed at the tip portion of the first nozzle piping  51 A. The flat portion  151  is formed by deforming a round pipe by thermoforming. A width W 1  between a pair of flat wall portions  152  and  153  is set, for example, to approximately 5 to 10 mm. In the flat wall portion  152  at one side, a third opening (opening; X-ray irradiation position)  52 A, for example, of circular shape is formed at an intermediate portion of the first nozzle piping  51 A. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  is mounted onto the first nozzle piping  51 A so as to close the third opening  52 A. Specifically, the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  is mounted onto the first nozzle piping  51 A so that the second opening  28  of a cover  26 A is matched with the third opening  52 A of the first nozzle piping  51 A and a side wall  26 A is closely adhered to an outer periphery of the first nozzle piping  51 A. 
     The width W 1  of the flat portion  151  is set to a width such that in a state where the flat portion  151  is filled with DIW, the soft X-rays irradiated from the irradiating window  35  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  reach the other flat wall portion  153 . The soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  are thus irradiated onto all of the DIW flowing through the flat portion  151  of the first nozzle piping  51 A. The irradiation portion  54  of DIW can thereby be maintained to be of a wide range so that the amount of electrons contained in the liquid film  63  of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W can be increased further. The charging of the substrate W due to contact segregation with respect to DIW can thereby be suppressed more reliably, and static elimination of the substrate W can be achieved more reliably even if the substrate W is charged from before the rinsing processing. 
       FIGS. 10A and 10B  are diagrams showing the arrangement of an integral head  6 B according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 10A  is a sectional view of principal portions of the integral head  6 B during the rinsing processing and  FIG. 10B  is a view as viewed from a lower side of  FIG. 10A . 
     With the integral head  6 B, a fiber bundle (fibrous substance)  65 , arranged by bundling together numerous string-form fibers, is mounted onto the discharge port  53  of the first nozzle piping  51  of the water nozzle  61 . The fiber bundle  65  has a round columnar shape with a central axis extending along a longitudinal direction of the first nozzle piping  51 . A length of projection of the fiber bundle  65  from the discharge port  53  of the first nozzle piping  51  is set to be approximately equal to an interval between the substrate W held by the spin chuck  4  and the discharge port  53 . 
     During the rinsing processing, the DIW discharged from the discharge port  53  of the first nozzle piping  51  flows downward along the numerous fibers included in the fiber bundle  65 . A tip of the fiber bundle  65  contacts the liquid film  63  of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W and is adrift in the liquid film  63 . The fiber bundle  65  guides the DIW satisfactorily from the discharge port  53  to the liquid film  63  of DIW and therefore the form of the DIW discharged from the discharge port  53  can be maintained readily in a continuous flow form connected to both the discharge port  53  and the liquid film  63  of DIW. 
     Even if the discharge flow rate of DIW from the discharge port  53  is a low flow rate, the form of the DIW discharged from the discharge port  53  can be maintained in the continuous flow form. Charging prevention of the substrate W and static elimination of the substrate W can thereby be achieved while reducing the consumption amount of DIW. During the rinsing processing, the tip of the fiber bundle  65  may be in contact not only with the liquid film  63  but also with the upper surface of the substrate W. 
     The fiber bundle  65  may also be provided at a tip portion of the first nozzle piping  51 A (see  FIG. 8 ). The fiber bundle  65  may also be provided at a tip portion of the first nozzle piping  51  in each of the water supplying units  230 ,  250 , and  600  (see  FIGS. 15A and 15B ,  FIG. 16 , and  FIG. 28 ) in which arrangements equivalent to the water supplying unit  100  are adopted. 
     Also, although with the third preferred embodiment, the fiber bundle  65 , arranged by bundling together numerous string-form fibers, was described as an example of the fibrous substance mounted onto the discharge port  53  of the first nozzle piping  51  of the water nozzle  61 , the fibrous substance is not restricted to that which is arranged by bundling together numerous string-form fibers and may be arranged from a single, thick string-form fiber or may be arranged from fibers of fabric form instead of string form. 
       FIG. 11  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  201  according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     With the fourth preferred embodiment, portions that are in common to the first preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 6  and description thereof shall be omitted. With the substrate processing apparatus  201 , a water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus)  200 , with which a nozzle and a soft X-ray irradiating unit are provided separately, is provided in place of the water supplying unit  100  (see  FIG. 1 ) according to the first preferred embodiment. 
     The water supplying unit  200  includes a water nozzle  202 , a water supplying piping (processing liquid supplying piping)  204  supplying DIW (example of water) from a DIW supply source to the water nozzle  202 , and a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  203  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto the DIW present inside the water supplying piping  204 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  203  is mounted onto the water supplying piping  204 . 
     The water nozzle  202  has a nozzle piping of round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape) and is mounted onto a tip of the water supplying piping  204 . The water nozzle  202  is constituted of a straight nozzle that discharges liquid in a continuous flow state and is disposed fixedly inside the processing chamber  3  in a state where a discharge port  202 A thereof is directed toward an upper surface central portion of the substrate W. With the exception that the first opening  52  (see  FIG. 2 ) is not formed, an arrangement equivalent to that of the water nozzle  61  (see  FIG. 2 ) according to the first preferred embodiment is adopted in the water nozzle  202 . That is, the circular annular electrode  56  is externally fitted and fixed to the tip portion of the nozzle piping of the water nozzle  202 , and a voltage with respect to an apparatus ground is arranged to be applied to the electrode  56  by the power supply  57  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     The water supplying piping  204  has a round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape). The water supplying piping  204  is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). An opening (not shown) is formed in a pipe wall at an intermediate portion of the water supplying piping  204 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  203  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  (see  FIG. 2 ) according to the first preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  203  is mounted onto the water supplying piping  204  so as to close the opening in the water supplying piping  204 . Specifically, an opening in the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  203  (an opening corresponding to the second opening  28  (see  FIG. 2 ) in the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is matched with the opening in the water supplying piping  204  and a wall surface of the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  203  (corresponding to the side wall  26 A (see  FIG. 2 ) of the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is closely adhered to the outer periphery of the water supplying piping  204 . A high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  203  (corresponding to the high voltage unit  31  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     A water valve  205  arranged to open and close the water supplying piping  204  is interposed in the water supplying piping  204 . When the water valve  205  is opened, DIW is supplied from the water supplying piping  204  to the water nozzle  202 , and when the water valve  205  is closed, the supply of DIW from the water supplying piping  204  to the water nozzle  202  is stopped. The water valve  205  is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  201 , the same processing as that of the processing example shown in  FIG. 4  is performed, and in the rinsing processing (steps S 4  to S 6  of  FIG. 4 ), the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ) opens the water valve  205 . The DIW flowing through the water supplying piping  204  is thereby supplied to the water nozzle  202 . DIW is discharged from the discharge port  202 A of the water nozzle  202  toward the rotation center of the upper surface of the substrate W that is in the rotating state. 
     When the predetermined time from the opening of the water valve  205  elapses and the soft X-ray irradiation timing arrives, the controller  40  controls the high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  203  to make the soft X-ray generator of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  203  (corresponding to the soft X-ray generator  25  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated toward the interior of the water supplying piping  204 . The soft X-rays are thereby irradiated onto the DIW flowing through the interior of the water supplying piping  204 . 
     The DIW supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W receives the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate W and flows toward the peripheral edge of the substrate W (spreads across the entirety of the substrate W). A liquid film of DIW is thereby formed across the entire upper surface of the substrate W. The chemical solution attached to the upper surface of the substrate W is rinsed off by the liquid film of DIW. 
     The supply flow rate of DIW with respect to the water nozzle  202  during the rinsing processing is set to a comparatively high flow rate (for example, 0.5 to 2.0 L/min). The form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  202 A of the water nozzle  202  is thus the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  202 A and the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W. Also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping of the water nozzle  202  and inside the water supplying piping  204 . 
     When during the rinsing processing, the DIW flowing through the interior of the water supplying piping  204  is irradiated with the soft X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  (the portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  54  of DIW according to the first preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 ). Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  204 . The irradiated portion of DIW is connected via DIW to the liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W. 
     If the substrate W is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  and the positively charged substrate W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  to move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W. The liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons. 
     By the above, actions and effects equivalent to those described for the first preferred embodiment are also exhibited by the fourth preferred embodiment. 
       FIG. 12  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  211  according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Portions of the substrate processing apparatus  211  that are in common to the substrate processing apparatus  201  according to the fourth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 11  and description thereof shall be omitted. A point of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  211  with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  201  is that a water nozzle  212  having a plurality of discharge ports  216  is provided in place of the water nozzle  202  (see  FIG. 11 ). 
     The water nozzle  212  includes a main body portion  213  constituted of a nozzle piping of round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape), a plurality (for example, three in  FIG. 12 ) of discharge port portions  215  aligned in a horizontal direction at a tip portion of the main body portion  213 , and a communicating portion  214  putting an internal space of the main body portion  213  and an internal space of each individual discharge port portions  215  in communication. Each individual discharge port portion  215  has a discharge port  216 . Each individual discharge port portion  215  is constituted of a straight nozzle that discharges liquid in a continuous flow state. An electrode  56  is externally fitted and fixed to each discharge port portion  215 . The water nozzle  212  is disposed fixedly inside the processing chamber  3  in a state where the plurality of discharge ports  216  are directed toward an upper surface central portion of the substrate W. The water supplying piping  204  is connected to the main body portion  213  of the water nozzle  212 . 
     During the rinsing processing, DIW (example of water) is supplied to the water nozzle  212  and DIW is discharged from the respective discharge ports  216  of the water nozzle  212 . During the rinsing process, a liquid film of DIW is formed across the entire upper surface of the substrate W. During the rinsing process, as shown in  FIG. 12 , the form of DIW discharged from each individual discharge port  216  is the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  216  and the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W. Also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping of the water nozzle  212  and inside the water supplying piping  204 . 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  211 , it suffices that the form of DIW discharged from at least one discharge port  216  is the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  216  and the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W. In other words, it suffices that the interior of the nozzle piping of the water nozzle  212  and the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W are connected by at least one continuous flow  64 A (see  FIG. 13 ). 
     Specifically, a case where a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  216  and the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W is formed at one discharge port  216 A among the plurality of discharge ports  216  but a continuous flow is not formed at the other discharge ports  216 B and  216 C as shown in  FIG. 13  shall now be considered. In this case, DIW is discharged in the form of droplets or DIW is not discharged from the discharge port  216 B and the discharge port  216 C. 
     Even in the case illustrated in  FIG. 13 , the interior of the nozzle piping of the water nozzle  212  and the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W are connected by the at least one continuous flow  64 A. Therefore, if the substrate W is positively charged, the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  move along the single continuous flow  64 A toward the liquid film  63  of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W. Charging prevention of the substrate W and static elimination of the substrate W can thereby be achieved. 
       FIG. 14  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  221  according to a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Portions of the substrate processing apparatus  221  that are in common to the substrate processing apparatus  201  according to the fourth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 11  and description thereof shall be omitted. With the substrate processing apparatus  221 , a water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus)  220  is provided in place of the water supplying unit  200 . 
     The water supplying unit  220  includes the water nozzle  202 , the water supplying piping  204 , a first branch piping (branch piping)  222  branching from an intermediate portion of the water supplying piping  204 , and a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  223  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto DIW (example of water) present inside the first branch piping  222 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  is mounted onto the first branching piping  222 . That is, with the water supplying unit  220 , soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  is mounted not onto the water supplying piping  204  but onto the first branch piping  222 . 
     The first branch piping  222  branches from a portion of the water supplying piping  204  that is further upstream than the water valve  205 . The first branch piping  222  has a round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape) and is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). A branch valve  225  arranged to open and close the first branch piping  222  is interposed in an intermediate portion of the first branch piping  222 . The branch valve  225  is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). In the first branch piping  222 , an opening (not shown) is formed in a pipe wall at a predetermined portion further upstream than the branch valve  225 . 
     A first cup nozzle  224  is mounted onto a downstream end of the first branch piping  222 . The first cup nozzle  224  is constituted of a straight nozzle that discharges liquid in a continuous flow state and is disposed fixedly above the cup upper portion  19  inside the substrate chamber  3  in a state where its discharge port (liquid receiver discharge port)  224 A is directed toward an outer wall (for example, an upper surface of the inclined portion  21 ) of the cup upper portion  19 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  (see  FIG. 2 ) according to the first preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  is mounted onto the first branch piping  222  so as to close the opening in the first branch piping  222 . Specifically, an opening in the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  (corresponding to the second opening  28  (see  FIG. 2 ) in the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is matched with the opening in the first branch piping  222  and a wall surface of the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  (corresponding to the side wall  26 A (see  FIG. 2 ) of the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is closely adhered to the outer periphery of the first branch piping  222 . A high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  (corresponding to the high voltage unit  31  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     When the water valve  205  is opened in a state where the branch valve  225  is closed, DIW is supplied from the water supplying piping  204  to the water nozzle  202  and the DIW is discharged from the discharge port  202 A of the water nozzle  202 . When the branch valve  225  is opened in a state where the water valve  205  is closed, DIW is supplied from the first branch piping  222  to the first cup nozzle  224  and the DIW is discharged from the discharge port  224 A of the first cup nozzle  224 . 
     It may be considered that the cup  17  (especially the cup upper portion  19 ) is charged due to the cup upper portion  19  being raised and lowered by the cup raising and lowering unit  22 . Static elimination of the cup upper portion  19  must thus be performed prior to the execution of the processing on the substrate W. 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  221 , although the same processing as that of the processing example shown in  FIG. 4  is performed, static elimination of the cup  17  is performed prior to the carrying-in of the substrate W in step S 1  of  FIG. 4 . Specifically, the controller  40  controls the high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  to make the soft X-ray generator of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  (corresponding to the soft X-ray generator  25  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated toward the interior of the first branch piping  222 . The soft X-rays are thereby irradiated onto the DIW present in the interior of the first branch piping  222 . 
     Also, the controller  40  opens the branch valve  225  while closing the water valve  205 . The DIW flowing through the first branch piping  222  is thereby supplied to the first cup nozzle  224 . The DIW is discharged from the discharge port  224 A of the first cup nozzle  224  toward the upper surface of the inclined portion  21  of the cup upper portion  19 . The supplied DIW flows downward along the upper surface of the inclined portion  21 . A liquid film of DIW is thus formed on the upper surface of the inclined portion  21 . At this point, the supply flow rate of DIW with respect to the first cup nozzle  224  is set to a comparatively high flow rate (for example, 0.5 to 2.0 L/min). The form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  224 A of the first cup nozzle  224  is thus the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  224 A and the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the inclined portion  21 . Also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping of the first cup nozzle  224  and inside the first branch piping  222 . 
     When the cup upper portion  19  is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of DIW inside the first branch piping  222  and the positively charged cup upper portion  19  causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the first branch piping  222  to move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the inclined portion  21 . The liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the inclined portion  21  is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the portion of the positively charged cup upper portion  19  in contact with the liquid film of DIW is thus achieved. 
     On the other hand, when the cup upper portion  19  is negatively charged, electrons from the cup upper portion  19  move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of DIW inside the first branch piping  222 . Static elimination of the portion of the negatively charged cup upper portion  19  in contact with the liquid film of DIW is thus achieved. 
     After the static elimination has been performed on the cup upper portion  19 , the unprocessed substrate W is carried into the processing chamber  3  and conveyed to the spin chuck  4 . 
     After the substrate W is held by the spin chuck  4 , the controller  40  controls the spin motor  8  to start rotation of the substrate W by the spin chuck  4  (step S 2  of  FIG. 4 ). The rotation speed of the substrate W is increased to a predetermined liquid processing speed (for example, 500 rpm) and is thereafter maintained at the liquid processing speed. 
     In the rinsing processing (steps S 4  to S 6  of  FIG. 4 ), the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ) opens the water valve  205  while closing the branch valve  225 . 
     When the predetermined time from the opening of the water valve  205  elapses and the soft X-ray irradiation timing arrives, the controller  40  controls the high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  to make the soft X-ray generator of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  223  generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated toward the interior of the first branch piping  222 . The soft X-rays are thereby irradiated onto the DIW flowing through the interior of the first branch piping  222 . 
     DIW is discharged from the discharge port  202 A of the water nozzle  202  toward the rotation center of the upper surface of the substrate W that is in the rotating state. During the rinsing processing, a liquid film of DIW is formed across the entire upper surface of the substrate W. The form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  202 A of the water nozzle  202  is the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  202 A and the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W. Also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping of the water nozzle  202 , inside the water supplying piping  204 , and inside the first branch piping  222 . 
     When during the rinsing processing, the DIW present inside the first branch piping  222  is irradiated with the soft X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the first branch piping  222  (equivalent to the irradiated portion  54  of DIW according to the first preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 ). Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the first branch piping  222 . The irradiated portion of DIW is connected via DIW to the liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W. 
     If the substrate W is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of DIW inside the first branch piping  222  and the positively charged substrate W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the first branch piping  222  to move along the DIW of both the water supplying piping  204  and the continuous flow form toward the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W. The liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons. 
     By the above, in addition to actions and effects equivalent to those described for the first preferred embodiment, the sixth preferred embodiment exhibits the action and effect of enabling static elimination of the cup upper portion  19  to be performed satisfactorily. 
     Also, when a hydrophilic coating film (corresponding to the hydrophilic coating film  38  (see  FIG. 2 )) peels off from an outer surface of a window member (corresponding to the outer surface  71 B of the window member  71  (see  FIG. 2 )) of the X-ray irradiating unit  223 , the beryllium contained in the window member may become dissolved in the DIW or other processing liquid. Even in such a case, the DIW containing such beryllium is supplied not to the water nozzle  202  but to the first cup nozzle  224  because the X-ray irradiating unit  223  is provided on the first branch piping  222 . The supplying of DIW containing beryllium to the substrate W can thereby be prevented reliably. 
     Although with each of the first to sixth preferred embodiments, the case where the DIW (example of water) discharged from the water nozzle  61  or  202  is used to achieve charging prevention and static elimination of the substrate W during the rinsing processing was described, cases of using the DIW (example of water) discharged from the water nozzle  61  or  202  to achieve static elimination of a second nozzle piping (second piping)  232  or  262 , through the interior of which the processing liquid flows, shall now be described with substrate processing apparatuses  231 ,  251 , and  261  according to seventh to ninth preferred embodiments. 
       FIGS. 15A and 15B  are diagrams showing the arrangement of the substrate processing apparatus  231  according to the seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Points of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  231  with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  1  according to the first preferred embodiment are that the second nozzle piping  232 , arranged to supply the processing liquid to the substrate W held by the spin chuck  4 , is included and that DIW as an example of water is supplied to the second nozzle piping  232  by a water supplying unit  230 . The water supplying unit  230  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the water supplying unit  100  (see  FIG. 1 ) and therefore the same reference symbols as those in the case of the water supplying unit  100  are provided and description thereof shall be omitted. Only the arrangement related to the water supplying unit  230  is illustrated in  FIGS. 15A and 15B , and illustration of other portions is omitted.  FIG. 15A  is a sectional view of a state where the second nozzle piping  232  is housed in a standby pod  237  to be described below, and  FIG. 15B  is a sectional view taken along section line XVB-XVB in  FIG. 15A . 
     The second nozzle piping  232  integrally includes a horizontal portion  233  of circular cylindrical shape that extends in a horizontal direction and a downwardly extending portion  234  of circular cylindrical shape that extends downward from a tip of the horizontal portion  233 . The second nozzle piping  232  is formed of a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). 
     A processing liquid flow passage  235  is defined in the interior of the second nozzle piping  232 . The processing liquid flow passage  235  opens in a circular shape as a discharge port  236  at a lower end of the downwardly extending portion  234 . A processing liquid (chemical solution or water) from a processing liquid supply source is supplied via a processing liquid valve (not shown) to the second nozzle piping  232 . When the processing liquid valve is opened, the processing liquid is supplied to an upstream end of the horizontal portion  233  of the second nozzle piping  232 . The processing liquid introduced into the second nozzle piping  232  flows through the processing liquid flow passage  235  and is thereafter discharged from the discharge port  236 . 
     The second nozzle piping  232  is supported by a supporting shaft (not shown) that extends substantially vertically at a side of the cup  17  (see  FIG. 1 ) and the second nozzle piping  232  can be swung above the spin chuck  4  (see  FIG. 1 ) by inputting a rotating force to the supporting shaft to rotate the supporting shaft. That is, the second nozzle piping  232  takes on the form of a scan nozzle. When supplying of the processing liquid to the substrate W (see  FIG. 1 ) is not performed, the second nozzle piping  232  is retreated at a home position set at a side of the cup  17  (see  FIG. 1 ). During supplying of the processing liquid to the substrate W (see  FIG. 1 ), the second nozzle piping  232  is moved to a position above the substrate W. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 15A and 15B , the substrate processing apparatus  231  includes the trough-shaped standby pod  237  for housing the second nozzle piping  232  at the home position. The standby pod  237  has a pod main body  238  with a substantially rectangular cross section along a longitudinal direction of the second nozzle piping  232 . A liquid storing groove  239 , extending along the longitudinal direction of the second nozzle piping  232 , is formed in an upper surface of the pod main body  238 . The liquid storing groove  239  is formed across the entirety of the longitudinal direction besides the respective ends in the longitudinal direction. The liquid storing groove  239  has a substantially U-shaped cross section. The width and depth of the liquid storing groove  239  are set to sizes enabling the housing of the second nozzle piping  232 . 
     End walls  240  are provided at the respective ends in the longitudinal direction of the pod main body  238 . An insertion hole  241 , constituted of a round hole substantially matching the second nozzle piping  232 , is formed in each end wall  240 . A waste liquid piping  242  is connected to a bottom portion of the liquid storing groove  239 . A waste liquid valve  243 , arranged to open and close the waste liquid piping  242 , is interposed in an intermediate portion of the waste liquid piping  242 . When the second nozzle piping  232  is at the home position, the second nozzle piping  232  is disposed so as to be housed in the liquid storing groove  239 . At this point, the second nozzle piping  232  is inserted through the insertion holes  241  of both end walls  240 . 
     The water nozzle  61  of the water supplying unit  230  is disposed fixedly above the standby pod  237  in a state where its discharge port  53  is directed toward the liquid storing groove  239 . 
     In a state where the waste liquid valve  243  is closed in the state where the second nozzle piping  232  is disposed at the home position, DIW is discharged from the water nozzle  61  of the water supplying unit  230 . DIW is thereby stored in the liquid storing groove  239  of the standby pod  237 . The entirety of (the horizontal portion  233 ) of the second nozzle piping  232  in the circumferential direction is thus immersed in the DIW stored in the liquid storing groove  239 . 
     During a period in which the second nozzle piping  232  is at the home position (during standby), the discharge of DIW discharged from the water nozzle  61  is continued. During this period, the supply flow rate of DIW with respect to the water nozzle  61  is set to a comparatively high flow rate (for example, 0.5 to 2.0 L/min). The form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  53  of the water nozzle  61  is thus the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  53  and the DIW stored in the liquid storing groove  239 . That is, the DIW discharged from the discharge port  53  is connected in liquid form between the discharge port  53  and an outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232 . The DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the first nozzle piping  51 . 
     Also during the period in which the second nozzle piping  232  is at the home position (during standby), the soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  are irradiated onto the interior of the water nozzle  61  (first nozzle piping  51 ). As a result of the soft X-rays being irradiated onto the DIW present inside the first nozzle piping  51 , a plasma state, in which a large amount of electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion  54  of DIW (see  FIG. 5 ). At this point, the irradiated portion  54  of DIW is connected via DIW to the DIW in liquid contact with the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232 . 
     During stoppage of the supplying of the processing liquid to the second nozzle piping  232 , the processing liquid remains in the interior (especially the horizontal portion  233 ) of the second nozzle piping  232 . If at this point, the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232  is positively or negatively charged, even the remaining processing liquid inside the second nozzle piping  232  may become positively or negatively charged due to induction charging. If the processing liquid in such a charged state is supplied to substrate W, even the substrate W may become charged and breakdown of a device formed on the upper surface of the substrate W may occur when the charge is discharged. 
     When the second nozzle piping  232  is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion  54  of DIW (see  FIG. 5 ) and the positively charged outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232  causes the electrons from the irradiated portion  54  of DIW (see  FIG. 5 ) to move along the DIW of continuous flow form and the DIW stored in the liquid storing groove  239  toward the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232 . Static elimination of the positively charged outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232  is thereby achieved. 
     On the other hand, when the second nozzle piping  232  is negatively charged, electrons from the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232  move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion  54  of DIW (see  FIG. 5 ). Static elimination of the negatively charged second nozzle piping  232  is thereby achieved. 
       FIG. 16  is a diagram of the arrangement of the substrate processing apparatus  251  according to the eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     A point of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  251  with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  231  according to the seventh preferred embodiment (see  FIGS. 15A and 15B ) is that the second nozzle piping  232  is not immersed in the DIW stored in the liquid storing groove  239  but the DIW from the discharge port  53  of the water nozzle  61  of the water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus)  250  is arranged to be supplied directly to the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232  to achieve static elimination of the second nozzle piping  232 . The water supplying unit  250  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the water supplying unit  100  (see  FIG. 1 ) besides the arrangement of the moving unit  252  described below. Therefore the same reference symbols as those in the case of the water supplying unit  100  are provided and description thereof shall be omitted. With the water supplying unit  250 , the integral head  6  is coupled to a moving unit  252  arranged to move the integral head  6  in a horizontal direction. The moving unit  252  is arranged using a ball nut and a motor and is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ) as a control object. 
     During the period in which the second nozzle piping  232  is at the home position (during standby), the controller  40  makes DIW (example of water) be supplied to the water nozzle  61  (first nozzle piping  51 ) and makes the soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  be irradiated onto the interior of the water nozzle  61  (first nozzle piping  51 ). The DIW discharged from the water nozzle  61  of the integral head  6  is supplied to the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232  and flows downward along the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232 . 
     During this period, the supply flow rate of DIW with respect to the water nozzle  61  is set to a comparatively high flow rate (for example, 0.5 to 2.0 L/min). The form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  53  of the water nozzle  61  is thus the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  53  and the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232 . The DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the first nozzle piping  51 . 
     Also during the period in which the second nozzle piping  232  is at the home position (during standby), the soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  are irradiated onto the interior of the water nozzle  61  (first nozzle piping  51 ). As a result of the soft X-rays being irradiated onto the DIW present inside the first nozzle piping  51 , a plasma state, in which a large amount of electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion  54  of DIW (see  FIG. 5 ). At this point, the irradiated portion  54  of DIW is connected via DIW to the DIW in liquid contact with the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232 . 
     When the second nozzle piping  232  is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion  54  of DIW (see  FIG. 5 ) and the positively charged second nozzle piping  232  causes the electrons from the irradiated portion  54  of DIW (see  FIG. 5 ) to move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the position of the second nozzle piping  232  in liquid contact with DIW. Static elimination of the DIW landing portion of the second nozzle piping  232  is thereby achieved. 
     On the other hand, when the second nozzle piping  232  is negatively charged, electrons from the second nozzle piping  232  move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion  54  of DIW (see  FIG. 5 ). Static elimination of the DIW landing portion of the second nozzle piping  232  is thereby achieved. 
     The controller  40  then controls the moving unit  252  to move the DIW landing portion of the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232  (horizontal portion  233 ) in one direction or reciprocally along the longitudinal direction of the second nozzle piping  232 . The position of the second nozzle piping  232  subject to static elimination can thereby be moved along the longitudinal direction of the second nozzle piping  232  (horizontal portion  233 ). Satisfactory static elimination of substantially the entirety of the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  232  (horizontal portion  233 ) can thus be achieved. 
       FIGS. 17A and 17B  are diagrams showing the arrangement of the substrate processing apparatus  261  according to the ninth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The substrate processing apparatus  261  differs from the substrate processing apparatus  1  (see  FIG. 1 ) according to the first preferred embodiment in including a water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus)  260  in place of the water supplying unit  100  (see  FIG. 1 ) according to the first preferred embodiment and besides this, has an arrangement in common with the substrate processing apparatus  1 . Only the arrangement related to the water supplying unit  260  is illustrated in  FIGS. 17A and 17B  and illustration of other portions is omitted.  FIG. 17A  is a vertical sectional view of the second nozzle piping  262  and a third nozzle piping  272  to be described below, and  FIG. 17B  is a sectional view taken along section line XVIIB-XVIIB in  FIG. 17A . 
     The water supplying unit  260  includes the second nozzle piping  262  and the third nozzle piping  272 . The second nozzle piping  262  and the third nozzle piping  272  form a double piping structure by the second nozzle piping  262  being inserted inside the third nozzle piping  272 . 
     The second nozzle piping  262  integrally includes a horizontal portion  263  of circular cylindrical shape that extends in a horizontal direction and a downwardly extending portion  264  of circular cylindrical shape that extends downward from a tip of the horizontal portion  263 . The second nozzle piping  262  is formed of a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). 
     A processing liquid flow passage  265  is defined in the interior of the second nozzle piping  262 . The processing liquid flow passage  265  opens in a circular shape as a discharge port  266  at a lower end of the downwardly extending portion  264 . A processing liquid (chemical solution or water) from a processing liquid supply source is supplied via a processing liquid valve (not shown) to the second nozzle piping  262 . 
     The water supplying unit  260  includes a portion of the arrangement of the water supplying unit  200  (see  FIG. 11 ) according to the fourth preferred embodiment. That is, the water supplying unit  260  includes the water supplying piping  204 , the soft X-ray irradiating unit  203 , and the water valve  205 . Besides the point that the water supplying piping  204  supplies DIW (example of water) from a DIW supply source to the third nozzle piping  272 , the soft X-ray irradiating unit  203  and the water supplying piping  204  have the arrangement described with the fourth preferred embodiment and detailed description thereof shall thus be omitted. 
     The third nozzle piping  272  integrally includes a horizontal portion  273  of circular cylindrical shape that extends in a horizontal direction and a downwardly extending portion  274  of circular cylindrical shape that extends downward from a tip of the horizontal portion  273 . The third nozzle piping  272  is formed of a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). The horizontal portion  263  of the second nozzle piping  262  is inserted in the horizontal portion  273  of the third nozzle piping  272  and its downstream end is connected to the downwardly extending portion  264  of the second nozzle piping  262  upon penetrating through a pipe wall of the downwardly extending portion  274  of the third nozzle piping  272 . A water flow passage  275  is defined by a space between an inner wall of the third nozzle piping  272  and an outer wall of the second nozzle piping  262 . The water flow passage  275  opens in a circular annular shape as a discharge port  276  at a lower end of the downwardly extending portion  274 . 
     When a processing liquid processing using the processing liquid is to be applied to the substrate W, the processing liquid valve is opened. When the processing liquid valve is opened, the processing liquid is supplied to an upstream end of the horizontal portion  263  of the second nozzle piping  262 . The processing liquid introduced into the second nozzle piping  262  flows through the processing liquid flow passage  265  and is thereafter discharged from the discharge port  266 . Although when a processing liquid supply stopping timing arrives, the processing liquid valve is closed, the processing liquid remains in the interior of the second nozzle piping  262  (especially the horizontal portion  263 ) thereafter. 
     When DIW is to be supplied to the substrate W, the water valve  205  is opened. DIW is supplied to an upstream end of the water flow passage  275  of the third nozzle piping  272 . The DIW introduced into the third nozzle piping  272  flows through the water flow passage  275  and is thereafter discharged from the discharge port  276 . Although when a DIW supply stopping timing arrives, the water valve  205  is closed, DIW remains in the space between the inner wall of the third nozzle piping  272  and the outer wall of the second nozzle piping  262  thereafter. 
     If the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  262  is positively or negatively charged, even the remaining processing liquid inside the second nozzle piping  262  may become positively or negatively charged due to induction charging. If the processing liquid in such a charged state is supplied to the substrate W, even the substrate W may become charged and breakdown of a device formed on the upper surface of the substrate W may occur when the charge is discharged. 
     As a mechanism of such charging of the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  262 , it may be considered that the outer peripheral wall of the third nozzle piping  272  becomes charged first and the outer peripheral wall of the second nozzle piping  262  then becomes charged via the DIW remaining between the outer wall of the second nozzle piping  262  and the inner wall of the third nozzle piping  272 . 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  261 , the irradiation of the soft X-rays onto the interior of the water supplying piping  204  by the soft X-ray irradiating unit  203  is continued even when DIW is not supplied to the substrate W from the third nozzle piping  272  (that is, at times besides during the rinsing processing). 
     During this time, the DIW remaining between the outer wall of the second nozzle piping  262  and the inner wall of the third nozzle piping  272  and the DIW present inside the water supplying piping  204  is connected in a liquid-tight state (in the form of a continuous flow). 
     When the third nozzle piping  272  is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  and the positively charged third nozzle piping  272  causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  to move along the DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  and the DIW remaining between the outer wall of the second nozzle piping  262  and the inner wall of the third nozzle piping  272  toward the third nozzle piping  272 . Static elimination of the positively charged third nozzle piping  272  is thereby achieved. 
     On the other hand, when the third nozzle piping  272  is negatively charged, electrons from the third nozzle piping  272  move along the DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  and the DIW remaining between the outer wall of the second nozzle piping  262  and the inner wall of the third nozzle piping  272  toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of DIW in the water supplying piping  204 . Static elimination of the third nozzle piping  272  is thereby achieved. 
     That is, the second nozzle piping  262  does not become charged because static elimination of the third nozzle piping  272  is achieved. 
     Also, even if the second nozzle piping  262  is positively charged, the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  move along the DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  and the DIW remaining between the outer wall of the second nozzle piping  262  and the inner wall of the third nozzle piping  272  toward the second nozzle piping  262 . Even if the second nozzle piping  262  is negatively charged, electrons from the second nozzle piping  262  move along the DIW inside the water supplying piping  204  and the DIW remaining between the outer wall of the second nozzle piping  262  and the inner wall of the third nozzle piping  272  toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of DIW in the water supplying piping  204 . That is, even if the second nozzle piping  262  is charged, static elimination of the second nozzle piping  262  can be achieved as described above. 
       FIG. 18  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  301  according to a tenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     With the tenth preferred embodiment, portions that are in common to the first preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 6  and description thereof shall be omitted. The substrate processing apparatus  301  mainly differs from the substrate processing apparatus  1  (see FIG.  1 ) according to the first preferred embodiment in the two points that a water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus)  300  arranged to supply DIW (example of water) to a lower surface of the substrate W is provided and that DIW (example of water) is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W by a water nozzle  302  instead of the water supplying unit  100  (see  FIG. 1 ). 
     The water nozzle  302  is constituted of a straight nozzle that discharges liquid in a continuous flow state and is disposed fixedly inside the processing chamber  3  in a state where its discharge port is directed toward an upper surface central portion of the substrate W. A water supplying piping  303 , to which DIW is supplied from a DIW supply source, is connected to the water nozzle  302 . A water valve  304  arranged to open and close the water supplying piping  303  is interposed in the water supplying piping  303 . 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  301 , the spin shaft  9  is arranged as a hollow shaft. A lower processing liquid supplying pipe  305  is inserted in a non-contacting state in the interior of the spin shaft  9 . 
     The water supplying unit  300  includes the lower processing liquid supplying pipe  305 , a lower surface nozzle  306  mounted onto an upper end of the lower processing liquid supplying pipe  305 , a water supplying piping (processing liquid piping)  307  supplying DIW from the DIW supply source to the lower processing liquid supplying pipe  305 , and a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  309  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto the DIW present inside the water supplying piping  307 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  309  is mounted onto the water supplying piping  307 . The lower surface nozzle  307  is disposed so that its discharge port  306 A (see  FIG. 19 ) is close to a lower surface central portion of the substrate W, which is supported by a clamping member  11 . 
     The water supplying piping  307  is connected to the lower processing liquid supplying piping  305 . DIW can thereby be supplied to the lower surface nozzle  306  of the lower processing liquid supplying piping  305  and the DIW can be discharged toward the lower surface central portion of the discharge port  306 A (see  FIG. 19 ) of the lower surface nozzle  306 . 
     The water supplying piping  307  has a round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape). The water supplying piping  307  is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). An opening (not shown) is formed in a pipe wall at an intermediate portion of the water supplying piping  307 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  309  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  (see  FIG. 2 ) according to the first preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  309  is mounted onto the water supplying piping  307  so as to close the opening in the water supplying piping  307 . Specifically, an opening in the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  309  (corresponding to the second opening  28  (see  FIG. 2 ) in the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is matched with the opening in the water supplying piping  307  and a wall surface of the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  309  (corresponding to the side wall  26 A (see  FIG. 2 ) of the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is closely adhered to the outer periphery of the water supplying piping  307 . A high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  309  (corresponding to the high voltage unit  31  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     A water valve  308  arranged to open and close the water supplying piping  307  is interposed in the water supplying piping  307 . The water valve  308  is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  301 , the same processing as that of the processing example shown in  FIG. 4  is performed. 
     In the rinsing processing (steps S 4  to S 6  of  FIG. 4 ), the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ) opens the water valve  304 . DIW is thereby discharged from the water nozzle  302  toward the upper surface central portion of the substrate W. Also, the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ) opens the water valve  308 . The DIW flowing through the water supplying piping  307  is thereby supplied to the lower surface nozzle  306 . The DIW is discharged upward from the discharge port  306 A of the lower surface nozzle  306  toward the lower surface central portion of the substrate W. 
     When the predetermined time from the opening of the water valve  308  elapses and the soft X-ray irradiation timing arrives, the controller  40  controls the high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  309  to make the soft X-ray generator of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  309  (corresponding to the soft X-ray generator  25  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated toward the interior of the water supplying piping  307 . The soft X-rays are thereby irradiated onto the DIW flowing through the interior of the water supplying piping  307 . 
       FIG. 19  is a diagram of the flow of DIW during the rinsing processing in the substrate processing apparatus  301 . 
     The DIW supplied to the upper surface central portion of the substrate W receives the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate W and flows from the central portion toward the peripheral edge portion along the upper surface of the substrate W. A liquid film of DIW is thereby formed across the entire upper surface of the substrate W. The chemical solution attached to the upper surface of the substrate W is rinsed off by the liquid film of DIW. 
     On the other hand, the DIW supplied to the lower surface central portion of the substrate W receives the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate W to flow outward in the rotational radius direction along the lower surface of the substrate W and reach a lower surface peripheral edge portion  321  of the substrate W. A liquid film of DIW is thus formed across the entire lower surface of the substrate W. In this process, the DIW that reaches the lower surface peripheral edge portion  321  flows around a circumferential end surface  322  of the substrate W to reach an upper surface peripheral edge portion  323  of the substrate W. The DIW flowing along the upper surface of the substrate W and the DIW flowing around from the circumferential end surface  322  of the substrate W become joined at the upper surface peripheral edge portion  323  of the substrate W as shown in  FIG. 19 . A state is thus entered in which the liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W and the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W are connected to each other. 
     The supply flow rate of DIW with respect to the lower surface nozzle  306  during the rinsing processing is set to a comparatively high flow rate (for example, 0.5 to 2.0 L/min). The form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  306 A of the lower surface nozzle  306  is thus the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  306 A and the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W. As mentioned above, the liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W and the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W are connected to each other and therefore the DIW discharged from the discharge port  306 A is connected in liquid form not only to the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W but also to the liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W. Also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping of the lower surface nozzle  306 , inside the lower processing liquid supplying pipe  305 , and inside the water supplying piping  307 . 
     When during the rinsing processing, the DIW present inside the water supplying piping  307  is irradiated with the soft X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  307  (equivalent to the irradiated portion  54  of DIW according to the first preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 ). Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  307 . The irradiated portion of DIW is connected via DIW to the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W and the liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W. 
     If the lower surface of the substrate W is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  307  and the positively charged substrate W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  307  to move along the DIW in the lower processing liquid supplying pipe  305 , in the water supplying piping  307 , and of the continuous flow form toward the liquid films of DIW on the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate W. The liquid films of DIW on the lower surface and the upper surface of the substrate W are thereby respectively made to have large amounts of electrons. 
     By the above, even if DIW is supplied to the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate W in the rotating state in applying the rinsing processing simultaneously to both the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate W, charging of the substrate W due to contact segregation with respect to the DIW does not occur and therefore charging of the substrate W during the rinsing processing can be prevented. Also, even if the substrate W is charged from before the rinsing processing, the charges carried by the substrate W can be eliminated (that is, static elimination can be achieved). Consequently, device breakdown due to charging of the substrate W can be prevented. 
       FIG. 20  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  311  according to an eleventh preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Portions of the substrate processing apparatus  311  that are in common to the substrate processing apparatus  301  according to the tenth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 18  and description thereof shall be omitted. With the substrate processing apparatus  311 , a water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus)  310  is provided in place of the water supplying unit  300  (see  FIG. 18 ). Also, a soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  is disposed inside the processing chamber  3 . The eleventh preferred embodiment differs from the tenth preferred embodiment in these points. 
     The water supplying unit  310  includes the lower processing liquid supplying pipe  305 , the lower surface nozzle  306 , the water supplying piping  307 , a second branch piping (branch piping)  312  branching from an intermediate portion of the water supplying piping  307 , and a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  319  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto DIW (example of water) present inside the second branch piping  312 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  319  is mounted onto the second branching piping  312 . 
     The second branch piping  312  branches from a portion of the water supplying piping  307  that is further upstream than the water valve  308 . The second branch piping  312  has a round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape) and is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). A branch valve  318  arranged to open and close the second branch piping  312  is interposed in an intermediate portion of the second branch piping  312 . The branch valve  318  is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). In the second branch piping  312 , an opening (not shown) is formed in a pipe wall at a predetermined portion further upstream than the branch valve  318 . 
     A second cup nozzle  313  is mounted onto a downstream end of the second branch piping  312 . The second cup nozzle  313  is constituted of a straight nozzle that discharges liquid in a continuous flow state and is disposed fixedly, for example, on an outer wall of the spin chuck  4  in a state where its discharge port  313 A (see  FIG. 21 ; liquid receiver discharge port) is directed toward an inner wall (for example, a lower surface of the inclined portion  21 ) of the cup upper portion  19 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  319  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  (see  FIG. 2 ) according to the first preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  319  is mounted onto the second branch piping  312  so as to close the opening in the second branch piping  312 . Specifically, an opening in the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  319  (corresponding to the second opening  28  (see  FIG. 2 ) in the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is matched with the opening in the second branch piping  312  and a wall surface of the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  319  (corresponding to the side wall  26 A (see  FIG. 2 ) of the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is closely adhered to the outer periphery of the second branch piping  312 . A high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  319  (corresponding to the high voltage unit  31  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     When the water valve  308  is opened in a state where the branch valve  318  is closed, DIW is supplied from the water supplying piping  307  to a lower surface nozzle  306  via the lower processing liquid supplying pipe  305  and the DIW is discharged from a discharge port  306 A of the lower surface nozzle  306 . When the branch valve  318  is opened in a state where the water valve  308  is closed, DIW is supplied from the second branch piping  312  to the second cup nozzle  313  and the DIW is discharged from the discharge port  313 A of the second cup nozzle  313 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  incorporates a soft X-ray generator  315  having an irradiating window  316 . The soft X-rays generated at the irradiating window  316  are arranged to be emitted (radiated) to the exterior of the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314 . The irradiation angle (irradiation range) of the soft X-rays from the irradiating window  316  is, for example, 130°, and the soft X-rays irradiated from the irradiating window  316  are, for example, 0.13 to 0.41 nm in wavelength. The soft X-ray generator  315  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray generator  25  (see  FIG. 2 ) included in the soft X-ray irradiating unit  309  and the irradiating window  316  corresponds to the irradiating window  35  (see  FIG. 2 ). The soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  is disposed above the cup upper portion  19  so that the irradiating window  316  faces the upper surface of the inclined portion  21  of the cup upper portion  19 . 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  311 , although the same processing as that of the processing example shown in  FIG. 4  is performed, static elimination of the cup  17  is performed prior to the carrying-in of the substrate W in step S 1  of  FIG. 4 . 
     Although the eleventh preferred embodiment has the point in common with the sixth preferred embodiment that static elimination of the cup  17  is performed, it differs from the sixth preferred embodiment in that not only the supplying of DIW to the cup upper portion  19  but the irradiation of soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  is also performed in parallel to this supplying of DIW to perform static elimination of the cup  17 . 
     Specifically, the controller  40  controls the high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  319  to make the soft X-ray generator of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  319  (corresponding to the soft X-ray generator  25  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated toward the interior of the second branch piping  312 . Also, the controller  40  opens the branch valve  318  while closing the water valve  308 . The DIW flowing through the second branch piping  312  is thereby discharged from the discharge port  313 A (see  FIG. 21 ) of the second cup nozzle  313 . 
       FIG. 21  is a diagram of a state where the water supplying unit  310 , shown in  FIG. 20 , is supplying DIW to the inclined portion  21  of the cup upper portion  19 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 21 , the DIW discharged from the discharge port  313 A is supplied to the lower surface of the inclined portion  21  of the cup upper portion  19  and flows downward along the lower surface of the inclined portion  21 . A liquid film of DIW is thus formed on the lower surface of the inclined portion  21 . 
     At this point, the supply flow rate of DIW with respect to the second cup nozzle  313  is set to a comparatively high flow rate (for example, 0.5 to 2.0 L/min). The form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  313 A of the second cup nozzle  313  is thus the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  313 A and the liquid film of DIW on the lower surface of the inclined portion  21 . Also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping of the second cup nozzle  313  and inside the second branch piping  312 . 
     When the cup upper portion  19  is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of DIW inside the second branch piping  312  and the positively charged cup upper portion  19  causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the second branch piping  312  to move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the liquid film of DIW on the lower surface of the inclined portion  21 . The liquid film of DIW on the lower surface of the inclined portion  21  is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the portion of the positively charged cup upper portion  19  in contact with the liquid film of DIW is thus achieved. 
     On the other hand, when the cup upper portion  19  is negatively charged, electrons from the cup upper portion  19  move along the processing liquid of continuous flow form toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of DIW inside the second branch piping  312 . Static elimination of the portion of the negatively charged cup upper portion  19  in contact with the liquid film of DIW is thus achieved. 
     The controller  40  also controls the high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  to make the soft X-ray generator  315  of the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  generate soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated onto the upper surface of the inclined portion  21  of the cup upper portion  19 . Although the inclined portion  21  of the cup upper portion  19  is a member that is disposed at a periphery of the substrate W during the processing, charging prevention and static elimination of the inclined portion  21  can be achieved by the irradiation of soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314 . 
     After the static elimination has been performed on the cup upper portion  19 , the unprocessed substrate W is carried into the processing chamber  3  and conveyed to the spin chuck  4 . 
     After the substrate W is held by the spin chuck  4 , the controller  40  controls the spin motor  8  to start rotation of the substrate W by the spin chuck  4  (step S 2  of  FIG. 4 ). The rotation speed of the substrate W is increased to a predetermined liquid processing speed (for example, 500 rpm) and is thereafter maintained at the liquid processing speed. 
     In the rinsing processing (steps S 4  to S 6  of  FIG. 4 ), the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ) opens the water valve  308  while closing the branch valve  318 . Also, when the predetermined time from the opening of the water valve  308  elapses and the soft X-ray irradiation timing arrives, the controller  40  controls the high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  319  to make the soft X-ray generator of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  319  generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated toward the interior of the second branch piping  312 . DIW is thereby discharged from the lower surface nozzle  306  toward the lower surface central portion of the substrate W. 
     As in the tenth preferred embodiment, the DIW supplied to the lower surface central portion of the substrate W spreads outward in the rotational radius direction along the lower surface of the substrate W and flows around the circumferential end surface  322  (see  FIG. 19 ) of the substrate W to reach the upper surface peripheral edge portion of the substrate W. The DIW flowing along the upper surface of the substrate W and the DIW flowing around from the circumferential end surface  322  of the substrate W become joined at the upper surface peripheral edge portion of the substrate W and consequently, a state is entered in which the liquid film of DIW formed across the entire upper surface of the substrate W and the liquid film of DIW formed across the entire lower surface of the substrate W are connected to each other. 
     Also, the form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  306 A of the lower surface nozzle  306  is the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  306 A and the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W. The liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W and the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W are connected to each other and therefore the DIW discharged from the discharge port  306 A is connected in liquid form not only to the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W but also to the liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W. Also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping of the lower surface nozzle  306 , inside the lower processing liquid supplying pipe  305 , inside the water supplying piping  307 , and inside the second branch piping  312 . 
     When during the rinsing processing, the DIW present inside the second branch piping  312  is irradiated with the soft X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the second branch piping  312  (equivalent to the irradiated portion  54  of DIW according to the first preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 ). Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the second branch piping  312 . The irradiated portion of DIW is connected via DIW to the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W and the liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W. 
     If the substrate W is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of DIW inside the second branch piping  312  and the positively charged substrate W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the second branch piping  312  to move along the DIW of the lower processing liquid supplying pipe  305 , the water supplying piping  307 , the second branch piping  312 , and the continuous flow form toward the liquid films of DIW on the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate W. The liquid films of DIW on the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate W are thereby made to have large amounts of electrons. 
     By the above, in addition to the actions and effects equivalent to those described for the tenth preferred embodiment, the eleventh preferred embodiment also exhibits the action and effect of enabling static elimination of the cup upper portion  19  to be performed satisfactorily. 
     When a hydrophilic coating film (corresponding to the hydrophilic coating film  38  (see  FIG. 2 )) peels off from an outer surface of a window member (corresponding to the outer surface  71 B of the window member  71  (see  FIG. 2 )) of the X-ray irradiating unit  319 , the beryllium contained in the window member may become dissolved in the processing liquid (for example, water, such as DIW). Even in such a case, the DIW containing such beryllium is supplied not to the lower surface nozzle  306  but to the second cup nozzle  313  because the X-ray irradiating unit  319  is provided on the second branch piping  312 . The supplying of DIW containing beryllium to the substrate W can thereby be prevented reliably. 
     Although in the description above, it was described that the irradiation of soft X-rays by the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  is executed prior to the carrying-in of the substrate W, the irradiation of soft X-rays by the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  may be executed not just before the carrying-in of the substrate W but also during the spin drying (step S 8  in  FIG. 4 ). In this case, the soft X-rays are preferably irradiated onto the front surface (upper surface) of the substrate W. The soft X-rays are thereby irradiated on the front surface of the substrate W immediately after the processing liquid has been spun off and therefore charging prevention and static elimination of the substrate W can be achieved even more reliably. 
     Although as the arrangement of the eleventh embodiment, the two components of the water supplying unit  310  with the arrangement including the second cup nozzle  313  and the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  are provided in comparison to the arrangement of the tenth preferred embodiment, an arrangement is also possible where just one of either the water supplying unit  310  or the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  is added to the arrangement of the tenth preferred embodiment. 
       FIG. 22  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  401  according to a twelfth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Portions of the twelfth preferred embodiment that are in common to the tenth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 18  and  FIG. 19  and description thereof shall be omitted. The substrate processing apparatus  401  mainly differs from the substrate processing apparatus  301  (see  FIG. 18 ) according to the tenth preferred embodiment in the two points that a spin chuck (substrate holding and rotating means)  402  is provided in place of the spin chuck  4  and that DIW (example of water) is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate W via the spin chuck  402 . The substrate processing apparatus  401  includes a water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus)  400 . 
     The spin chuck  402  is that of a clamping type. Specifically, the spin chuck  402  includes a spin motor  403 , a spin shaft (supporting member)  404  made integral to a driveshaft of the spin motor  403 , a disk-shaped spin base (supporting member)  405  mounted substantially horizontally on an upper end of the spin shaft  404 , and a plurality of clamping members  406  disposed at a plurality of locations at substantially equal intervals of a peripheral edge portion of the spin base  405 . 
     The spin shaft  404  includes an inner shaft portion  407 , formed using a resin or a steel material, etc., and an outer cylindrical portion  408 , formed using a porous material, and is made integral in a state where the inner shaft portion  407  is inserted through the outer cylindrical portion  408 . That is, an outer periphery of the inner shaft portion  407  is surrounded by the outer cylindrical portion  408  in a closely adhered state. 
     The spin base  405  is formed using a porous material. An upper end surface of the outer cylindrical portion  408  is connected in a closely adhered state to a lower surface  405 B of the spin base  405 . 
     The clamping members  406  are formed using a steel material, etc. The specifications of the clamping members  406  and the thickness of the spin base  405  in the height direction are respectively set so that the entire lower surface of the substrate W is in contact with an upper surface of the spin base  405  in a state where the substrate W is clamped by the plurality of clamping members  406 . 
     The porous material that is the material of the outer cylindrical portion  408  of the spin shaft  404  and the spin base  405  is, for example, a sponge made of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and has numerous pores. The pores of the porous material have a size (for example, a diameter of 0.05 to 100 μm) that allows the passage of DIW (example of water). DIW can thus be passed through the pores of the porous material and therefore DIW can be moved to the interior of the outer cylindrical portion  408  and the interior of the spin base  405 . 
     Besides PVA, urethane resins, fluorine-based resins (PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), PEEK (polyether ether ketone), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer)) can be cited as examples of the raw material of the porous material. 
     The water supplying unit  400  includes a water nozzle  409 , a water supplying piping (processing liquid piping)  410  supplying DIW (example of water) from a DIW supply source to the water nozzle  409 , and a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  412  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto the DIW present inside the water supplying piping  410 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  412  is mounted onto the water supplying piping  410 . 
     The water nozzle  409  has a nozzle piping of round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape) and is mounted onto a tip of the water supplying piping  410 . The water nozzle  409  is constituted of a straight nozzle that discharges liquid in a continuous flow state and is disposed fixedly inside the processing chamber  3  in a state where a discharge port  409 A thereof is directed toward the outer cylindrical portion  408  of the spin shaft  404 . 
     The water supplying piping  410  has a round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape). The water supplying piping  410  is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). An opening (not shown) is formed in a pipe wall at an intermediate portion of the water supplying piping  410 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  412  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  (see  FIG. 2 ) according to the first preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  412  is mounted onto the water supplying piping  410  so as to close the opening in the water supplying piping  410 . Specifically, an opening in the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  412  (an opening corresponding to the second opening  28  (see  FIG. 2 ) in the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is matched with the opening in the water supplying piping  410  and a wall surface of the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  412  (corresponding to the side wall  26 A (see  FIG. 2 ) of the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is closely adhered to the outer periphery of the water supplying piping  410 . A high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  412  (corresponding to the high voltage unit  31  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     A water valve  411  arranged to open and close the water supplying piping  410  is interposed in the water supplying piping  410 . The water valve  411  is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). When the water valve  411  is opened, DIW is supplied from the water supplying piping  410  to the water nozzle  409 , and when the water valve  411  is closed, the supply of DIW to the water nozzle  409  is stopped. 
       FIG. 23  is a diagram of a state where the water supplying unit  400  is supplying DIW to the outer cylindrical portion  408 . 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  401 , the same processing as that of the processing example shown in  FIG. 4  is performed. 
     In the rinsing processing (steps S 4  to S 6  of  FIG. 4 ), the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ) opens the water valve  304 . DIW is thereby discharged from the discharge port  302 A of the water nozzle  302  toward the upper surface central portion of the substrate W. The DIW supplied to the upper surface central portion of the substrate W receives the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate W and flows from the central portion toward the peripheral edge portion along the upper surface of the substrate W. A liquid film of DIW is thereby formed across the entire upper surface of the substrate W. The chemical solution attached to the upper surface of the substrate W is rinsed off by the liquid film of DIW. 
     In the rinsing processing (steps S 4  to S 6  of  FIG. 4 ), the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ) opens the water valve  411  in accordance with the opening of the water valve  304 . The DIW flowing through the water supplying piping  410  is thereby supplied to the water nozzle  409 . DIW is discharged laterally toward the outer cylindrical portion  408  of the spin shaft  404  from the discharge port  409 A of the water nozzle  409 . 
     The DIW supplied to the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion  408  permeates into the interior of the outer cylindrical portion  408  and passes through the interior of the outer cylindrical portion  408  to be supplied to the lower surface  405 B of the spin base  405 . The DIW supplied to the lower surface  405 B of the spin base  405  permeates into the interior of the spin base  405  and passes through the interior of the outer cylindrical portion  408  to be supplied to the upper surface  405 A of the spin base  405 . The DIW impregnated in the interior of the spin base  405  seeps out from the upper surface  405 A to form a liquid film of DIW on the upper surface  405 A as shown in  FIG. 23 . By this liquid film of DIW coming in liquid contact with the lower surface of the substrate W, the chemical solution attached to the lower surface of the substrate W is rinsed off by the DIW. The rinsing processing can thereby be applied to the entire lower surface of the substrate W. 
     With the water nozzle  409 , the discharge port  409 A is disposed so as to be separated from the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion  408  across a minute interval S 1 . Also, the supply flow rate of DIW with respect to the water nozzle  61  during the rinsing processing is set to a comparatively high flow rate (for example, 0.5 to 2.0 L/min). The form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  409 A of the water nozzle  409  is thus a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  409 A and the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion  408  of the spin shaft  404 . The DIW discharged from the discharge port  409 A is thus connected in liquid form to the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W. Also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping of the water nozzle  409  and inside the water supplying piping  410 . 
     When the predetermined time from the opening of the water valve  411  elapses and the soft X-ray irradiation timing arrives, the controller  40  controls the high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  412  to make the soft X-ray generator of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  412  (corresponding to the soft X-ray generator  25  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated toward the interior of the water supplying piping  410 . The soft X-rays are thereby irradiated onto the DIW flowing through the interior of the water supplying piping  410 . 
     When during the rinsing processing, the DIW flowing through the interior of the water supplying piping  410  is irradiated with the soft X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  410  (the portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  54  of DIW according to the first preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 ). Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  410 . The irradiated portion of DIW is connected via DIW to the liquid film of DIW formed on the lower surface of the substrate W. 
     If the lower surface of the substrate W is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  410  and the positively charged lower surface of the substrate W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the water supplying piping  410  to move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the liquid film of DIW in liquid contact with the lower surface of the substrate W. The liquid film of DIW in liquid contact with the lower surface of the substrate W is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons. 
     By the above, actions and effects equivalent to those described for the tenth preferred embodiment are also exhibited by the twelfth preferred embodiment. 
     Although with the first to twelfth preferred embodiments, the present invention has been described by way of examples of application to the single substrate processing type apparatuses  1 ,  201 ,  211 ,  221 ,  231 ,  251 ,  261 ,  301 ,  311 , and  401  arranged to perform processing of a circular substrate W, with the present invention, the present invention may also be applied to a substrate conveying type substrate processing apparatus arranged to perform processing of a rectangular (sheet-shaped) substrate. 
       FIG. 24  is an illustrative diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  501  according to a thirteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. The substrate processing apparatus  501  is an apparatus that is used to clean a front surface (processing surface) of a rectangular glass substrate for liquid crystal display device, as an example of a substrate W, by using a processing liquid, such as water. The length of one side of the rectangular substrate W that is the processing object is within a range, for example, of several dozen cm to 2 m and the plate thickness thereof is approximately 0.5 to 1.2 mm. 
     In the following description, the horizontal direction along the direction of conveying of the substrate W shall be the X direction, the horizontal direction orthogonal to the X direction shall be the Y direction, and the up/down direction shall be the Z direction. 
     The substrate processing apparatus  501  includes a roller conveying unit  504  (substrate holding and conveying means) arranged to convey the substrate W along the X direction, a water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus)  500  supplying DIW (example of water) as the processing liquid to the front surface of the substrate W conveyed by the roller conveying unit  504 , a gas knife nozzle  519  blowing nitrogen gas as an example of an inert gas onto the front surface of the substrate W conveyed by the roller conveying unit  504 , a soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  512  irradiating soft X-rays onto the front surface of the substrate W conveyed by the roller conveying unit  504 . 
     The substrate processing apparatus  501  includes a cleaning processing chamber  502  arranged to supply DIW to the front surface of the substrate W to apply a cleaning processing to the front surface of the substrate W and a liquid removing chamber  503  arranged to apply a liquid removing processing of performing liquid removal of the DIW attached to the front surface of the substrate W. The cleaning processing chamber  502  and the liquid removing chamber  503  are disposed adjacent to each other. Inside the cleaning processing chamber  502 , the supplying unit  500  is disposed above the roller conveying unit  504 . Inside the liquid removing chamber  503 , the gas knife nozzle  519  and the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  512  are disposed in that order in the conveying direction above the roller conveying unit  504 . 
     The roller conveying unit  504  is disposed in a state of extending in the right/left direction across an internal space of the cleaning processing chamber  502  and an internal space of the liquid removing chamber  503 . The substrate W that is carried in from a substrate carry-in port  523  formed in a side wall at an upstream side of the cleaning processing chamber  502  is conveyed by the roller conveying unit  504  to be transferred into the liquid removing chamber  503  via a substrate passing port  522  formed in a partition wall  521  partitioning the cleaning processing chamber  502  and the liquid removing chamber  503 . It is then conveyed inside the liquid removing chamber  503  by the roller conveying unit  504  and carried out from a substrate carry-out port  524  formed in a side wall at a downstream side of the liquid removing chamber  503 . 
     The substrate W is placed with its front surface facing upward on the roller conveying unit  504 . By the substrate W being conveyed along the X direction, the front surface of the substrate W is successively scanned by a water supplying position P 1  and an inert gas jetting position P 2 . By this arrangement, first, DIW is supplied and then nitrogen gas is jetted after just a predetermined time later onto the front surface of the substrate W. 
       FIG. 25  is a perspective view of the arrangement of the roller conveying unit  504 . 
     With the roller conveying unit  504 , conveying rollers  505  are disposed in parallel at substantially equal pitch in the X direction. The respective conveying rollers  505  are arranged to rotate in synchronization in the same direction by being driven by a driving unit (not shown). 
     Each conveying roller  505  includes a roller shaft  515  that is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane within a plane (Y-Z plane) orthogonal to the X direction. A conveying path realized by the roller conveying unit  504  is therefore inclined overall in the Y direction with respect to the horizontal plane. The substrate W is conveyed while being maintained in an inclined attitude. The inclination angle α (see  FIG. 26 ) of the substrate W with respect to the horizontal surface is set, for example, to approximately 5°. 
     Each conveying roller  505  is a so-called partially supporting type conveying roller that includes a pair of right and left side portion rollers  516  externally fitted to respective right and left side portions of the roller shaft  515  so as to be capable of rotating in accompaniment with the roller shaft  515  and a central roller  517  provided in the central portion of the roller shaft  515 . 
     Each individual side portion roller  516  has, at an outer side portion, a collar portion  516 A that is provided integral to the side portion roller  516 . The collar portion  516 A prevents lateral shifting of the conveyed substrate W, and by means of the collar portion  516 A at the lower side, the substrate W is prevented from slipping off along the inclined surface. Also, an O-ring (not shown), made of rubber, etc., is externally fitted onto each of the rollers  516  and  517  and the slipping off of the substrate W is prevented more reliably by an anti-slipping action of the O-ring. 
     As shown in  FIG. 24 , the water supplying unit  500  includes a plurality (for example, three in  FIG. 24 ) of water nozzles  531  disposed inside the cleaning processing chamber  502 , water supplying pipings (processing liquid pipings)  533  arranged to supply DIW to the respective individual water nozzles  531 , and a collective water piping  532 , to which upstream ends of the respective individual water supplying pipings  533  are connected. The plurality of water nozzles  531  are disposed, for example, at equal intervals along the X direction. Each water nozzle  531  is disposed fixedly in a state where its discharge port  531 A is directed downward at a position facing an upper portion of the substrate W conveyed by the roller conveying unit  504 . The collective water piping  532  is a piping arranged to supply DIW (example of water) from a DIW supply source to DIW to the plurality of water supplying pipings  533 . The circular annular electrode  56  is externally fitted and fixed to the tip portion of each water nozzle  531  and a voltage with respect to an apparatus ground is arranged to be applied to each electrode  56  by the power supply  57  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 24 , each water supplying unit  500  further includes a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  534  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto the DIW present inside the collective water piping  532 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  534  is mounted onto the collective water piping  532 . 
     The collective water piping  532  has a round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape) and is formed using, for example, PVC (polyvinyl chloride). A collective valve  535  arranged to open and close the collective water piping  532  is interposed in an intermediate portion of the collective water piping  532 . An opening (not shown) is formed in a pipe wall of the collective water piping  532  at a predetermined portion further downstream than the collective. 
     As shown in  FIG. 24 , the soft X-ray irradiating unit  534  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit (see  FIG. 2 ) according to the first preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  534  is mounted onto the collective water piping  532  so as to close the opening in the collective water piping  532 . Specifically, an opening in the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  534  (an opening corresponding to the second opening  28  (see  FIG. 2 ) in the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is matched with the opening in the collective water piping  532  and a wall surface of the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  534  (corresponding to the side wall  26 A (see  FIG. 2 ) of the cover  26  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62 ) is closely adhered to the outer periphery of the collective water piping  532 . A high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  534  (corresponding to the high voltage unit  31  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment) is connected to the controller  40  (see  FIG. 3 ). When the collective valve  535  is opened, DIW is supplied from the collective water piping  532  to the respective individual water supplying pipings  533  and the DIW is discharged from the discharge ports  531 A of the respective water nozzles  531 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 24 , the gas knife nozzle  519  is a nozzle arranged to jet nitrogen gas as an example of inert gas onto the upper surface of the substrate W conveyed by the roller conveying unit  504  to blow off the DIW attached to the upper surface of the substrate W. CDA (clean dry air) can be cited as another example of inert gas. The gas knife nozzle  519  has, at its tip, a slit jetting port  519 A that is long in the Y direction and is capable of supplying nitrogen gas across a range extending over the entire width in the Y direction of the substrate W conveyed by the roller conveying unit  504 . The gas knife nozzle  519  is disposed fixedly inside the liquid removing chamber  503  so that the slit jetting port  519 A faces the upper surface of the substrate W across a minute interval. 
     Nitrogen gas from a nitrogen gas source is supplied to the gas knife nozzle  519  via an inert gas valve  511 . The gas knife nozzle  519  jets the nitrogen gas in a band shape along the Y direction. 
     The direction of blowing of the inert gas from the slit jetting port  519 A of the gas knife nozzle  519  with respect to the upper surface of the substrate W is inclined in a direction opposite (toward the left side in  FIG. 24 ) to the conveying direction of the substrate W with respect to the vertical direction. The inclination angle θ (see  FIG. 27 ) is, for example, within a range of 20° to 70°. 
     As shown in  FIG. 24 , the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  512  incorporates a soft X-ray generator  513  having an irradiating window  514 . The soft X-rays generated at the irradiating window  514  are arranged to be emitted (radiated) to the exterior of the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  512 . The irradiation angle (irradiation range) of the soft X-rays from the irradiating window  512  is, for example, 130°, and the soft X-rays irradiated from the irradiating window  514  are, for example, 0.13 to 0.41 nm in wavelength. The soft X-ray generator  315  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray generator  25  (see  FIG. 2 ) included in the soft X-ray irradiating unit  534  and the irradiating window  514  corresponds to the irradiating window  35  (see  FIG. 2 ). The soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  512  is disposed above the substrate W conveyed by the roller conveying unit  504  and further downstream than the gas knife nozzle  519 . Specifically, the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  512  is disposed at a position at which the irradiating window  514  faces the inert gas jetting position P 2 . 
       FIG. 26  is a sectional view of a state where the water supplying unit  500  is supplying DIW to the substrate W.  FIG. 27  is a sectional view of a state where the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  512  is irradiating the soft X-rays onto the upper surface of the substrate. 
     As shown in  FIG. 26  and  FIG. 27 , the DIW discharged from each discharge port  531 A is supplied to the water supplying position P 1  of the upper surface of the substrate W and flows down the upper surface of the substrate W along the inclined surface. A liquid film of DIW is thereby formed on the upper surface of the substrate W. Also, the supply flow rate of DIW with respect to each water nozzle  531  is set to a comparatively high flow rate (for example, 1 to several dozen L/min according to the size of the glass substrate and the degree of cleaning). The DIW discharged from each discharge port  531 A thus takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  531 A of the water nozzle  531  and the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W. Also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping of the water nozzle  531 , inside the collective water piping  532 , and inside the water supplying piping  533 . 
     During the series of processing, soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  534  are irradiated onto the interior of the collective water piping  532 . When the soft X-rays are irradiated onto the DIW present inside the collective water piping  532 , electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the collective water piping  532  (the portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  54  of DIW according to the first preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 ). Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of DIW inside the collective water piping  532 . The irradiated portion of DIW is connected via DIW to the liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W. 
     If the substrate W is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of DIW inside the collective water piping  532  and the positively charged substrate W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of DIW inside the collective water piping  532  to move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W. The liquid film of DIW on the upper surface of the substrate W is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons. 
     By the above, the charging of the substrate W can be prevented by the processing using DIW. Also, even if the substrate W is charged from before the cleaning processing, the charges carried by the substrate W can be eliminated (that is, static elimination can be achieved). Consequently, device breakdown due to charging of the substrate W can be prevented. 
     Also, at the inert gas jetting position P 2 , the nitrogen gas from the slit jetting port  519 A of the gas knife nozzle  519  is blown onto the liquid film of DIW formed on the upper surface of the substrate W (the liquid film connected via the continuous flow of DIW to the discharge port  531 A). Also at the inert gas jetting position P 2 , the soft X-rays generated by the soft X-ray generator  513  of the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  512  are irradiated onto the upper surface of the substrate W. 
     By the blowing on of the nitrogen gas, the DIW is blown off the upper surface of the substrate W and the DIW attached to the upper surface of the substrate W is eliminated. The soft X-rays are irradiated onto the inert gas jetting position P 2 . The soft X-rays are irradiated onto the portion of the upper surface of the substrate W from which the DIW was removed (blown off) immediately before so that charge prevention and static elimination of the substrate W can be achieved even more reliably. 
     Although with the thirteenth preferred embodiment, a case of processing the substrate W using water (for example, DIW) inside the cleaning processing chamber  502  was described as an example, the substrate W may also be processed using a processing that uses a chemical solution and water inside the cleaning processing chamber  502 . In this case, a chemical solution nozzle  506  is disposed further upstream than the water supplying unit  500  as indicated by alternate long and two short dashed lines in  FIG. 24 . A chemical solution from a chemical solution supply source is arranged to be supplied via a chemical solution valve  508  to the chemical solution nozzle  506 . That is, a chemical solution supplying position P 0  is set further upstream than the water supplying position P 1 . 
     Although with the thirteenth preferred embodiment, the roller conveying unit  504  that conveys the substrate W in an inclined attitude was described as an example, the roller conveying unit  504  may instead be arranged to convey the substrate W while keeping it in a horizontal attitude. 
     Also, although with the substrate processing apparatus  501  according to the thirteenth preferred embodiment, that which cleans the upper surface (major surface at the upper side) of the substrate W was described as an example, the present invention can also be applied to a substrate processing apparatus of a type that applies a cleaning processing to both surfaces of a substrate. In this case, the water supplying unit  500  and the gas knife nozzle  519  are disposed at the lower side of the roller conveying unit  504  in the cleaning processing chamber  502  and the liquid removing chamber  503 , respectively, DIW is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate W at the water supplying position P 1  by the water supplying unit  500  at the lower side, and nitrogen gas is jetted onto the lower surface of the substrate W at the inert gas jetting position P 2  by the gas knife nozzle  519  at the lower side. 
     Although with the first to thirteenth preferred embodiments, the processing liquid supplying units  100 ,  200 ,  220 ,  230 ,  250 ,  260 ,  300 ,  310 ,  400 , and  500  installed in the substrate processing apparatuses  1 ,  201 ,  211 ,  221 ,  231 ,  251 ,  261 ,  301 ,  311 ,  401 , and  501 , with which the substrate W is the processing object, were described as examples, the present invention may be applied to a processing unit, with which an object besides the substrate W is the processing object. A container cleaning apparatus  601 , with which the processing object is a substrate container (container)  602  and which is arranged to clean the processing object using a cleaning liquid (processing liquid), shall now be descried as an example. 
       FIG. 28  is a diagram of the arrangement of an article cleaning apparatus  601  according to a fourteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 29  is a perspective view of the arrangement of a substrate container  602 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 29 , the substrate container  602  is a container that houses substrates W in a sealed state. An FOSB (front opening shipping box) can be cited as an example of the substrate container  602 . The FOSB is mainly used for delivery of substrates W from a semiconductor wafer manufacturer to a semiconductor device manufacturer. The FOSB houses a plurality of unprocessed substrates W and prevents damaging of the substrates W while maintaining the degree of cleanness of the substrates W. 
     As shown in  FIG. 28 , the article cleaning apparatus  601  includes an installation base  607 , on which a container main body  603  of the substrate container  602  is installed, and a water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus)  600  supplying DIW as an example of a cleaning liquid to the substrate container  602 . The water supplying unit  600  adopts an arrangement equivalent to that of the water supplying unit  100  (see  FIG. 1 ) according to the first preferred embodiment. The same reference symbols are thus provided in  FIG. 28  and description thereof shall be omitted. The water nozzle  61  of the water supplying unit  600  is disposed above the container main body  603  installed on the installation base  607  and with its discharge port  53  directed downward. 
     The substrate container  602  includes the container main body  603  with the shape of a bottomed box and having an opening  603 A at a side, a lid  604  arranged to open and close the opening  603 A of the container main body  603  (a state where the lid  604  is closed is shown in  FIG. 28 ), a multiple-stage container support rack  606  mounted on an inner wall of the container main body  603 , and a multiple-stage lid support rack  605  mounted on the lid  604 . The substrates W are taken into and out of the interior of the container main body  603  via the opening  603 A. The container main body  603  and the lid  604  are respectively formed using, for example, a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride). The container main body  603  has substantially cubical outer frame shape and, as shown in  FIG. 28 , the opening side may have a slightly larger diameter in comparison to a bottom portion side. In this case, an upper surface of the container main body  603  has an inclined surface. 
     In the cleaning processing, DIW is supplied from the water supplying unit  600  to an outer wall of the container main body  603  of the substrate container  602 . Specifically, the water valve  14  is opened and the DIW flowing through the water supplying piping  13  is supplied to the water nozzle  61 . The DIW is thereby discharged downward from the discharge port  53  of the water nozzle  61  toward an upper surface of the outer wall of the container main body  603 . Also, the controller  40  makes the soft X-ray generator (see  FIG. 2 ) generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated toward the interior of the first nozzle piping  51  of the water nozzle  61 . The soft X-rays are thereby irradiated onto the DIW flowing through the interior of the first nozzle piping  51 . 
     The DIW supplied to the side surface at the upper side of the outer wall of the container main body  603  flows down along the side surface at the upper side, which is constituted of an inclined surface, and the bottom surface. A liquid film of DIW is thereby formed on the outer wall of the container main body  603 . Dirt, debris, etc., attached to the outer wall of the container main body  603  are thus rinsed off by the liquid film. 
     When during the cleaning processing, the DIW present inside the first nozzle piping  51  is irradiated with the soft X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules in the irradiated portion  54  of DIW inside the first nozzle piping  51  (see  FIG. 5 ). Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion  54  of DIW. 
     The supply flow rate of DIW with respect to the water nozzle  61  during the cleaning processing is set to a comparatively high flow rate (for example, 1 to 10 L/min according to the size of the container  602 , etc.). The form of DIW discharged from the discharge port  53  of the water nozzle  61  is thus the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  53  and the outer wall of the container main body  603 . The liquid film of DIW is thus formed on the outer wall of the container main body  603 . By this liquid film, the liquid film  63  formed on the outer wall of the container main body  603  and the irradiated portion  54  of DIW are connected via DIW. Also, the DIW is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping of the water nozzle  61 . 
     If the outer wall of the container main body  603  is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion  54  of DIW and the positively charged outer wall of the container main body  603  causes the electrons from the irradiated portion  54  of DIW to move along the DIW of continuous flow form toward the liquid film of DIW in liquid contact with the outer wall of the container main body  603 . The liquid film of DIW in liquid contact with the outer wall of the container main body  603  is thereby made to have a large amount of electrons. At this point, the liquid film  63  of DIW and the irradiated portion  54  of DIW are connected via DIW. 
     By the above, the charging of the container main body  603  during the cleaning processing can be prevented by the fourteenth preferred embodiment. Also, even if the container main body  603  is charged from before the cleaning processing, the charges carried by the container main body  603  can be eliminated (that is, static elimination can be achieved). 
     Although with the fourteenth preferred embodiment, an example of cleaning the container main body  603  was described, the cleaning method may be adopted similarly to clean the lid  604  or the support rack  605  or  606  to apply the cleaning processing to the lid  604  or the support rack  605  or  606  while achieving static elimination of the lid  604  or the support rack  605  or  606 . 
     Also, although the FOSB was described as an example of the substrate container  602 , an FOUP (front opening unified pod), which houses substrates W in a sealed state and is mainly used for conveying substrates W within a plant of a semiconductor wafer manufacturer, can also be cited as an example. Besides this, an FOUP (front opening unified pod), an SMIF (standard mechanical interface) pod, OC (open cassette), and other forms of substrate containers can be cited as examples of the substrate container  602 . 
     Also, the container is not restricted to that which houses a substrate W, and the processing object may be a medium container housing a disk-shaped medium, such as a CD, DVD, blue disk, or a parts container housing an optical part, such as a lens, mirror, diffraction grating. 
     Next, a static elimination test was performed to confirm that static elimination of a processing object, such as a silicon wafer, glass substrate, container, can be achieved by supplying DIW (example of water) from a water supplying unit that incorporates a soft X-ray irradiating unit. The contents and results of this static elimination test shall now be described. 
       FIG. 30  is a diagram for describing a test apparatus  651  used in the static elimination test. 
     The test apparatus  651  includes a bottomed container  652  made of resin, a charged body holding base  653  arranged to hold a charged body E inside the container  652 , a water supplying unit  654  arranged to supply a processing liquid to the charged body E held by the charged body holding base  653 , a charging plate monitor  655  arranged to measure a charge amount of a charged body E held by the charged body holding base  653  while charging the charged body E, and a recorder  656  arranged to record the charge amount measured by the charged plate monitor  655 . The charged plate monitor  655  has a metal plate  671  in electrical conduction with the charged body E. CPM 210, manufactured by Ion Systems Inc., USA, can be cited as an example of the charged plate monitor  655 , and Hioki 8841, manufactured by Hioki E. E. Corporation, can be cited as an example of the recorder  656 . 
     The water supplying unit  654  includes a water nozzle  661 , a soft X-ray irradiating unit  662  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto DIW (example of water) flowing through the interior of the water nozzle  661 , and a water supplying piping  663  supplying DIW from a DIW tank  670  to the water nozzle  661 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  662  is mounted onto the water supplying piping  663 . A valve  664  arranged to open and close and adjust an opening degree of the water supplying piping  663  is interposed in the water supplying piping  663 . 
     The water nozzle  661  has an ionization chamber  665 , an inflow port portion  666  having an inlet  666 A allowing DIW to flow into the ionization chamber  665 , and an outflow port portion  667  having an outlet  667 A for the DIW that flowed through the interior of the ionization chamber  665 . The ionization chamber  665  is formed to a flat rectangular shape, and an internal space of the ionization chamber  665  is set to a rectangular shape with a flow direction length of approximately 100 mm×a flow direction width of approximately 5 mm×a flow direction depth of approximately 60 mm. 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  662  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit  62  according to the first preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  662  has a soft X-ray generator corresponding to the soft X-ray generator  25  (see  FIG. 2 ) according to the first preferred embodiment. A soft X-ray ionizer (L9490 manufactured by Hamamatsu Photonics K. K.) can be cited as an example of the soft X-ray generator. In the soft X-ray irradiating unit  662 , the diameter of a round opening corresponding to the second opening  28  (see  FIG. 2 ) is, for example, 17 mm. 
     In the present static elimination test, a rectangular metal plate (130 mm×93 mm×1 mm thickness) is used as the charged body E subject to measurement. The substrate holding base  653  holds the charged body E in an inclined attitude that is inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane. In a state where the charged body E is held by the substrate holding base  653 , the charged body E is electrically insulated from the container  652  by blocks  668  made of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) that are included in the substrate holding base  653 . An interval between an upper end portion of the charged body E and the outlet  667 A is, for example, 55 mm. 
     In the test apparatus  651 , an experiment is performed according to the following procedure.
     First step: The valve  664  is adjusted to make DIW (with a conductivity of not more than 1 μS/cm in the present case) drip down in a droplet form (discontinuous flow form) from the outlet  667 A of the water nozzle  661 . The droplet form refers to a state where a droplet and a subsequent droplet are not connected.   Second step: The charged body E was charged via the metal plate  671  of the charged plate monitor  655 , the soft X-ray generator of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  662  was turned on/off, and the time required for the electric potential of the charged body E to be attenuated from +/−4.5 kV to +/−3.5 kV (static elimination time) in this state was measured using the charged plate monitor  655  and the recorder  656 .   Third step: Thereafter, the valve  664  is adjusted to make DIW flow down at a fixed flow rate (0.77 L/min or 0.08 L/min) in a continuous flow form (state of flowing in a liquid column form) from the outlet  667 A of the water nozzle  661 . The water nozzle  661  was made variable in height in this state and measurements were made for the respective cases where the distance from the outlet  667 A of the water nozzle  661  to the upper end of the charged body E was 55 mm, 1000 mm, and 3000 mm. In the case where the distance was 1000 mm or 3000 mm, a 6φ×4 mm vinyl chloride tube wound in a coil form was mounted to a tip of the water nozzle  661 .   Fourth step: The charged body E inside the container  652  was charged via the metal plate  671  of the charged plate monitor  655 , the soft X-ray generator was turned on/off, and the time required for the electric potential of the charged body E to be attenuated from +/−1 kV to +/−0.1 kV (static elimination time) in this state was measured using the charged plate monitor  655  and the recorder  656 . The experimental results are shown in Table 1 to Table 3.   

     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Soft  
                 Static elimination time (seconds) 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 X-rays 
                 +4.5 kV to +3.0 kV 
                 −4.5 kV to −3.0 kV 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 OFF 
                 31.5 
                 31.4 
               
               
                 ON 
                 32.2 
                 32.6 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The experimental results for the cases where DIW was dripped in the droplet form are shown in Table 1. As shown in Table 1, regardless of turning on/off the soft X-ray generator, the time required for the electric potential of the charged body E to be attenuated from +/−4.5 kV to +/−3.5 kV (static elimination time) was substantially fixed. From the experimental results shown in Table 1, it can be understood that static elimination of the charged body E is hardly achieved when DIW is dripped in the droplet form. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
            
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Static elimination time 
               
               
                   
                 Flow  
                   
                 (seconds) 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 rate 
                 Soft  
                 −1.0 kV to 
                 −1.0 kV to  
               
               
                   
                 (L/min) 
                 X-rays 
                 +0.1 kV 
                 −0.1 kV 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 0.77 
                 OFF 
                 26.9 
                 27.8 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ON 
                 1.02 
                 1.08 
               
               
                   
                 0.08 
                 OFF 
                 — 
                 36.3 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ON 
                 1.02 
                 1.06 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The experimental results for the cases where DIW was made to flow down in the continuous flow form are shown in Table 2. As shown in Table 2, in both cases of DIW flow rate of 0.774 L/min and 0.08 L/min, the time required for the electric potential of the charged body E to be attenuated from +/−1 kV to +/−0.1 kV (static elimination time) was shortened by the turning on of the soft X-ray generator. The static elimination times in these cases were slightly more than 1 second. From the experimental results shown in Table 2, it can be understood that static elimination performance is improved when DIW is made to flow down in the continuous flow form. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Distance  
                 Static elimination time (seconds) 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 (mm) 
                 +1.0 kV to +0.1 kV 
                 −1.0 kV to −0.1 kV 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 55 
                 1.04 
                 1.12 
               
               
                 1000 
                 1.16 
                 1.22 
               
               
                 3000 
                 1.30 
                 1.74 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The experimental results for the cases where the distance from the outlet of the water nozzle  661  to the charged body E was changed with the DIW being made to flow down in the continuous form are shown in Table 3. As shown in Table 3, although the time required for the electric potential of the charged body E to be attenuated from +/−1 kV to +/−0.1 kV (static elimination time) increases slightly with increase of the distance from the outlet of the water nozzle  661  to the charged body E, static elimination can be accomplished in 1 to 2 seconds even when the distance is 3000 mm. From this, it can be understood that the distance from the outlet of the water nozzle  661  to the charged body E does not have a large influence on the static elimination performance. 
     From the above experimental results, the principles of static elimination of performing static elimination of a processing object by supplying DIW from a water supplying unit incorporating a soft X-ray irradiating unit are presumed to be as follows. That is, electrons are emitted from water molecules excited by soft X-ray irradiation and the irradiated portion is in a plasma state in which positive ions of the water molecules excited by the soft X-rays and electrons coexist. 
     If the processing object is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of DIW and the charged processing object causes the electrons of the irradiated portion of DIW to move toward the positively charged processing object, and static elimination of the positively charged processing object is achieved. Also, if the processing object is negatively charged, electrons move from the charged processing object toward the positive ions at the irradiated portion of DIW, and static elimination of the negatively charged processing object is achieved. 
       FIG. 31  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  701  according to a fifteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The substrate processing apparatus  701  is a single substrate processing type apparatus that is used to perform processing using processing liquids (a chemical solution and water) on a front surface (processing surface) of a circular semiconductor wafer (silicon wafer) as an example of the substrate W. With the present preferred embodiment, water is used for the rinsing of the substrate W that is performed after a chemical solution processing. For example, an oxide film, etc., is formed on the front surface of the substrate W to be processed. 
     The substrate processing apparatus  701  includes, inside a processing chamber  703  partitioned by a partition wall  702 , a spin chuck (substrate holding means)  704  that holds and rotates the substrate W in a horizontal attitude, a water nozzle (water supplying means)  705  arranged to discharge DIW (deionized water; pure water) as an example of water onto the front surface (upper surface) of the substrate W held by the spin chuck  704 , a soft X-ray irradiating head (X-ray irradiating means)  706  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto the front surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck  704 , and the chemical solution nozzle  7  arranged to discharge the chemical solution onto the front surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck  704 . 
     As the spin chuck  704 , for example, that of a clamping type is adopted. Specifically, the spin chuck  704  includes a spin motor  708 , a spin shaft  709  made integral to a driveshaft of the spin motor  708 , a disk-shaped spin base  710  mounted substantially horizontally on an upper end of the spin shaft  709 , and a plurality of clamping members  711  disposed at a plurality of locations at substantially equal intervals of a peripheral edge portion of the spin base  710 . The spin chuck  704  is thereby enabled to rotate the spin base  710  by the rotational driving force of the spin motor  708  in a state where the substrate W is clamped by the plurality of clamping members  711  to rotate the substrate W, maintained in the substantially horizontal attitude, around a rotation axis C together with the spin base  710 . 
     The spin chuck  704  is not restricted to a clamping type and, for example, a vacuum suction type (vacuum chuck) arrangement that vacuum-suctions a rear surface of the substrate W to hold the substrate W in a horizontal attitude and further performs rotation around the vertical rotation axis C in this state to rotate the held substrate W may be adopted instead. 
     The water nozzle  705  is, for example, a straight nozzle that discharges DIW in a continuous flow state and is disposed fixedly above the spin chuck  704  with its discharge port directed toward a vicinity of the rotation center of the substrate W. The water nozzle  705  is connected to a water supplying pipe  713  to which DIW is supplied from a DIW supply source. A water valve (water supplying means)  714  arranged to switch between supplying and stopping the supplying of DIW from the water nozzle  705  is interposed in an intermediate portion of the water supplying pipe  713 . 
     The chemical solution nozzle  707  is, for example, a straight nozzle that discharges the chemical solution in a continuous flow state and is disposed fixedly above the spin chuck  704  with its discharge port directed toward a vicinity of the rotation center of the substrate W. The chemical solution nozzle  707  is connected to a chemical solution supplying pipe  715  to which the chemical solution is supplied from a chemical solution supply source. A chemical solution valve  716  arranged to switch between supplying and stopping the supplying of the chemical solution from the chemical solution nozzle  707  is interposed in an intermediate portion of the chemical solution supplying pipe  715 . 
     Also, the chemical solution nozzle  707  is not required to be disposed fixedly with respect to the spin chuck  704  and, for example, a so-called scan nozzle arrangement may be adopted where the nozzle is mounted on an arm capable of swinging within a horizontal plane above the spin chuck  704  and a liquid landing position of the chemical solution on the front surface of the substrate W is scanned by the swinging of the arm. 
     A supporting shaft  717 , extending in a vertical direction, is disposed at a side of the spin chuck  704 . An arm  718 , extending in a horizontal direction, is coupled to an upper end portion of the supporting shaft  717 , and the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  is mounted on a tip of the arm  718 . A swinging drive mechanism (moving means)  719 , arranged to rotate the supporting shaft  717  around an axis, and a raising and lowering drive mechanism (moving means)  720 , arranged to move the supporting shaft  717  up and down along its axial direction, are coupled to the supporting shaft  717 . 
     By inputting a driving force into the supporting shaft  717  from the swinging drive mechanism  719  to rotate the supporting shaft  717  within a predetermined angular range, the arm  718  is swung, with the supporting shaft  717  as a support point, above the substrate W held by the spin chuck  704 . By the swinging of the arm  718 , the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  can be moved between a position that includes a point above the rotation axis C of the substrate W (position facing the rotation center of the substrate W) and a home position set at a side of the spin chuck  704 . Also, by inputting a driving force into the supporting shaft  717  from the raising and lowering drive mechanism  720  to raise/lower the supporting shaft  717 , the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  is raised/lowered between a proximity position proximal to the front surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck  704  (position indicated by an alternate long and two short dashed line in  FIG. 31 ) and a retracted position retracted above the substrate W (position indicated by a solid line in  FIG. 31 ). In the present preferred embodiment, the proximity position is set to a position at which the interval between the front surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck  704  and a lower surface (lower surface of a lower wall  726 A) of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  is a predetermined interval (for example, approximately 10 mm) in a range of 1 to 30 mm. 
     An opening  721  for carrying the substrate W into and out of the interior of the processing chamber  703  is formed in a side wall (one of a plurality of side walls) of the partition wall  702 . When the substrate W is carried in or out, a hand of a transfer robot (not shown), facing the opening  721  outside the processing chamber  703 , accesses the interior of the processing chamber  703  through the opening  721 . An unprocessed substrate W can thereby be placed on the spin chuck  704  or a processed substrate W can be removed from the spin chuck  704 . The opening  721  is opened and closed by a shutter  722 . The shutter  722  is raised and lowered between a closed position (indicated by solid lines in  FIG. 31 ) of covering the opening  721  and an open position (indicated by alternate long and two short dashed lines in  FIG. 31 ) of opening the opening  721  by a shutter raising and lowering mechanism (not shown) coupled to the shutter  722 . 
       FIG. 32  is an illustrative sectional view of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating head  706  includes an X-ray generator  725 , a cover  726  made, for example, of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and surroundingly covering a periphery of the X-ray generator  725 , and a gas nozzle (gas supplying means)  727 , arranged to supply a gas into the interior of the cover  726 . The cover  726  has an oblong rectangular box shape that surrounds the periphery of the X-ray generator  725  across an interval from the X-ray generator  725  and has an opening  728 , having, for example, a circular shape, formed in a portion of a horizontal plate-shaped lower wall  726 A facing an irradiating window  735  to be described after the X-ray generator  725 . 
     The X-ray generator  725  emits (radiates) soft X-rays used to ionize the DIW on the substrate W. The X-ray generator  725  includes a case body  729 , an X-ray tube  730  that is long in the up/down direction and arranged to generate the soft X-rays, and a high voltage unit  731  supplying a high voltage to the X-ray tube  730 . The case body  729  has an oblong rectangular cylindrical shape, houses the X-ray tube  730  and the high voltage unit  731  in its interior, and is formed using a material having electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity (for example, a metal material, such as aluminum). 
     The high voltage unit  731  inputs a driving voltage of high electrical potential, for example, of −9.5 kV into the X-ray tube  730 . The high voltage unit  731  is supplied with a voltage from a power supply (not shown) via a feeder  743  led outside the cover  726  through a penetrating hole  742  formed in the cover  726 . 
     The X-ray tube  730  is constituted of a vacuum tube of circular cylindrical shape made of glass or metal and is disposed so that the tube direction is vertical. A lower end portion (opening end portion) of the X-ray tube  730  is opened to form a circular opening  741 . An upper end portion of the X-ray tube  730  is closed and constitutes a stem  732 . Inside the X-ray tube  730 , a filament  733 , which is a cathode, and a target  736 , which is an anode, are disposed so as to face each other. The X-ray tube  730  houses the filament  733  and a focusing electrode  734 . Specifically, the filament  733  is disposed as the cathode at the stem  732 . The filament  733  is electrically connected to the high voltage unit  731 . The filament  733  is surrounded by the focusing electrode  734  of circular cylindrical shape. 
     The opening end portion of the X-ray tube  730  is closed by the plate-shaped irradiating window  735  of vertical attitude. The irradiating window  735  has, for example, a disk shape and is fixed to the wall surface at the opening end portion of the X-ray tube  730  by silver alloy brazing. As the material of the irradiating window  735 , a substance of low atomic weight is used so that the soft X-rays of weak penetrability can be transmitted readily and in the present preferred embodiment, beryllium (Be), is adopted. The thickness of the irradiating window  735  is set, for example, to approximately 0.3 mm. 
     The target  736  made of metal is formed by vapor deposition on an inner surface  735 A of the irradiating window  735 . A metal of high atomic weight and high melting point, such as tungsten (W) or tantalum (Ta), is used in the target  736 . 
     By application of the driving voltage from the high voltage unit  731  to the filament  733  that is the cathode, electrons are emitted from the filament  733 . The electrons emitted from the filament  733  are converged and made into an electron beam by the focusing electrode  734  and generate soft X-rays upon colliding against the target  736 . The generated soft X-rays are emitted (radiated) downward from the irradiating window  735 . The irradiation angle (irradiation range) of the soft X-rays from the irradiating window  735  is a wide angle (for example, 130°) as shown in  FIG. 37 . The soft X-rays irradiated out of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  from the irradiating window  735  are, for example, 0.13 to 0.41 nm in wavelength. 
     The irradiating window  735  is the generation source that generates the soft X-rays. The irradiation of soft X-rays from the irradiating window  735  may thus be obstructed if the irradiating window  735  is fogged due to attachment of water droplets, etc., on an outer surface  735 B thereof and this is not preferable. 
     The entirety of the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  is covered by a polyimide resin coating film  738  having water repellency. The outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  is covered with the coating film  738  to protect the irradiating window  735 , which is made of beryllium that is poor in acid resistance, from an acid contained in water or other processing liquid. The polyimide resin coating film  738  has a polyamic acid type polyimide resin. The film thickness of the polyimide resin coating film  738  is not more than 50 μm and is especially preferably approximately 10 μm. The coating film  738  has water repellency and moisture can thus be removed from the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735 . Fogging of the irradiating window  735  can thus be suppressed or prevented. Also, the polyimide resin coating film  738  is high in chemical stability and the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  can thus be protected continuously over a long period. 
     The periphery of the X-ray generator  725  is covered by the cover  726  to protect the X-ray generator  725  from moisture. As mentioned above, the X-ray generator  725  includes the high voltage unit  731  and therefore if the ambient atmosphere of the X-ray generator  725  contains a large amount of moisture, the high voltage may leak when the soft X-rays are generated. The periphery of the X-ray generator  725  is thus covered by the cover  726  to suppress the entry of moisture into the X-ray generator  725 . 
     A discharge port of the gas nozzle  727  is opened in an upper wall of the cover  726 . A gas from a gas supply source (not shown) is supplied to the gas nozzle  727  via a gas valve (gas supplying means)  737 . Also, a gas of higher temperature (for example, 60° C.) than ordinary temperature (for example, 25° C.) is supplied to the gas nozzle  727  and therefore the gas nozzle  727  discharges the gas of high temperature (for example, 60° C.). As examples of the gas discharged by the gas nozzle  727 , an inert gas such as CDA (clean dry air), nitrogen gas, can be cited. The gas discharged from the gas nozzle  727  is supplied to the interior of the cover  726 . 
     As mentioned above, the opening  728  for allowing the transmission of the soft X-rays from the irradiating window  735  is formed in the lower wall  726 A of the cover  726 . Therefore, with the supplying of the gas into the interior of the cover  726 , a gas flow directed toward the opening  728  is formed in, that is, in a space between the cover  726  and the outer wall of the X-ray generator  725 . Entry of the atmosphere outside the cover  726  into the interior of the cover  726  via the opening  728  can thus be suppressed or prevented to further suppress the entry of moisture into the ambient atmosphere of the X-ray generator  725 . 
     Also as mentioned above, the water repellent coating film  738  is formed on the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735 . Moisture thus does not precipitate in the form of a film across the front surface of the irradiating window  735  but is formed into minute water droplets. The water droplets attached to the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  are in contact with the outer surface  735 B with a high contact angle and it may be said that the water droplets are in a state of being easily movable along the outer surface  735 B. The gas supplied inside the cover  726  passes through a space  739  between the X-ray generator  725  and the cover  726  and reaches the outer surface of the irradiating window  735 . The water droplets attached to the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  move upon receiving the gas flow formed in the space  739 . The water droplets can thus be removed satisfactorily from the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  and fogging of the irradiating window  735  can be prevented reliably. Also, the gas supplied inside the cover  726  is of high temperature so that the water droplets attached to the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  can be eliminated by evaporation, and fogging of the irradiating window  735  can thus be prevented even more reliably. 
     On the lower wall  726 A of the cover  726 , a sheet-shaped heater (heating member)  744  is disposed near a periphery of the opening  728 . The heater  744  is formed by printing a resistor body onto a sheet. By supplying electricity to the heater  744 , the heater  744  is made to rise in temperature so that members in its periphery are warmed and the irradiating window  735  is also warmed. The water droplets attached to the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  can thus be eliminated by evaporation, and the fogging of the irradiating window  735  can thereby be prevented even more reliably. 
       FIG. 33  is a plan view of placement positions of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706 . 
     By control of the swinging drive mechanism  719 , the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  can be moved along an arcuate locus intersecting the direction of rotation of the substrate W along the front surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck  704 . When the soft X-rays are to be irradiated onto the front surface of the substrate W by the soft X-ray irradiating head  706 , the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  is positioned at the proximity position. It is kept positioned at the proximity position during the irradiation of soft X-rays. The placement position of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  indicated by solid lines in  FIG. 33  is a center proximity position, which is a proximity position at which the rotation center (along the rotation axis C) of the front surface of the substrate W is included in the range of irradiation from the irradiating window  735  of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706 . The placement position of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  indicated by alternate long and two short dashed lines in  FIG. 33  is an edge proximity position, which is a proximity position at which a peripheral edge of the front surface of the substrate W is included in the range of irradiation from the irradiating window  735  of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706 . 
       FIG. 34  is a block diagram of the electrical arrangement of the substrate processing apparatus  701 . The substrate processing apparatus  701  further includes a controller (control means)  740  with an arrangement that includes a microcomputer. The spin motor  708 , the high voltage unit  731 , the swinging drive mechanism  719 , the raising and lowering drive mechanism  720 , the chemical solution valve  716 , the water valve  714 , the gas valve  737 , the heater  744 , etc., are connected as control objects to the controller  740 . 
     To maintain the irradiating window  735  in an unfogged state, the gas valve  737  is constantly opened and the heater  744  is driven while the power of the substrate processing apparatus  701  is turned on. The heater  744  is heated and raised in temperature, for example, to approximately 100° C. 
       FIG. 35  is a process diagram of a processing example executed on the substrate W in the substrate processing apparatus  701 . In this processing example, a rinsing processing is executed after execution of a chemical solution processing. In the rinsing processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated from the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  onto the front surface of the substrate W. The processing of the substrate W in the substrate processing apparatus  701  shall now be described with reference to  FIG. 31 ,  FIG. 33 ,  FIG. 34 , and  FIG. 35 . 
     In the processing of the substrate W, the shutter  722  is put in the open state from the closed state. The opening  721  is thereby opened. Thereafter, the unprocessed substrate W is carried inside the processing chamber  703  through the opening  721  by the transfer robot (not shown) (step S 701 ) and is transferred with its front surface facing upward onto the spin chuck  704 . During this time, the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  is positioned at the home position so as not to obstruct the carrying-in of the substrate W. After the hand of the transfer robot retracts to the exterior of the processing chamber  703 , the shutter  722  is put in the closed state. 
     After the substrate W is held by the spin chuck  704 , the controller  740  controls the spin motor  708  to start rotation of the substrate W by the spin chuck  704  (step S 702 ). The rotation speed of the substrate W is increased to a predetermined liquid processing speed (for example, 500 rpm) and is thereafter maintained at the liquid processing speed. 
     When the rotation speed of the substrate W reaches the liquid processing speed, the controller  740  opens the chemical solution valve  716  to make the chemical solution be discharged from the chemical solution nozzle  707  toward the rotation center of the front surface of the substrate W (S 703 : chemical solution supplying). The chemical solution supplied to the front surface of the upper surface of the substrate W flows toward the peripheral edge of the substrate W upon receiving the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate W (spreads across the entirety of the substrate W). Processing by the chemical solution is thereby applied to the entire front surface of the substrate W. 
     When a predetermined chemical solution processing time elapses from the start of supplying of the chemical solution, the controller  740  closes the chemical solution valve  716  to stop the supplying of the chemical solution from the chemical solution nozzle  707 . 
     Also, the controller  740  opens the water valve  714  to make DIW be discharged from the water nozzle  705  toward the rotation center of the front surface of the substrate W in the rotating state (step S 704 ). Also, the controller  740  controls the swinging drive mechanism  719  to move the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  from the home position set at the side of the spin chuck  704  to a position above the spin chuck  704  and thereafter controls the raising and lowering drive mechanism  720  to position the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  at the proximity position proximal to the front surface of the substrate W. The controller  740  then controls the high voltage unit  731  to make the X-ray generator  725  of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated downward from the irradiating window  735  (step S 704 ). 
     The DIW supplied to the front surface of the substrate W receives the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the substrate W and flows toward the peripheral edge of the substrate W (spreads across the entirety of the substrate W). The chemical solution attached to the front surface of the substrate W is thereby rinsed off by the DIW (rinsing processing). 
       FIG. 36  is an illustrative diagram for describing the rinsing processing. 
     As shown in  FIG. 35  and  FIG. 36 , the irradiation of the soft X-rays by the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  is executed continuously in parallel to the supplying of DIW to the substrate W. Also, the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  moved reciprocally between the center proximity position and the edge proximity position. In other words, the irradiation position of the front surface of the substrate W to which the soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  are guided is moved reciprocally within a range from the rotation center of the substrate W to the peripheral edge portion of the substrate W and along the arcuate locus that intersects the rotation direction of the substrate W. The soft X-rays can thereby be irradiated on the entirety of the front surface of the substrate W. 
       FIG. 37  is an illustrative diagram of a state of a vicinity of the front surface of the substrate W in the rinsing processing. 
     During the rinsing processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated onto the front surface of the substrate W while DIW is supplied to the front surface of the substrate W. During this time, the soft X-rays are irradiated onto the DIW that flows along the front surface of the substrate W toward the peripheral edge. Specifically, a liquid film of DIW in liquid contact with the front surface of the substrate W is formed on the substrate W and on the front surface by the DIW flowing along the front surface, and the soft X-rays are irradiated onto the front surface portion (hatched portion in  FIG. 37 ) of the liquid film. At the portion of the liquid film of DIW that is irradiated with the soft X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules due to the irradiation of the soft X-rays and consequently, a plasma state is formed in which a large amount of electrons and a large amount of positive ions of the water molecules coexist. Thus even if positive charges are generated on the substrate W due to contact segregation with respect to DIW due to the supplying of DIW to the substrate W in the rotating state, the electrons generated in the DIW by the irradiation of the soft X-rays move by being drawn toward the negative charges generated on the substrate W and act to cancel out these charges. Charging of the substrate W can thereby be suppressed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 31 ,  FIG. 34 , and  FIG. 35 , when a predetermined rinsing time elapses from the start of supplying of DIW, the controller  740  closes the water valve  714  to stop the supplying of DIW (step S 705 ). The rinsing processing is thereby ended. 
     After a predetermined time elapses from the stopping of the supplying of DIW, the controller  740  controls the high voltage unit  731  to stop the irradiation of soft X-rays from the irradiating window  735  of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  (step S 706 ). Also, the controller  740  controls the swinging drive mechanism  719  and the raising and lowering drive mechanism  720  to return the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  to the home position. The irradiation of X-rays onto the front surface of the substrate W by the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  is executed until immediately before the start of the spin drying described below. 
     When a predetermined spin drying starting timing arrives, the controller  740  controls the spin motor  708  to raise the rotation speed of the substrate W to a spin drying rotation speed (for example of 2500 rpm). The DIW attached to the front surface of the substrate W after the rinsing processing is thereby spun off by the centrifugal force and drying is achieved (S 707 : spin drying). 
     After the spin drying has been performed for a predetermined drying time, the rotation of the spin chuck  704  is stopped. Thereafter, the shutter  722  is put in the open state from the closed state and the opening  721  is opened. The processed substrate W is then carried out through the opening  721  by the transfer robot (not shown) (step S 708 ). 
     By the above arrangement, with the present preferred embodiment, the liquid film of DIW formed on the front surface of the substrate W is irradiated with the soft X-ray X-rays. At the portion of the liquid film of DIW that is irradiated with the soft X-rays, electrons are emitted from water molecules due to the excitation of the water molecules and consequently, the plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of the positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed. Thus even if positive charges are generated on the substrate W due to contact segregation with respect to DIW, the electrons generated in the DIW by the irradiation of the soft X-rays move via the liquid film of DIW by being drawn toward the negative charges generated on the substrate W and act to cancel out these charges. Charging of the substrate W can thereby be suppressed. Also, even if the substrate W is charged from before the rinsing processing, static elimination of the charged substrate W can be achieved by the liquid film of DIW in liquid contact with the front surface of the substrate W. Consequently, device breakdown due to charging of the substrate W can be prevented. 
     Next, the two tests of a static elimination test and an ionization test were performed to confirm that static elimination of a substrate, such as a silicon wafer, can be achieved by irradiating soft X-rays from an X-ray irradiating head. The contents and results of these tests shall now be described. 
       FIG. 38  is a sectional view for describing a test apparatus  902  used in these tests. 
     The test apparatus  902  includes a water tank  903  of rectangular box shape arranged to store DIW and an X-ray irradiating head  904  mounted from above onto the water tank  903  and arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto the DIW stored in the water tank  903 . 
     The water tank  903  is formed to have a width of 100 mm, a length of 100 mm, and a height of 100 mm. A bottom wall, four side walls, and a top wall of the water tank  903  are respectively constituted of PVC plates of 5 mm thickness. The X-ray irradiating head  904  is a soft X-ray ionizer (manufactured by Hamamatsu Photonics K. K.) having an arrangement equivalent to the X-ray generator  725  shown in  FIG. 32 , etc., and is disposed with the irradiating window  735  faced downward. An opening  905  is formed in the upper wall of the water tank  903  and a lower end portion of the soft X-ray irradiating head  904 , including the irradiating window  735 , enters inside the water tank via the opening  905 . In a state where the soft X-ray irradiating head  904  is installed on the water tank  903 , the X-ray irradiating head  904  has a lower surface of the irradiating window positioned 5 mm lower than a lower surface of the upper wall of the water tank  903 . A packing  906  made of silicon rubber is fitted onto a gap between a side edge of the opening  905  in the upper wall of the water tank  903  and a lower end portion of the soft X-ray irradiating head  904  and the soft X-ray irradiating head  904  is thereby fixed to the upper wall of the water tank  903 . 
     In the present tests, square (80 cm×80 cm) meshes  911  and  912  (each having a grid form and being of a plate shape overall) made of stainless steel are used as measurement objects in place of substrates, such as silicon wafers, glass substrates. In the water tank  903 , the two meshes  911  and  912  are respectively mounted in horizontal attitudes across a vertical interval. An interval between the upper mesh  911  and the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  of the soft X-ray irradiating head  904  is, for example, 10 mm. An interval between the lower mesh  912  and the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  of the soft X-ray irradiating head  904  is, for example, 25 mm. 
     A water drain nipple  907  and a water injection nipple  908  are mounted on a side wall of the water tank  903 . The respective nipples  907  and  908  penetrate across the internal and external sides of the side wall of the water tank  903 . The water drain nipple  907  is disposed at a position 20 mm from the lower surface of the upper wall of the water tank  903  (that is, a position 5 mm below the upper mesh  911  and 10 mm above the lower mesh  912 ). The water injection nipple  908  is disposed below the lower mesh  912  across a large interval. A water injection hose (not shown) is connected to the water injection nipple  908  and a water drain hose (not shown) is connected to the water drain nipple  907 . Water is arranged to be supplied to the water tank  903  via the water injection hose and drained via the water drain nipple  907  and the water drain hose. 
     The lower mesh  912  is connected to a metal plate (not shown) of the charged plate monitor CPM (CPM 210, manufactured by Ion Systems Inc., USA) by a high voltage cable. 
     Water is supplied into the water tank  903  via the water injection hose. Here, even if the supply of water into the water tank  903  is continued, the water level of the DIW stored in the water tank  903  does not become higher than the height of the water drain nipple  907 . In a state where DIW is stored in the water tank  903  up to the height of the water drain nipple  907 , the lower mesh  912 , disposed lower than the water drain nipple  907 , is immersed in the DIW and, on the other hand, the upper mesh  911 , disposed higher than the water drain nipple  907 , is not immersed in the DIW. 
     (1) Static Elimination Test 
     In parallel to the supplying of water into the water tank  903 , the lower mesh  912  in the liquid was charged to +/−1 kV or +/−5 kV by the charged plate monitor CPM. The soft X-ray irradiating head  904  was then turned on to irradiate soft X-rays onto the DIW stored in the water tank  903  and the time (static elimination time) required for the electric potential of the lower mesh  912  to become +/−100 kV from the start of irradiation was measured. 
     As results, the static elimination time in the case of charging to +/−1 kV was within 1 second and the static elimination time in the case of charging to +/−5 kV was approximately 2 seconds. 
     From the static elimination test, it can be understood that static elimination of a charged body (lower mesh  912 ) inside DIW can be achieved satisfactorily by irradiating the DIW with soft X-rays. 
     (2) Ionization Test 
     A high resistance meter (Model 4329A manufactured by Yokogawa Hewlett Packard, Ltd.) was connected between the upper and lower meshes  911  and  912  to measure the change of electrical resistance between the two meshes  911  and  912  according to whether or not soft X-rays are being irradiated. 
     First, DIW is stored in the water tank  903  up to the height of the water drain nipple  907 . With the soft X-ray irradiating head  904  being off, a voltage of 10V was applied to the lower mesh  912  and the electrical resistance between the two meshes  911  and  912  was measured. Thereafter, with the voltage of 10V being applied to the lower mesh  912 , the soft X-ray irradiating head  904  was turned on and the electrical resistance between the two meshes  911  and  912  was measured in the state of irradiating soft X-rays onto the DIW stored in the water tank  903 . 
     As a result, the electrical resistance during soft X-ray irradiation decreased to 1×10 9  (Ω) from 1×10 11  (Ω) before soft X-ray irradiation. 
     From the ionization test, it can be understood that DIW can be ionized by irradiation of soft X-rays onto the DIW. 
     From the above, it can be understood that DIW can be ionized by irradiation of soft X-rays onto the DIW and that satisfactory static elimination of a charged body in liquid contact with the DIW can be achieved by the ionization of DIW. 
       FIG. 39  is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  820  according to a sixteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. Portions of the substrate processing apparatus  820  that are in common to the substrate processing apparatus  701  according to the fifteenth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 31  to  FIG. 37  and description thereof shall be omitted. A main point of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  820  with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  701  is that a water nozzle (water supplying means)  821 , adopting the form of a scan nozzle, is provided in place of the fixed water nozzle  705 . 
     The water nozzle  821  is, for example, a straight nozzle that discharges DIW in a continuous flow state. The water nozzle  821  is mounted on a tip of a substantially horizontally extending water arm  823  in a state where its discharge port is directed downward. The water supplying pipe  713  is connected to the water nozzle  821 . The water arm  823  is disposed to be rotatable around a predetermined swing axis extending in a vertical direction. A water arm swinging drive mechanism  822 , arranged to swing the water arm  823  within a predetermined angular range, is coupled to the water arm  823 . By the swinging of the water arm  823 , the water nozzle  821  is moved between a position on the rotation axis C of the substrate W (a position facing the rotation center of the substrate W) and a home position set at a side of the spin chuck  704 . 
     During the rinsing processing, the water arm swinging drive mechanism  822  is controlled so that the water nozzle  821  is moved reciprocally between the position above the rotation center and a position above a peripheral edge portion of the substrate W. The supplying position on the front surface of the substrate W to which the DIW from the water nozzle  821  is guided is thereby moved reciprocally within a range from the rotation center of the substrate W to the peripheral edge portion of the substrate W and along an arcuate locus that intersects the rotation direction of the substrate W. In this process, the swinging positions of the water nozzle  821  and the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  are respectively controlled so that the water nozzle  821  and the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  do not interfere. 
       FIG. 40  is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  830  according to a seventeenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. Portions of the substrate processing apparatus  830  that are in common to the substrate processing apparatus  701  according to the fifteenth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 31  to  FIG. 37  and description thereof shall be omitted. A main point of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  830  with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  701  is that it includes an integral head  831  integrally having a water nozzle and a soft X-ray irradiating head. The integral head  831  includes a water nozzle (water supplying means)  833  having an arrangement equivalent to the water nozzle  821  of the second preferred embodiment, a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  834  having an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  of the first preferred embodiment, and a holder  835  holding the water nozzle  833  and the soft X-ray irradiating unit  834 . The integral head  831  is mounted on a tip of a substantially horizontally extending arm  832 . The arm  832  is disposed to be rotatable around a predetermined swing axis extending in a vertical direction. By the swinging of the arm  832 , the integral head  831  is moved between a position on the rotation axis C of the substrate W (a position facing the rotation center of the substrate W) and a home position set at a side of the spin chuck  704 . During the rinsing processing, the integral head  831  is moved reciprocally between the position above the rotation center and a position above a peripheral edge portion of the substrate W. The supplying position on the front surface of the substrate W to which the DIW from the water nozzle  821  is guided and the irradiation position on the front surface of the substrate W to which the soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  834  is guided are thereby moved reciprocally within a range from the rotation center of the substrate W to the peripheral edge portion of the substrate W and along an arcuate locus that intersects the rotation direction of the substrate W. 
       FIG. 41  is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  840  according to an eighteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention. The substrate processing apparatus  840  includes a soft X-ray irradiating head (X-ray irradiating means)  841  in place of the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  of the first preferred embodiment. A main point of difference of the soft X-ray irradiating head  841  with respect to the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  is that it includes a shielding plate portion (shielding member)  842  projecting outward along a horizontal direction from a side wall lower edge of the cover  726  (projecting sideward from the cover  726 ). The shielding plate portion  842  has the shape of a square annular plate and its lower surface has a horizontal surface continuous to the lower wall  726 A of the cover  726 . During the rinsing processing, the shielding plate portion  842  is disposed to face the front surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck  704 . The soft X-rays irradiated from the irradiating window  735  are kept within a space between the substrate W and the shielding plate portion  842  by the shielding plate portion  842 . Scattering of the soft X-rays, irradiated from the irradiating window  735 , to the periphery of the substrate W can thus be suppressed or prevented. Safety of the substrate processing apparatus  840  can thereby be improved. 
       FIG. 44  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  1001  to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a nineteenth preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
     The substrate processing apparatus  1001  is a batch type substrate processing apparatus that applies a processing liquid processing (cleaning processing), for example, to a plurality of substrates W in a batch. The substrate processing apparatus  1001  includes a processing tank  1002  storing a processing liquid, a processing liquid nozzle  1003  supplying the processing liquid to the processing tank  1002 , a lifter  1004  immersing the substrates W into the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1002 , a circulating mechanism  1005  circulating the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1002 , and a controller  1006  controlling the respective equipment and valves included in the substrate processing apparatus  1001 . 
     The processing tank  1002  has a double tank structure including an inner tank  1007  having an upwardly open upper opening and an outer tank  1008 . The inner tank  1007  is arranged to store the processing liquid and be capable of housing a plurality of substrates W. The outer tank  1008  is disposed at an outer surface of the upper opening of the inner tank  1007  and the height of an upper edge thereof is set higher than the height of an upper edge of the inner tank  1007 . 
     A liquid drain valve  1020  is installed in a bottom wall of the inner tank  1007 . The liquid drain valve  1020  is constituted of a so-called piston valve, with which a portion of the bottom wall of the inner tank  1007  is opened and closed by a piston (not shown) performing a reciprocating movement. By retreating of the piston (not shown) the portion of the bottom surface of the inner tank  1007  becomes detached to form a liquid drain port in the bottom surface of the inner tank  1007  and the processing liquid is thereby drained rapidly. That is, the processing tank  1002  has a QDR (quick dump rinse) function. The processing liquid drained from the bottom portion of the inner tank  1007  is arranged to be sent to and processed at a waste liquid apparatus. 
     The processing liquid nozzle  1003  is connected to a processing liquid piping  1010  in which a processing liquid valve  1009  is interposed. The processing liquid nozzle  1003  is constituted of a shower nozzle having numerous fine discharge ports (not shown) and discharging a liquid, for example, in the form of liquid droplets. When the controller  1006  opens the processing liquid valve  1009 , the processing liquid discharged in shower form from the processing liquid nozzle  1003  is supplied into the inner tank  1007 . When the processing liquid overflows from the upper edge of the inner tank  1007 , the overflowing processing liquid is received and recovered by the outer tank  1008 . 
     Water or a dilute chemical solution is adopted as the processing liquid. As water, any of DIW (deionized water), carbonated water, electrolytic ion water, hydrogen water, ozone water, or hydrochloric acid water of dilute concentration (for example, approximately 10 ppm to 100 ppm) may be adopted. As a dilute chemical solution, hydrofluoric acid diluted to a predetermined concentration, BHF (buffered HF), APM (ammonia-hydrogen peroxide mixture), TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydroxide aqueous solution), ammonia water, HPM (hydrochloric acid/hydrogen peroxide mixture), etc., may be used. This applies not only to the present preferred embodiment (nineteenth preferred embodiment) but the same applies to the nineteenth to twenty-seventh preferred embodiments. 
     The substrates W held by the lifter  1004  are immersed in the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 . 
     The lifter  1004  includes a plurality of horizontally extending holding rods  1011 . The plurality of substrates W are held in a state where the plurality of substrates W are aligned in a direction extending from the front to inner side of the paper surface and held in an erect attitude (vertical attitude) with the lower edges of the respective substrates W being contacted by the plurality of holding rods  1011 . 
     The lifter  1004  includes a raising and lowering mechanism  1022 . the raising and lowering mechanism  1022  raises/lowers the lifter  1004  between a processing position (position shown in  FIG. 44 ) at which the substrates W held by the lifter  1004  are positioned inside the inner tank  1007  and a retracted position (not shown) at which the substrates W held by the lifter  1004  are positioned above the inner tank  1007 . The plurality of substrates W held by the lifter  1004  are thus immersed in the processing liquid by the lifter  1004  being moved to the processing position by the raising and lowering mechanism  1022 . The processing using the processing liquid is thereby applied to the substrates W. 
     The circulating mechanism  1005  includes a circulation piping  1012  that guides processing liquid drained from the processing tank  1002  back to the processing tank  1002 , a plurality of circulation nozzles  1013  respectively connected to a downstream side end portion of the circulation piping  1012 , and a circulation pump  1014  feeding the processing liquid from the circulation piping  1012  to the circulation nozzles  1013 . The circulation piping  1012  includes a feedback piping (overflow piping)  1019  having an upstream side end portion connected to a bottom portion of the outer tank  1008  and branch pipings (processing liquid supplying pipings)  1016  branching in plurality from a downstream side end portion of the feedback piping  1019 . The circulation nozzles  1013  is mounted to tips of the respective branch pipings  1016 . Each circulation nozzle  1013  has one or a plurality of discharge ports and discharges the processing liquid toward the interior of the inner tank  1007 . The circulation pump  1014 , a filter  1015 , and a circulation valve  1021  are interposed in that order from the upstream side in the feedback piping  1019 . The filter  1015  is a filter  1015  that filters the processing liquid flowing through the feedback piping  1012  and the feedback valve  1021  is a valve arranged to open and close the feedback piping  1019 . 
     A soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  1017  is mounted on at least one (in the present preferred embodiment, on one) of the plurality of branch pipings  1016 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  is a unit arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto the processing liquid present inside the branch piping  1016 . 
       FIG. 45A  is an illustrative sectional view of the respective arrangements of the branch piping  1016  and the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017 . 
     The branch piping  1016  is formed using, for example, a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). A first opening  1052  of, for example, circular shape is formed in a pipe wall at an intermediate portion of the branch piping  1016 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  is mounted onto the branch piping  1016  so as to close the first opening  1052 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  includes a soft X-ray generator (X-ray generator)  1025 , a cover  1026  made, for example, of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and surroundingly covering a periphery of the soft X-ray generator  1025 , and a gas nozzle (gas supplying means)  1027 , arranged to supply a gas into the interior of the cover  1026 , and irradiates soft X-rays laterally. The cover  1026  has an oblong rectangular box shape that surrounds the periphery of the soft X-ray generator  1025  across an interval from the soft X-ray generator  1025  and has a second opening  1028 , having, for example, a circular shape and the same diameter as the first opening  1052 , formed in a portion of a vertical plate-shaped side wall  1026 A facing an irradiating window  1035  to be described after the soft X-ray generator  1025 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  is mounted onto the branch piping  1016  so that the second opening  1028  of the cover  1026  is matched with the first opening  1052  of the branch piping  1016  and the side wall  1026 A is closely adhered to an outer periphery of the branch piping  1016 . 
     The second opening  1028  is closed by a disk-shaped window member  1071 . The window member  1071  closes the second opening  1028  from the inner side of the cover  1026 . Not only the second opening  1028  but also the first opening  1052  is closed by the window member  1071 . As the material of the window member  1071 , a substance of low atomic weight is used so that the soft X-rays of weak penetrability can be transmitted readily and, for example, beryllium (Be), is adopted. The thickness of the window member  1071  is set, for example, to approximately 0.3 mm. 
     The soft X-ray generator  1025  emits (radiates) soft X-rays used to ionize the processing liquid flowing through the branch piping  1016 . The soft X-ray generator  1025  includes a case body  1029 , a soft X-ray tube  1030  that is long in the right/left direction and arranged to generate the soft X-rays, and a high voltage unit  1031  supplying a high voltage to the soft X-ray tube  1030 . The case body  1029  has an oblong rectangular cylindrical shape, houses the soft X-ray tube  1030  and the high voltage unit  1031  in its interior, and is formed using a material having electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity (for example, a metal material, such as aluminum). 
     The high voltage unit  1031  inputs a driving voltage of high electrical potential, for example, of −9.5 kV into the soft X-ray tube  1030 . The high voltage unit  1031  is supplied with a voltage from a power supply (not shown) via a feeder  1043  led outside the cover  1026  through a penetrating hole  1042  formed in the cover  1026 . 
     The soft X-ray tube  1030  is constituted of a vacuum tube of circular cylindrical shape made of glass or metal and is disposed so that the tube direction is horizontal. A circular opening  1041  is defined by one end portion (opening end portion; left end portion shown in  FIG. 45A ) of the soft X-ray tube  1030 . The other end portion (right end portion shown in  FIG. 45A ) of the soft X-ray tube  1030  is closed and constitutes a stem  1032 . Inside the soft X-ray tube  1030 , a filament  1033 , which is a cathode, and a target  1036 , which is an anode, are disposed so as to face each other. The soft X-ray tube  1030  houses the filament  1033  and a focusing electrode  1034 . Specifically, the filament  1033  is disposed as the cathode at the stem  1032 . The filament  1033  is electrically connected to the high voltage unit  1031 . The filament  1033  is surrounded by the focusing electrode  1034  of circular cylindrical shape. 
     The opening end portion of the soft X-ray tube  1030  is closed by the plate-shaped irradiating window  1035  of vertical attitude. The irradiating window  1035  has, for example, a disk shape and is fixed to the wall surface at the opening end portion of the soft X-ray tube  1030  by silver alloy brazing. As the material of the irradiating window  1035 , a substance of low atomic weight is used so that the soft X-rays of weak penetrability can be transmitted readily and, for example, beryllium (Be), is adopted. The thickness of the irradiating window  1035  is set, for example, to approximately 0.3 mm. The irradiating window  1035  is disposed to face an inner surface  1071 A of the window member  1071  across a minute interval with respect to the window member  1071 . 
     The target  1036  made of metal is formed by vapor deposition on an inner surface  1035 A of the irradiating window  1035 . A metal of high atomic weight and high melting point, such as tungsten (W) or tantalum (Ta), is used in the target  1036 . 
     By application of the driving voltage from the high voltage unit  1031  to the filament  1033  that is the cathode, electrons are emitted from the filament  1033 . The electrons emitted from the filament  1033  are converged and made into an electron beam by the focusing electrode  1034  and generate soft X-rays upon colliding against the target  1036 . The generated soft X-rays are emitted (radiated) toward a lateral direction (left direction shown in  FIG. 45A ) from the irradiating window  1035  and irradiate the interior of the branch piping  1016  through the window member  1071  and the first opening  1052 . The irradiation angle (irradiation range) of the soft X-rays from the irradiating window  1035  is a wide angle (for example, 130°) as shown in  FIG. 46 . The soft X-rays irradiated from the irradiating window  1035  onto the interior of the branch piping  1016  are, for example, 0.13 to 0.4 nm in wavelength. 
     The entirety of an outer surface (wall surface of the closed window at the side at which the processing liquid flows)  1071 B of the window member  1071  is covered by a hydrophilic coating film (coating film)  1038 . The hydrophilic coating film  1038  is, for example, a polyimide resin coating film. The outer surface  1071 B of the window member  1071  is covered with the hydrophilic coating film  1038  to protect the window member  1071 , which is made of beryllium that is poor in acid resistance, from an acid contained in water or other processing liquid. The film thickness of the hydrophilic coating film  1038  is not more than 50 μm and is especially preferably approximately 10 μm. The hydrophilic coating film  1038  has hydrophilicity and is thus capable of suppressing or preventing the mixing in of air bubbles between the coating film  1038  and the processing liquid. The soft X-rays from the irradiating window  1035  can thereby be irradiated satisfactorily onto the processing liquid flowing through the branch piping  1016 . 
     A discharge port of the gas nozzle  1027  is opened in an upper wall of the cover  1026 . A gas from a gas supply source (not shown) is supplied to the gas nozzle  1027  via a gas valve (gas supplying means)  1037 . As examples of the gas discharged by the gas nozzle  1027 , an inert gas such as CDA (clean dry air), nitrogen gas, can be cited. The gas discharged from the gas nozzle  1027  is supplied to the interior of the cover  1026 . Although heat may be generated by the soft X-ray generator  1025  due to driving of the soft X-ray generator  1025 , the soft X-ray generator  1025  can be cooled and temperature rise of the ambient atmosphere of the soft X-ray generator  1025  can be suppressed by supplying the gas into the interior of the cover  1026 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 44 , the controller  1006  has an arrangement that includes a microcomputer and controls the operations of the raising and lowering mechanism  1022 , the circulation pump  1014 , etc., in accordance with a predetermined program. Further, the controller  1006  controls the opening and closing operations of the processing liquid valve  1009 , the liquid drain valve  1020 , etc. 
       FIG. 45B  is a process diagram of a processing example of the substrate processing executed in the substrate processing apparatus  1001 . The processing example of the substrate processing shall now be described with reference to  FIG. 44 ,  FIG. 45A , and  FIG. 45B . 
     Even when the processing of the substrates W is not being performed in the processing tank  1002 , the circulation of the processing liquid is performed continuously in the circulating mechanism  1005 . That is, with the exception of specific situations, such as exchange of the processing liquid, apparatus maintenance, the processing liquid is constantly stored in the processing tank  1002  and the processing liquid is circulated through the circulation piping  1012  without being stagnant inside the processing tank  1002 . During such circulation, the circulating valve  1021  is opened. Consequently, the processing liquid flowing out from the outer tank  1008  passes through the circulation piping  1012  and is supplied from the circulation nozzles  1013  into the interior of the inner tank  1007 . The processing liquid is supplied further from the circulation nozzles  1013  in a state where the interior of the inner tank  1007  is filled with the processing liquid and therefore the excess processing liquid overflows from the upper end portion of the inner tank  1007  and flows into the outer tank  1008 . The processing liquid flowing out from the outer tank  1008  then passes through the circulation piping  1012  and is supplied from the circulation nozzles  1013  into the interior of the inner tank  1007 . 
     With the start of a substrate immersion processing, the circulation valve  1021  is closed, the driving of the circulation pump  1014  is stopped, and the liquid drain valve  1020  is opened so that the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  is drained rapidly (step S 1001 ). 
     After the processing liquid has been drained from the inner tank  1007  and the interior of the inner tank  1007  has become empty, the controller  1006  controls the lifter  1004  to lower the plurality of substrates W, which were received at a receiving/passing position, to the processing position in the interior of the inner tank  1007 . The substrates W are thereby loaded into the processing tank  1002  (step S 1002 ). The substrates W are held in the interior of the inner tank  1007  that is empty. 
     After the unprocessed substrates W have been loaded into the processing tank  1002  and held at the processing position, the controller  1006  opens the processing liquid valve  1009  to make the processing liquid be discharged in shower form from the processing liquid nozzle  1003  (step S 1003 ). At this point, the liquid drain valve  1020  is kept open and the liquid drain port (not shown) is opened so that processing liquid that contains contaminants is not stored. 
     Thereafter, when a predetermined shower cleaning time elapses, the controller  1006  closes the liquid drain valve  1020 . At this point, the discharge of processing liquid from the processing liquid nozzle  1003  is continued and therefore the processing liquid is stored in the inner tank  1007 . The substrate immersion processing, with which the substrates W are immersed in the processing liquid, is thereby executed. 
     When the inner tank  1007  becomes full with the processing liquid, the controller  1006  closes the processing liquid valve  1009  to stop the discharge of the processing liquid from the processing liquid nozzle  1003 . Also, the controller  1006  starts driving of the circulation pump  1014  and opens the circulation valve  1021 . The processing liquid is thereby circulated through the circulation piping  1012  without being stagnant inside the processing tank  1002  (step S 1004 ). Specifically, the processing liquid flowing out from the outer tank  1008  passes through the circulation piping  1012  and is supplied from the circulation nozzles  1013  into the interior of the inner tank  1007 . The processing liquid is supplied further from the circulation nozzles  1013  in the state where the interior of the inner tank  1007  is filled with the processing liquid and therefore the excess processing liquid overflows from the upper end portion of the inner tank  1007  and flows into the outer tank  1008 . The processing liquid flowing out from the outer tank  1008  then passes through the circulation piping  1012  and is supplied from the circulation nozzles  1013  into the interior of the inner tank  1007 . Particles and other contaminants are eliminated when the circulating processing liquid passes through the filter  1015 . Clean processing liquid, from which contaminants have been eliminated, is thus discharged from the circulation nozzles  1013  toward the interior of the inner tank  1007 . In this state, the processing liquid is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle pipings of the circulation nozzles  1013  and inside the branch pipings  1016 . 
     Also, the controller  1006  controls the high voltage unit  1031  (see  FIG. 45A ) to make the soft X-ray generator  1025  (see  FIG. 45A ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  generate the soft X-rays so that the soft X-rays are irradiated from the irradiating window  1035  (see  FIG. 45A ) toward the interior of the branch piping  1016  via the window member  1071  (step S 1005 ). The soft X-rays are thereby irradiated onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the branch piping  1016 . 
       FIG. 46  is an illustrative view of a state of irradiation of the soft X-rays onto the interior of the branch piping  1016  shown in  FIG. 44 . 
     In parallel to the substrate immersion processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated onto the processing liquid flowing inside the branch piping  1016 . At a portion of the processing liquid inside the branch piping  1016  irradiated with the soft X-rays (the portion inside the branch piping  1016  facing the first opening  1052 ; the hatched portion shown in  FIG. 46 ; hereinafter referred to as the “irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid”), electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules. Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, the processing liquid is in the liquid-tight state inside the nozzle pipings of the circulation nozzles  1013  and inside the branch pipings  1016  as mentioned above and therefore the substrates W immersed in the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the processing liquid inside the branch pipings  1016 . If at this point, the substrates W are positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrates W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid to move toward the substrates W via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the processing liquid inside the branch pipings  1016 . The substrates W are thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrates W is thus achieved. 
     Also, even if the substrates W are positively charged from before being immersed in the processing liquid, static elimination of the substrates W via the processing liquid in the inner tank  1007  and the processing liquid inside the branch pipings  1016  can be achieved based on the same principles. 
     As shown in  FIG. 45B , when a predetermined immersion processing time elapses from the start of the immersion processing, the controller  1006  stops the irradiation of soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  (step S 1006 ). 
     Thereafter, the processed substrates W are carried out of the inner tank  1007  (step S 1007 ). The carrying-out of the substrates W is performed by the lifter  1004 , which holds the plurality of substrates W in a batch, being raised from the processing position in the interior of the inner tank  1007  to the receiving/passing position thereabove. The lot constituted of the plurality of substrates W raised to the receiving/passing position is conveyed to a processing tank of a subsequent process. 
     If there are subsequent substrates W to be processed successively, step S 1001  is returned to and the series of processing is executed repeatedly. 
     By the above arrangement, charging of the substrates W during the processing liquid immersion processing can be prevented with the nineteenth preferred embodiment. Also, even if the substrates W are charged from before the immersion processing, the charges carried by the substrates W can be eliminated (that is, static elimination can be achieved). Consequently, device breakdown due to charging of the substrates W can be prevented. 
       FIG. 47  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  1201  to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twentieth preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
     Portions of the twentieth preferred embodiment that are in common to the nineteenth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 44  to  FIG. 46  and description thereof shall be omitted. A point of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  1201  according to the twentieth preferred embodiment with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  1001  according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment is that a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  1217  is installed further upstream than the circulation pump  1014  in the feedback piping  1019 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1217  is mounted on the feedback piping  1019 . 
     The feedback piping  1019  has a round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape) and is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). An opening (not shown) is formed in a pipe wall at an intermediate portion of the feedback piping  1019  further upstream than the circulation pump  1014 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1217  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  (see  FIG. 45A ) according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1217  is mounted onto the feedback piping  1019  so as to close the opening in the feedback piping  1019 . Specifically, an opening in the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1217  (an opening corresponding to the second opening  1028  (see  FIG. 45A ) in the cover  1026  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017 ) is matched with the opening in the feedback piping  1019  and a wall surface of the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1217  (corresponding to the side wall  1026 A (see  FIG. 45A ) of the cover  1026  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017 ) is closely adhered to the outer periphery of the feedback piping  1019 . A high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1217  (corresponding to the high voltage unit  1031  (see  FIG. 45A ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment) is connected to the controller  1006 . 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  1201 , the same processing as that of the processing example shown in  FIG. 45B  is performed. In the substrate immersion processing (steps S 1004  to S 1006  of  FIG. 45B ), the processing liquid is circulated through the circulation piping  1012  without being stagnant inside the processing tank  1002 . The processing liquid is supplied further from the circulation nozzles  1013  in the state where the interior of the inner tank  1007  is filled with the processing liquid and therefore the excess processing liquid overflows (spills) from the upper end portion of the inner tank  1007  and flows into the outer tank  1008 . 
       FIG. 48  is a schematic sectional view of a state where the processing liquid is overflowing from the upper end portion of the inner tank  1007 . 
     The outer tank  1008  has a bottom wall  1081  of circular annular plate shape that surrounds an outer periphery of the inner tank  1007  and has a rising wall  1082  rising vertically upward from an outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall  1081 . An overflow port  1083 , constituted of a penetrating hole penetrating through the bottom wall  1081  in the thickness direction, is formed, for example, in one location in a circumferential direction of the bottom wall  1081 . The upstream side end portion of the feedback piping  1019  is connected to the overflow port  1083 . 
     In the substrate immersion processing (steps S 1004  to S 1006  of  FIG. 45B ), the supplying of the processing liquid from the circulation nozzles  1013  is continued intermittently and therefore the interior of the feedback piping  1019  is put in a state of being liquid-tight with the processing liquid. Also as shown in  FIG. 48 , a state where a liquid mass  1080  of the processing liquid overrides the upper end portion of the inner tank  1007  is sustained constantly and therefore the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the processing liquid stored in the outer tank  1008  are constantly connected by such a liquid mass  1080  of the processing liquid. 
     In parallel to the substrate immersion processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1217  onto the processing liquid flowing inside the feedback piping  1019  (step S 1005  of  FIG. 45B ). 
     At a portion of the processing liquid inside the feedback piping  1019  irradiated with the soft X-rays (the irradiated portion of the processing liquid; portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 46 ), electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules. Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, the processing liquid is in the liquid-tight state inside the feedback piping  1019  and the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the processing liquid stored in the outer tank  1008  are constantly connected by the liquid mass  1080  of the processing liquid as mentioned above and therefore the substrates W immersed in the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , the processing liquid stored in the outer tank  1008 , and the processing liquid inside the feedback piping  1019 . If at this point, the substrates W are positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrates W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the substrates W via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the processing liquid inside the feedback piping  1019 . The substrates W are thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrates W is thus achieved. 
     By the above, actions and effects equivalent to those described for the nineteenth preferred embodiment are also exhibited by the twentieth preferred embodiment. 
       FIG. 49  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  1301  to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-first preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
     Portions of the twenty-first preferred embodiment that are in common to the nineteenth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 44  to  FIG. 46  and description thereof shall be omitted. Points of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  1301  according to the twenty-first preferred embodiment with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  1001  according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment are that it includes, in place of the inner tank  1007 , an inner tank  1307  having a substantially box-shaped first bulging portion  1318  and that a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  1317  is installed on a wall of the first bulging portion  1318 . 
     The first bulging portion  1318  bulges horizontally outward from a peripheral wall  1307 A of circular cylindrical shape of the inner tank  1307  and is formed integral to the peripheral wall  1307 A of the inner tank  1307 . An opening  1321  is formed in an upper wall or a lower wall (upper surface in  FIG. 49 ) of the first bulging portion  1318 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1317  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  (see  FIG. 45A ) according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1317  is mounted so as to close the opening  1321  in the first bulging portion  1318 . Specifically, an opening in the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1317  (an opening corresponding to the second opening  1028  (see  FIG. 45A ) in the cover  1026  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017 ) is matched with the opening  1321  in the first bulging portion  1318  and a wall surface of the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1317  (corresponding to the side wall  1026 A (see  FIG. 45A ) of the cover  1026  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017 ) is closely adhered to the upper wall of the first bulging portion  1318 . A high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1317  (corresponding to the high voltage unit  1031  (see  FIG. 45A ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment) is connected to the controller  1006 . 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  1301 , the same processing as that of the processing example shown in  FIG. 45B  is performed. In the substrate immersion processing (steps S 1004  to S 1006  of  FIG. 45B ), the processing liquid is stored inside the inner tank  1307  and the interior of the first bulging portion  1318  is thereby put in a liquid-tight state by the processing liquid. 
     In parallel to the substrate immersion processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1317  onto the processing liquid flowing inside the first bulging portion  1318  (step S 1005  of  FIG. 45B ). 
     At a portion of the processing liquid inside the first bulging portion  1318  irradiated with the soft X-rays (the irradiated portion of the processing liquid; portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 46 ), electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules. Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, the substrates W immersed in the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1307  and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1307 . If at this point, the substrates W are positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrates W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the substrates W via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1307 . The substrates W are thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrates W is thus achieved. 
     By the above, actions and effects equivalent to those described for the nineteenth preferred embodiment are also exhibited by the twenty-first preferred embodiment. 
       FIG. 50  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  1401  to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-second preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
     Portions of the twenty-second preferred embodiment that are in common to the nineteenth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 44  to  FIG. 46  and description thereof shall be omitted. Points of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  1401  according to the twenty-second preferred embodiment with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  1001  according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment are that it includes, in place of the inner tank  1007 , an inner tank  1407  having a substantially box-shaped second bulging portion  1418  at a bottom portion and that a soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means)  1417  is installed on a piping  1423  connected to the second bulging portion  1418 . 
     Although the substrate processing apparatus  1401  includes a circulating mechanism of an arrangement equivalent to the circulating mechanism  1005  (see  FIG. 44 ), illustration thereof is omitted from  FIG. 50 . 
     The second bulging portion  1418  bulges horizontally outward from a bottom wall  1407 A of the inner tank  1407  and is formed integral to the bottom wall  1407 A of the inner tank  1407 . A liquid drain valve  1420  is installed at a predetermined position of a lower wall of the second bulging portion  1418 . The liquid drain valve  1420  has an arrangement equivalent to the liquid drain valve  1020  (see  FIG. 44 ). The second bulging portion  1418  is thus a portion for installing a QDR (quick dump rinse) function. The processing liquid drained from the bottom portion of the inner tank  1407  is arranged to be sent to and processed at a waste liquid apparatus or a recovery apparatus. 
     One end of the piping  1423  is connected, for example, to an upper wall of the second bulging portion  1418 . The interior of the piping  1423  is in communication with the interior of the second bulging portion  1418 . Preferably, the position of connection of the piping  1423  at the second bulging portion  1418  is a position that differs in a plan view from the position of installation of the liquid drain valve  1420  at the second bulging portion  1418 . 
     The piping  1423  has a round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape) and is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). An opening  1421  is formed at an intermediate portion of the piping  1423 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1417  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  (see  FIG. 45A ) according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1417  is mounted onto the piping  1423  so as to close the opening  1421  in the piping  1423 . Specifically, an opening in the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1417  (an opening corresponding to the second opening  1028  (see  FIG. 45A ) in the cover  1026  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017 ) is matched with the opening  1421  in the piping  1423  and a wall surface of the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1417  (corresponding to the side wall  1026 A (see  FIG. 45A ) of the cover  1026  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017 ) is closely adhered to the outer periphery of the piping  1423 . A high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1417  (corresponding to the high voltage unit  1031  (see  FIG. 45A ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment) is connected to the controller  1006 . 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  1401 , the same processing as that of the processing example shown in  FIG. 45B  is performed. In the substrate immersion processing (steps S 1004  to S 1006  of  FIG. 45B ), the processing liquid is stored inside the inner tank  1407  and the interior of the second bulging portion  1418  as well as the interior of the piping  1423  are thereby put in a liquid-tight state by the processing liquid. 
     In parallel to the substrate immersion processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1417  onto the processing liquid flowing inside the piping  1423  (step S 1005  of  FIG. 45B ). 
     At a portion of the processing liquid inside the piping  1423  irradiated with the soft X-rays (the irradiated portion of the processing liquid; portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 46 ), electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules. Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, as mentioned above, the processing liquid is in the liquid-tight state inside the piping  1423  and the interior of the second bulging portion  1418  is also put in a liquid-tight state by the processing liquid, and therefore the substrates W immersed in the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1407  and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1407  (including the second bulging portion  1418 ) and the processing liquid in the piping  1423 . If at this point, the substrates W are positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrates W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the substrates W via the processing liquid in the piping  1423  and the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1407 . The substrates W are thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrates W is thus achieved. 
     By the above, actions and effects equivalent to those described for the nineteenth preferred embodiment are also exhibited by the twenty-second preferred embodiment. 
       FIG. 51  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  1501  to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-third preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
     Portions of the twenty-third preferred embodiment that are in common to the nineteenth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 44  to  FIG. 46  and description thereof shall be omitted. Points of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  1501  according to the twenty-third preferred embodiment with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  1001  according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment are that the circulating mechanism  1005  (see  FIG. 44 ) is not provided and the processing liquid flowing out from the outer tank  1008  is disposed or recovered through a drain piping  1519  and that a processing liquid nozzle  1561  is provided in place of the processing liquid nozzle  1003  (see  FIG. 44 ). A soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the processing liquid nozzle  1561  is mounted on the processing liquid nozzle  1561 . The processing liquid nozzle  1561  is, for example, a straight nozzle that discharges the processing liquid in a continuous flow state and is disposed with its discharge port  1553  directed toward the interior of the inner tank  1007 . The processing liquid nozzle  1561  is connected to a processing liquid piping  1513  to which the processing liquid is supplied from a processing liquid supply source. A processing liquid valve  1514  arranged to switch between supplying and stopping the supplying of the processing liquid from the processing liquid nozzle  1561  is interposed in an intermediate portion of the processing liquid piping  1513 . 
     The processing liquid nozzle  1561  has a nozzle piping  1551  of round pipe shape (circular cylindrical shape) that extends in a vertical direction. The nozzle piping  1551  is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). A round discharge port  1553  is opened in a tip portion (lower end portion) of the nozzle piping  1551 . An opening  1552 , for example of circular shape, is formed in a pipe wall of an intermediate portion of the nozzle piping  1551 . 
     The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  adopts an arrangement equivalent to the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  (see  FIG. 45A ) according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment. The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  is mounted onto the nozzle piping  1551  so as to close the opening  1552  in the nozzle piping  1551 . Specifically, an opening in the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  (an opening corresponding to the second opening  1028  (see  FIG. 45A ) in the cover  1026  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017 ) is matched with the opening  1552  and a wall surface of the cover of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  (corresponding to the side wall  1026 A (see  FIG. 45A ) of the cover  1026  of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017 ) is closely adhered to the outer periphery of the nozzle piping  1551 . A high voltage unit of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  corresponding to the high voltage unit  1031  (see  FIG. 45A ) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017  according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment) is connected to the controller  1006 . 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  1501 , after the processing liquid is stored in a processing tank  1502 , the substrates W are loaded in a batch into the processing tank  1502  by the lifter  1004 . Thereafter, the substrate immersion processing (steps S 1004  to S 1006  of  FIG. 45B ) is executed. However, the substrate processing apparatus  1501  is not provided with the circulating mechanism  1005  (see  FIG. 44 ) and therefore in the substrate immersion processing, the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1502  is not circulated. Instead, the supplying of the processing liquid from the processing liquid nozzle  1561  is continued intermittently during the substrate immersion processing. In the substrate immersion processing, the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  1553  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561  takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  1553  and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 . Also, the processing liquid is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping  1551  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561 . 
     In parallel to the substrate immersion processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the nozzle piping  1551  (step S 1005  of  FIG. 45B ). 
     At a portion of the processing liquid inside the nozzle piping  1551  irradiated with the soft X-rays (the irradiated portion of the processing liquid; portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 46 ), electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules. Consequently, a plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, as mentioned above, the processing liquid is in the liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping  1551  and the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  1553  takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  1553  and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , and therefore the substrates W immersed in the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 . If at this point, the substrates W are positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrates W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the substrates W via the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 . The substrates W are thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrates W is thus achieved. 
     By the above, actions and effects equivalent to those described for the nineteenth preferred embodiment are also exhibited by the twenty-third preferred embodiment. 
     Although with the twenty-third preferred embodiment, a case where the soft X-rays are irradiated from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the nozzle piping  1551  was described as an example, the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  may be provided on a piping, the interior of which is in communication with the nozzle piping  1551 , and the soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  may be irradiated onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of this piping. 
       FIG. 52  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  1601  to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
     Portions of the twenty-fourth preferred embodiment that are in common to the nineteenth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 44  to  FIG. 46  and description thereof shall be omitted. Points of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  1601  according to the twenty-fourth preferred embodiment with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  1001  according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment are that the circulating mechanism  1005  (see  FIG. 44 ) is not provided and the processing liquid flowing out from the outer tank  1008  is disposed or recovered through the drain piping  1519  and that the processing liquid nozzle  1561  discharging the processing liquid toward the outer tank  1008  is provided. 
     The processing liquid nozzle  1561  is, for example, a straight nozzle that discharges the processing liquid in a continuous flow state and is disposed with its discharge port  1553  directed toward the interior of the outer tank  1008 . The soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  arranged to irradiate soft X-rays onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the processing liquid nozzle  1561  is mounted on the processing liquid nozzle  1561 . The series of arrangements related to the processing liquid nozzle  1561  and the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  is the same as that in the twenty-third preferred embodiment and therefore the same reference symbols as those of the twenty-third preferred embodiment are provided and description thereof shall be omitted. 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  1601 , the same processing as that of the processing example shown in  FIG. 45B  is performed. However, the substrate processing apparatus  1601  is not provided with the circulating mechanism  1005  (see  FIG. 44 ) and therefore in the substrate immersion processing (steps S 1004  to S 1006  of  FIG. 45B ), the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1502  is not circulated. Instead, the supplying of the processing liquid from the processing liquid nozzle  1003  is continued intermittently during the substrate immersion processing. The processing liquid is supplied further from the processing liquid nozzle  1003  in the state where the interior of the inner tank  1007  is filled with the processing liquid and therefore the excess processing liquid overflows (spills) from the upper end portion of the inner tank  1007  and flows into the outer tank  1008 . In the meantime, a state where a liquid mass of the processing liquid (the same liquid mass as the liquid mass  1080  of the processing liquid of  FIG. 48 ) overrides the upper end portion of the inner tank  1007  is sustained constantly and therefore the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the processing liquid stored in the outer tank  1008  are constantly connected by the liquid mass of the processing liquid. 
     In parallel to the substrate immersion processing, the processing liquid valve  1514  is opened and the processing liquid from the discharge port  1553  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561  is discharged toward the interior of the outer tank  1008 . The form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  1553  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561  takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  1553  and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the outer tank  1008 . In the meantime, the processing liquid is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping  1551  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561 . 
     Also in parallel to the substrate immersion processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the nozzle piping  1551  (step S 1005  of  FIG. 45B ). 
     At the portion of the processing liquid inside the nozzle piping  1551  irradiated with the soft X-rays (the irradiated portion of the processing liquid; portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 46 ), electrons are emitted from water molecules due to excitation of the water molecules. Consequently, the plasma state, in which a large amount of the electrons and a large amount of positive ions of water molecules coexist, is formed in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, the processing liquid is in the liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping  1551 , the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  1553  takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  1553  and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the outer tank  1008 , and the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the processing liquid stored in the outer tank  1008  are constantly connected by the liquid mass of the processing liquid and therefore the substrates W immersed in the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , the processing liquid stored in the outer tank  1008 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 . If at this point, the substrates W are positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrates W causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the substrates W via the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, the processing liquid stored in the outer tank  1008 , and the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 . The substrates W are thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrates W is thus achieved. 
     By the above, actions and effects equivalent to those described for the nineteenth preferred embodiment are also exhibited by the twenty-fourth preferred embodiment. 
     Also, when a hydrophilic coating film (corresponding to the hydrophilic coating film  1038  (see  FIG. 45 )) peels off from an outer surface of a window member (corresponding to the outer surface  71 B of the window member  1071  (see  FIG. 45A )) of the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562 , the beryllium contained in the window member may become dissolved in the processing liquid. Even in such a case, the processing liquid containing beryllium is drained via the drain piping  1519  and the supplying of the processing liquid containing beryllium to the substrates W can thereby be avoided reliably. 
       FIG. 53  is a diagram of the arrangement of a substrate processing apparatus  1701  to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
     Portions of the twenty-fifth preferred embodiment that are in common to the twenty-third preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 51  and description thereof shall be omitted. A point of difference of the substrate processing apparatus  1701  according to the twenty-fifth preferred embodiment with respect to the substrate processing apparatus  1501  according to the twenty-third preferred embodiment is that a plurality of substrates W are immersed inside the processing tank  1502  together with a cassette  1702  that holds the plurality of substrates W in a batch. Although not illustrated in  FIG. 53 , the substrate processing apparatus  1701  is provided with the arrangements of the lifter  1004 , the raising and lowering mechanism  1022 , etc., of the twenty-third preferred embodiment. The cassette  1702  holding the plurality of substrates W in a batch is held and raised/lowered by the lifter  1004 . 
     The cassette  1702  is formed using a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFA (perfluoroalkylvinyl ether tetrafluoroethylene copolymer). 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  1701 , after the processing liquid is stored in a processing tank  1502 , the plurality of substrates W and the cassette  1702  are loaded into the processing tank  1502 . Thereafter, the substrate immersion processing (steps S 1004  to S 1006  of  FIG. 45B ) is executed. 
     As in the twenty-third preferred embodiment, the supplying of the processing liquid from the processing liquid nozzle  1561  is continued intermittently during the substrate immersion processing. In the substrate immersion processing, the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  1553  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561  takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  1553  and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , and also, the processing liquid is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping  1551  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561 . 
     Also in parallel to the substrate immersion processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the nozzle piping  1551  (step S 1005  of  FIG. 45B ). At the portion of the processing liquid inside the nozzle piping  1551  irradiated with the soft X-rays (the irradiated portion of the processing liquid; portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 46 ), the plasma state described above is formed in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, as mentioned above, the processing liquid is in the liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping  1551  and the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  1553  takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  1553  and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , and therefore the substrates W and the cassette  1702  immersed in the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 . If at this point, the substrates W and the cassette  1702  are positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrates W and the cassette  1702  causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the substrates W and the cassette  1702  via the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 . The substrates W are thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrates W is thus achieved. 
     Also although depending on the material of the cassette  1702 , it may be considered that the cassette  1702  is negatively charged, in this case, the electrons from the cassette  1702  move toward the positive ions in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 . The electrons are thereby eliminated from the cassette  1702  and static elimination of the negatively charged cassette  1702  is achieved. 
     By the above, actions and effects equivalent to those described for the nineteenth preferred embodiment are also exhibited by the twenty-fifth preferred embodiment. 
     The charging of the cassette  1702  during the immersion processing by the processing liquid can also be prevented. Also, even if the cassette  1702  is charged from before the immersion processing, the charges carried by the substrates W therein can be eliminated (that is, static elimination can be achieved). 
     Although with the nineteenth to twenty-fifth preferred embodiments, cases of applying present invention to the substrate processing apparatuses  1001 ,  1201 ,  1301 ,  1401 ,  1501 , and  1601 , with each of which the processing objects are the substrates W, were described, the present invention may also be applied to a processing liquid processing apparatus (article cleaning apparatus) with which a processing object besides a substrate W is processed. 
       FIG. 54  is a diagram of the arrangement of an article cleaning apparatus  1801  to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
     The article cleaning apparatus  1801  is an apparatus, with which the processing object is, for example, an optical part such as a lens L, and which is arranged to clean the optical part using a processing liquid (cleaning liquid). With the article cleaning apparatus  1801 , lenses L are immersed in the processing tank  1502  to clean the lenses L. A plurality of the lenses L are immersed into the processing tank  1502  in a state of being housed in a batch in a cassette  1802 . The article cleaning apparatus  1801  is provided with an ultrasonic generator (not shown) that generates ultrasonic vibrations in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1502 . 
     With the exception of being provided with the ultrasonic generator (not shown), the general arrangement of the article cleaning apparatus  1801  is equivalent to the arrangement of the substrate processing apparatus  1701  according to the twenty-fifth preferred embodiment, and therefore portions of the twenty-sixth preferred embodiment that are in common to the twenty-fifth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 53  and description thereof shall be omitted. 
     With the article cleaning apparatus  1801 , after the lenses L and the cassette  1802  are loaded into the processing tank  1502 , the processing liquid is stored in the processing tank  1502 . The lenses L and the cassette  1802  are thereby immersed in the processing liquid and the lenses L are cleaned by such an immersion processing being continued for a predetermined period. 
     As in the twenty-third preferred embodiment, the supplying of the processing liquid from the processing liquid nozzle  1561  is continued intermittently during the immersion processing. In the immersion processing, the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  1553  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561  takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  1553  and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , and also, the processing liquid is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping  1551  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561 . 
     Also in parallel to the immersion processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the nozzle piping  1551  (step S 1005  of  FIG. 45B ). At the portion of the processing liquid inside the nozzle piping  1551  irradiated with the soft X-rays (the irradiated portion of the processing liquid; portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 46 ), the plasma state described above is formed in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, as mentioned above, the processing liquid is in the liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping  1551  and the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  1553  takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  1553  and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , and therefore the lenses L and the cassette  1802  immersed in the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 . If at this point, the lenses L and the cassette  1802  are positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged lenses L and cassette  1802  causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the lenses L and the cassette  1802  via the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 . The substrates W are thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged lenses L is thus achieved. 
     Also although depending on the material of the cassette  1802 , it may be considered that the cassette  1802  is negatively charged, in this case, the electrons from the cassette  1802  move toward the positive ions in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 . The electrons are thereby eliminated from the cassette  1802  and static elimination of the negatively charged cassette  1802  is achieved. 
     By the above, the charging of the lenses L during the immersion processing by the processing liquid can be prevented with the twenty-sixth preferred embodiment. Also, even if the lenses L are charged from before the immersion processing, the charges carried by the lenses L can be eliminated (that is, static elimination can be achieved). 
     Although in the above description, it was described that the plurality of lenses L are immersed in the processing liquid in a state of being housed in the cassette  1802 , the lenses L may be immersed directly in the processing liquid (without being housed in the cassette  1802 ). 
     Also, although the description was provided with the lenses L (see  FIG. 54 ) as an example of optical parts, the processing object may be a parts container housing an optical part, such as a mirror, diffraction grating. The cleaning object (processing object) may also be a part other than an optical part. 
     Also in the article cleaning apparatus  1801  according to the twenty-sixth preferred embodiment, the same arrangements as those of the nineteenth to twenty-second and twenty-fourth preferred embodiments may be adopted. In this case, the same processing as that described with the nineteenth to twenty-second and twenty-fourth preferred embodiments is applied. That is, the optical part (lens L) or other part is immersed in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1502  and in parallel thereto, the soft X-rays from the soft X-ray unit  1017 ,  1217 ,  1317 , or  1417  are irradiated onto the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1502  or the processing liquid present in the piping  1016 ,  1019 , or  1423 , the interior of which is in communication with the interior of the processing tank  1502 . 
       FIG. 55  is a diagram of the arrangement of an article cleaning apparatus  1901  to which a processing liquid processing apparatus according to a twenty-seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
     The article cleaning apparatus  1901  is an apparatus, with which the processing object is, for example, a substrate container (container)  1602 , and which is arranged to clean the substrate container  1602  using a processing liquid (cleaning liquid). With the article cleaning apparatus  1901 , the substrate container  1602  is immersed into the processing tank  1502  to clean the substrate container  1602 . 
       FIG. 56  is a perspective view of the arrangement of the substrate container  1602 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 56 , the substrate container  1602  is a container that houses substrates W in a sealed state. An FOSB (front opening shipping box) can be cited as an example of the substrate container  1602 . The FOSB is mainly used for delivery of substrates W from a semiconductor wafer manufacturer to a semiconductor device manufacturer. The FOSB houses a plurality of unprocessed substrates W and prevents damaging of the substrates W while maintaining the degree of cleanness of the substrates W. 
     The substrate container  1602  includes a container main body  1603  with the shape of a bottomed box and having an opening  1603 A at a side, a lid  1604  arranged to open and close the opening  1603 A of the container main body  1603 , a multiple-stage container support rack  1606  mounted on an inner wall of the container main body  1603 , and a multiple-stage lid support rack  1605  mounted on the lid  1604 . The substrates W are taken into and out of the interior of the container main body  1603  via the opening  1603 A. The container main body  1603  and the lid  1604  are respectively formed using, for example, a resin material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride). 
     As shown in  FIG. 55 , the general arrangement of the article cleaning apparatus  1901  is equivalent to the arrangement of the substrate processing apparatus  1701  according to the twenty-fifth preferred embodiment, and therefore portions of the twenty-seventh preferred embodiment that are in common to the twenty-fifth preferred embodiment are provided with the same reference symbols as in  FIG. 53  and description thereof shall be omitted. 
     With the substrate processing apparatus  1901 , after the substrate container  1602  (container main body  1603 ) is loaded into the processing tank  1502 , the processing liquid is stored in the processing tank  1502 . The substrate container  1602  is thereby immersed in the processing liquid and the substrate container  1602  is cleaned by such an immersion processing being continued for a predetermined period. 
     As in the twenty-fifth preferred embodiment, the supplying of the processing liquid from the processing liquid nozzle  1561  is continued intermittently during the immersion processing. In the immersion processing, the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  1553  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561  takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  1553  and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , and also, the processing liquid is in a liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping  1551  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561 . 
     Also in parallel to the immersion processing, the soft X-rays are irradiated from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562  onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the nozzle piping  1551  (step S 5  of  FIG. 45B ). At the portion of the processing liquid inside the nozzle piping  1551  irradiated with the soft X-rays (the irradiated portion of the processing liquid; portion equivalent to the irradiated portion  1054  of the processing liquid according to the nineteenth preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 46 ), the plasma state described above is formed in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid. 
     In this case, as mentioned above, the processing liquid is in the liquid-tight state inside the nozzle piping  1551  and the form of the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port  1553  takes the form of a continuous flow connected to both the discharge port  1553  and the liquid surface of the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , and therefore the substrate container  1602  immersed in the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007  and the irradiated portion of the processing liquid are connected via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 . If at this point, the substrate container  1602  is positively charged, the potential difference between the irradiated portion of the processing liquid and the positively charged substrate container  1602  causes the electrons from the irradiated portion of the processing liquid to move toward the substrate container  1602  via the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 . The substrates W are thereby supplied with a large amount of electrons and static elimination of the positively charged substrate container  1602  (container main body  1603 ) is thus achieved. 
     Also although depending on the material of the substrate container  1602 , it may be considered that the substrate container  1602  is negatively charged, in this case, the electrons from the substrate container  1602  move toward the positive ions in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid via the processing liquid stored in the inner tank  1007 , the processing liquid of continuous flow form, and the processing liquid in the nozzle piping  1551 . The electrons are thereby eliminated from the substrate container  1602  and static elimination of the negatively charged substrate container  1602  is achieved. 
     By the above, the charging of the substrate container  1602  during the immersion processing by the processing liquid can be prevented with the twenty-seventh preferred embodiment. Also, even if substrate container  1602  is charged from before the immersion processing, the charges carried by the substrate container  1602  can be eliminated (that is, static elimination can be achieved). 
     Although in  FIG. 55 , an example of cleaning the container main body  1603  of the substrate container  1602  was described, the cleaning method may be adopted similarly to clean the lid  1604  or the support rack  1605  or  1606  to apply the cleaning processing to the lid  1604  or the support rack  1605  or  1606  while achieving static elimination of the lid  1604  or the support rack  1605  or  1606 . 
     Also, although the FOSB was described as an example of the substrate container  1602 , an FOUP (front opening unified pod), which houses substrates W in a sealed state and is mainly used for conveying substrates W within a plant of a semiconductor wafer manufacturer, can also be cited as an example. Besides this, an SMIF (standard mechanical interface) pod, OC (open cassette), and other forms of substrate containers can be cited as examples of the substrate container  1602 . 
     Also, the container is not restricted to that which houses a substrate W, and the processing object may be a medium container housing a disk-shaped medium, such as a CD, DVD, blue disk, or a parts container housing an optical part, such as a lens L (see  FIG. 54 ), mirror, diffraction grating. 
     Also in the article cleaning apparatus  1901  according to the twenty-seventh preferred embodiment, the same arrangements as those of the nineteenth to twenty-second and twenty-fourth preferred embodiments may be adopted. In this case, the same processing as that described with the nineteenth to twenty-second and twenty-fourth preferred embodiments is applied. That is, the substrate container  1602  or other container is immersed in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1002  and in parallel thereto, the soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1017 ,  1217 ,  1317 , or  1417  are irradiated onto the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1002  or the processing liquid present in the piping  1016 ,  1019 , or  1423 , the interior of which is in communication with the interior of the processing tank  1002 . 
     Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention were described above, the present invention may be implemented in other modes. 
     For example, although with the first to eighth, thirteenth, and fourteenth preferred embodiments, it was described that the electrode  56  (see  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 10A ,  FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 12 ,  FIG. 14 ,  FIG. 15A ,  FIG. 16 ,  FIG. 24 , and  FIG. 28 ) is provided at the respective tip portions of the nozzle pipings of the water nozzles  61 ,  202 ,  212 , and  531 , an arrangement where the electrode  56  is not provided at the nozzle piping is also possible. In this case, the power supply  57  (see  FIG. 3 ) is also omitted. 
     Also oppositely, the electrode  56  may be provided at the tip portion of the water nozzle  409  of the twelfth preferred embodiment and the respective tip portions of the cup nozzles  224  and  313  of the sixth and eleventh preferred embodiments and a voltage with respect to an apparatus ground may be arranged to be applied to the electrode  56  by the power supply  57  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     Also as indicated by alternate long and two short dashed lines in  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 18 ,  FIG. 22 ,  FIG. 24 ,  FIG. 14 , and  FIG. 20 , the liquid detection sensor (processing liquid detecting means)  101  may be disposed respectively at the water supplying pipings  204 ,  307 ,  410 , and  533  of the fourth, tenth, twelfth, and thirteenth preferred embodiments and the branch pipings  222  and  312  of the sixth and eleventh preferred embodiments. The liquid detection sensor  101  is a sensor arranged to detect the presence or non-presence of DIW at the predetermined water detection position  102  in the water supplying piping  204 ,  307 ,  410 , or  533  or the branch piping  222  or  312 . In this case, the water detection position  102  is set at the same position as or a position close to the opening (opening at which the soft X-rays are irradiated) formed in the water supplying piping  204 ,  307 ,  410 , or  533  or the branch piping  222  or  312 . Also in this case, processing equivalent to the processing of  FIG. 7  may be executed. 
     Also, the fibrous substance according to the third preferred embodiment may be provided respectively at the discharge ports  202 A,  216 ,  409 A, and  531 A of the water nozzles  202 ,  212 ,  409 , and  531  in the fourth, fifth, twelfth, and thirteenth preferred embodiments and at the discharge ports  224 A and  313 A of the cup nozzles  224  and  313  of the sixth and eleventh preferred embodiments. 
     Also, although with the sixth and eleventh preferred embodiments, static elimination of the cup  17  is achieved using the DIW from the nozzles  224  and  313  provided at the tips of the branch pipings  222  and  312 , such DIW from the nozzles  224  and  313  may also be used to perform static elimination of the second nozzle piping  232  (see  FIGS. 15A and 15B ). 
     Also, although with the sixth and eleventh preferred embodiments, it was described that the soft X-ray irradiating units  223  and  319  are disposed at the branch pipings  222  and  312 , the soft X-ray irradiating units  223  and  319  may instead be disposed respectively at the water supplying pipings  204  and  307 . 
     Also, although it was described that the water supplying units  230 ,  250 , and  600  according to the seventh, eighth, and fourteenth preferred embodiments adopt arrangements equivalent to the water supplying unit  100  according to the first preferred embodiment, these may instead adopt arrangements equivalent to the water supplying unit  200  (see  FIG. 1 ) according to the fourth preferred embodiment or the water supplying unit  220  according to the fifth preferred embodiment. 
     Also, although with the tenth to twelfth preferred embodiments, it was described that water from the water nozzle  302  is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W, the water supplying unit  100  (see  FIG. 1 ) according to the first to third preferred embodiments, the water supplying unit  200  (see  FIG. 11 ) according to the fourth preferred embodiment or the water supplying unit  220  according to the fifth preferred embodiment may be adopted in place of the water nozzle  302 . 
     Also, although with the tenth to twelfth preferred embodiments, the case where rinsing is applied to both surfaces of the substrate W, the rinsing processing may be applied to just the lower surface of the substrate W in the tenth to twelfth preferred embodiments. In this case, arrangements with which the water nozzle  302 , the water supplying piping  303 , and the water valve  304  are omitted from the respective arrangements shown in  FIG. 18 ,  FIG. 20 , and  FIG. 22  may be adopted. 
     Also, the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  according to the eleventh preferred embodiment may be disposed in the processing chamber  3  in each of the first to tenth and twelfth preferred embodiments. In this case, the soft X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating apparatus  314  may be arranged to be irradiated onto the cup upper portion  19 . 
     Also, although with each of the first to twelfth and fourteenth preferred embodiments, the case where DIW (example of water) is supplied to the processing object (the substrate W or the substrate container  602  or the second nozzle piping  232 ) from a single nozzle  61 ,  202 ,  212 ,  306 , or  409  was described as an example, DIW may be supplied from a plurality of nozzles instead. In this case, it is preferable for upstream ends of a plurality of water supplying pipings arranged to supply DIW to nozzles  61 ,  202 ,  212 ,  306 , or  409  to be connected to a collective water piping and the soft X-rays from a soft X-ray irradiating unit to be irradiated onto the DIW present in the collective water piping as in the water supplying unit  500  according to the thirteenth preferred embodiment. 
     Also with the first to fourteenth preferred embodiments, for example, a DLC (diamond-like carbon) coating film having hydrophilicity or a fluororesin coating film or hydrocarbon resin coating film, etc., having hydrophilicity may be used as the hydrophilic coating film  38  covering the outer surface  71 B of the window member  71 . 
     Also, the window member  71  may be formed using a polyimide resin. In this case, the window member  71  can be made to transmit the soft X-rays. Also, a polyimide resin is excellent in chemical stability and the window member  71  can thus be continued to be used over a long period. In this case, there is no need to cover the outer surface  71 B with the hydrophilic coating film  38 . 
     Also, although with the first to fourteenth preferred embodiments, DIW was cited as an example of water irradiated with soft X-rays and discharged from the discharge port, the water is not restricted to DIW and any of carbonated water, electrolytic ion water, hydrogen-dissolved water, ozone-dissolved water, or hydrochloric acid water of dilute concentration (for example, approximately 10 ppm to 100 ppm) may be adopted as the water. 
     Also, in the first to fourteenth preferred embodiments, a chemical solution (dilute chemical solution) may be adopted as the processing liquid irradiated with soft X-rays and discharged from the discharge port. In this case, hydrofluoric acid diluted to a predetermined concentration, BHF (buffered HF), APM (ammonia-hydrogen peroxide mixture), TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydroxide aqueous solution), ammonia water, HPM (hydrochloric acid/hydrogen peroxide mixture), etc., may be used as the chemical solution. 
     Further in the first to fourteenth preferred embodiments, in a processing of cleaning the front surface and the peripheral edge portion of the substrate W with a brush or scrubber while supplying the processing liquid, soft X-rays may be irradiated onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the first piping in parallel to the supplying of the processing liquid. 
     Also in the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiments, another coating film may be used as the water repellent coating film formed on the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  and covering the outer surface  735 B. 
     As the water repellent film, a DLC (diamond-like carbon) coating film  851  (coating film of diamond-like carbon) having water repellency may be adopted as shown in  FIG. 42 . The DLC coating film  851  contains minute hydrogen atoms (in terms of the ratio of the number of atoms, C:H=99:1 to 96:4). The film thickness of the DLC coating film  851  is not more than 10 μm and is especially preferably approximately 1 to 2 μm. 
     In each of the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiments, silicon (Si) ions are implanted by an ion implantation method, etc., in the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  and then carbon (C) ions are implanted by a sputtering method, etc., in the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735 . The outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  is thereby modified. A deposition film of DLC is then formed by a plasma CVD method, etc., on the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  and the DLC coating film  851  is formed thereby. The implantation of silicon (Si) ions, the implantation of carbon (C) ions, and the deposition of DLC are performed under a low temperature environment of room temperature to 150° C. 
     The DLC coating film  851  formed by such a method (plasma ion assist method) has water repellency. When the water repellent DLC coating film  851  is formed on the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735 , attachment of water droplets onto the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  can be prevented. Consequently, fogging of the irradiating window  735  can be suppressed or prevented. 
     Also, the DLC coating film  851  has a highly adhesive property even under a high temperature environment. Contamination of the irradiating window  735  by peeled DLC can thus be prevented reliably. 
     Further, the deposition of DLC is performed under a low temperature environment and therefore the temperature drop after deposition is low and stress is unlikely to remain in the DLC coating film  851 . A coating film that is unlikely to crack (is high in durability) can thereby be formed. 
     Also in the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiments, an amorphous fluororesin coating film  861  having water repellency may be adopted as the water repellent coating film as shown in  FIG. 43 . The amorphous fluororesin coating film  861  is formed of amorphous fluorine constituted, for example, of Cytop resin (trade name). The film thickness of the amorphous fluororesin coating film  861  is not more than 50 μm and is especially preferably approximately 5 to 10 μm. When the water repellent amorphous fluororesin coating film  861  is formed on the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735 , attachment of water droplets onto the outer surface  735 B of the irradiating window  735  can be prevented. Consequently, fogging of the irradiating window  735  can be suppressed or prevented. 
     Although the preferred embodiments of DLC and amorphous fluororesin as the coating film in the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiment were described, another material may be applied as the coating film as long as the coating film is of a material that readily transmits soft X-rays, has a heat resistance of approximately hundred and several dozen ° C., is excellent in adhesion to beryllium, has water resistance, has corrosion resistance against chemicals and chemical vapors, is low in elution of ions into pure water, and is unlikely to peel or crack. 
     Also, although with the eighteenth preferred embodiment, the arrangement having the shielding member provided integral to the soft X-ray irradiating head  841  was described, the shielding member may be provided individually of the irradiating head  841 . In this case, it may be mounted on an arm swingable within a horizontal plane above the spin chuck  704  and be provided to be movable above the spin chuck  704  by the swinging of the arm. 
     Also in the eighteenth preferred embodiment or in each of the preferred embodiments described above, the irradiation of X-rays from the soft X-ray irradiating head  706  or  841  or the X-ray irradiating unit  834  may be stopped when the shutter  721  is put in the open state. 
     Also, although with the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiments, it was described that the gas nozzle  727  discharges a gas of higher temperature than ordinary temperature, a gas of ordinary temperature may be discharged from the gas nozzle  727 . 
     Also, although in the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiments, the arrangement in which the sheet-shaped heater  744  is disposed as the heating member was adopted, an arrangement in which another heat source is provided as the heating member is also possible. Also, the arrangement is not restricted to being provided at the periphery of the opening  728  such as that of the lower wall  726 A of the cover  726  but may be provided at the irradiating window  735  instead. An arrangement provided at both the lower wall  726 A of the cover  726  and the irradiating window  735  is also possible. An arrangement in which the heater  744  or other heating member is not provided at the periphery of the irradiating window  735  is also possible. 
     Also although with each of the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiments, the arrangement in which the movable soft X-ray irradiating head  706  or  841  or the similarly movable X-ray irradiating unit  834  is provided as the X-ray irradiating means was described as an example, a fixed type X-ray irradiating means may be disposed facingly and fixedly above the substrate W held by the spin chuck  704 . In this case, arrangements must be made so that the soft X-rays irradiated from the fixed type X-ray irradiating means is irradiated across the entirety of the substrate W. 
     Also, although with the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiments, DIW was cited as an example of water irradiated with soft X-rays and, in parallel, supplied to the substrate W, the water is not restricted to DIW and any of carbonated water, electrolytic ion water, hydrogen-dissolved water, ozone-dissolved water, or hydrochloric acid water of dilute concentration (for example, approximately 10 ppm to 100 ppm) may be adopted as the water. 
     Also, although with each of the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiments, the case where the soft X-rays are irradiated onto the front surface of the substrate W in parallel to supplying of water for the rinsing processing was described as an example, the irradiation of soft X-rays may also be performed in parallel to the supplying of a chemical solution (dilute chemical solution). In this case, hydrofluoric acid diluted to a predetermined concentration, BHF (buffered HF), APM (ammonia-hydrogen peroxide mixture), TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydroxide aqueous solution), ammonia water, HPM (hydrochloric acid/hydrogen peroxide mixture), etc., may be used as the chemical solution. Further in the first to fourteenth preferred embodiments, in a processing of cleaning the front surface and the peripheral edge portion of the substrate W with a brush or scrubber while supplying the processing liquid, soft X-rays may be irradiated onto the processing liquid flowing through the interior of the first piping in parallel to the supplying of the processing liquid. 
     Also in the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiments, in a processing of cleaning the front surface and the peripheral edge portion of the substrate W with a brush or scrubber while supplying water, soft X-rays may be irradiated onto the front surface of the substrate W in parallel to the supplying of water. 
     Also, although with each of the fifteenth to eighteenth preferred embodiments, the case of performing processing on the substrate W having the oxide film formed on the front surface was described as an example, processing may be performed on a substrate W having a metal film (wiring film), such as a copper film or Ti (titanium) film, formed on the front surface. 
     With the nineteenth to twenty-fifth preferred embodiments, after the substrate immersion processing, all of the processing liquid inside the processing tank  1002  may be drained and a post-processing shower rinse may be performed on the substrates W from the processing liquid nozzle  1003 . In this case, contaminants that remain attached to the substrates W even after the immersion processing can be rinsed off and prevented from reattaching to the substrates W. 
     Also with the nineteenth to twenty-third preferred embodiments, a heater  25 , arranged to heat the processing liquid flowing through the circulation piping  1012 , may be interposed at an intermediate portion of the circulation piping  1012  (feedback piping  1019 ) of the circulating mechanism  1005  as indicated by broken lines in  FIG. 44 ,  FIG. 47 , and  FIG. 49 . 
     Also with the twentieth to twenty-third preferred embodiments, an arrangement where the circulating mechanism  1005  (see  FIG. 44 ) is not provided is possible. In this case, the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1002  or  1502  is not circulated and the processing liquid recovered in the outer tank  1008  is disposed or recovered. 
     Also with the twenty-fourth to twenty-seventh preferred embodiments, an arrangement provided with the circulating mechanism  1005  (see  FIG. 44 ) is possible. In this case, the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1502  is circulated and the processing liquid recovered in the outer tank  1008  is resupplied to the interior of the processing tank  1502 . 
     Also with the twenty-six and twenty-seventh preferred embodiments, in parallel to the immersion processing, a processing of cleaning the processing object immersed in the processing liquid by rubbing with a brush may be executed in parallel. 
     In the nineteenth and twenty-first to twenty-seventh preferred embodiments, the outer tank  1008  is not essential. In particular, the arrangement of the outer tank  1008  may be omitted if the processing liquid stored in the processing tank  1002  or  1502  is not circulated. 
     Also with the nineteenth to twenty-seventh preferred embodiments, for example, a DLC (diamond-like carbon) coating film having hydrophilicity or a fluororesin coating film or hydrocarbon resin coating film, etc., having hydrophilicity may be used as the hydrophilic coating film  1038  covering the outer surface  71 B of the window member  1071 . 
     Also, the window member  1071  may be formed using a polyimide resin. In this case, the window member  1071  can be made to transmit the soft X-rays. Also, a polyimide resin is excellent in chemical stability and the window member  1071  can thus be continued to be used over a long period. In this case, there is no need to cover the outer surface  71 B with the hydrophilic coating film  1038 . 
     Also with the twenty-third to twenty-seventh preferred embodiments, a voltage from a power supply  1557  may be applied to an electrode  1556  in accordance with the irradiation of soft X-rays by the soft X-ray irradiating unit  1562 . In this case, the electrode  1556  is preferably charged with positive charges. In this case, the electrons generated in the irradiated portion of the processing liquid by the irradiation of the soft X-rays are drawn toward the electrode  1556  by the positive charges at the electrode  1556  and move to the tip portion of the nozzle piping  1551  at which the electrode  1556  is disposed. That is, a large amount of electrons can be drawn toward the discharge port  1553  of the processing liquid nozzle  1561 . Movement of electrons toward the substrates W can thereby be promoted. 
     Also, although with the first to twenty-seventh preferred embodiments, the means irradiating “soft X-rays,” which are comparatively long in wavelength among X-rays, was used as the X-ray irradiating means, the X-rays are not restricted thereto and “hard X-rays” of comparatively short wavelength (0.001 nm to 0.1 nm) may also be used. In this case, it is preferable for the safety of a human body, such as that of an operator of the apparatus, to provide a shielding structure that shields the leakage of X-rays to the exterior of the apparatus, for example, by covering an operator side surface of the apparatus with a lead plate of suitable thickness, etc., or to take measures, such as prohibiting the entry of an operator to a periphery of the apparatus during X-ray irradiation. By use of the means that irradiates soft X-rays as in the respective preferred embodiments, the apparatus can be made compact and inexpensive and shielding with respect to a human body, etc., can be achieved comparatively easily in comparison to a means that irradiates hard X-rays. 
     Also, although as the substrate W, a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate for liquid crystal display was cited as an example in the description, besides these, examples of the substrate W include such substrates as substrates for plasma displays, substrates for FEDs (field emission displays), substrates for OLEDs (organic electroluminescence displays), substrates for optical disks, substrates for magnetic disks, substrates for magneto-optical disks, substrates for photomasks, ceramic substrates, substrates for solar cells. Also, SiC, quartz, sapphire, plastic, ceramic, etc., can be cited as examples of the material of the substrate besides silicon and glass. 
     While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely specific examples used to clarify the technical contents of the present invention, and the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to these specific examples, and the scope of the present invention shall be limited only by the appended claims. 
     The present application corresponds to Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-215293 filed on Sep. 27, 2012 in the Japan Patent Office, Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-215294 filed on Sep. 27, 2012 in the Japan Patent Office, Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-194293 filed on Sep. 19, 2013 in the Japan Patent Office, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-194294 filed on Sep. 19, 2013 in the Japan Patent Office, and the entire disclosures of these applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       1  substrate processing apparatus 
       4  spin chuck (substrate holding and rotating means) 
       6  integral head 
       6 A integral head 
       6 B integral head 
       17  cup (liquid receiver member) 
       25  soft X-ray generator (X-ray generator) 
       26  cover 
       27  gas nozzle (gas supplying means) 
       35  irradiating window 
       37  gas valve (gas supplying means) 
       38  hydrophilic film (coating film) 
       40  controller (X-ray irradiation control means) 
       51  first nozzle piping (processing liquid piping) 
       51 A first nozzle piping (processing liquid piping) 
       52  first opening (opening, X-ray irradiation position) 
       52 A third opening (opening, X-ray irradiation position) 
       53  discharge port 
       56  electrode 
       57  power supply 
       61  water nozzle (processing liquid nozzle) 
       62  soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means) 
       65  fiber bundle (fibrous substance) 
       71  window member 
       71 B outer wall (wall surface of the closed window at the side at which the processing liquid flows) 
       100  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       101  liquid detection sensor (processing liquid detecting means) 
       200  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       201  substrate processing apparatus 
       202 A discharge port 
       203  soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means) 
       204  water supplying piping (processing liquid piping) 
       211  substrate processing apparatus 
       216  discharge port 
       220  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       221  substrate processing apparatus 
       222  first branch piping (branch piping) 
       224 A discharge port (liquid receiver discharge port) 
       230  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       231  substrate processing apparatus 
       232  second nozzle piping (second piping) 
       250  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       251  substrate processing apparatus 
       260  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       261  substrate processing apparatus 
       262  second nozzle piping (second piping) 
       276  discharge port 
       300  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       301  substrate processing apparatus 
       306 A discharge port 
       307  water supplying piping (processing liquid piping) 
       309  soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means) 
       310  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       311  substrate processing apparatus 
       312  second branch piping (branch piping) 
       313 A discharge port (liquid receiver discharge port) 
       400  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       401  substrate processing apparatus 
       402  spin chuck (substrate holding and rotating means) 
       404  spin shaft (supporting member) 
       405  spin base (supporting member) 
       409 A discharge port 
       410  water supplying piping (processing liquid piping) 
       412  soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means) 
       500  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       501  substrate processing apparatus 
       504  roller conveying unit (substrate holding and conveying means) 
       531 A discharge port 
       533  water supplying piping (processing liquid piping) 
       534  soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means) 
       600  water supplying unit (processing liquid supplying apparatus) 
       602  substrate container (container) 
       701  substrate processing apparatus 
       704  spin chuck (substrate holding means) 
       705  water nozzle (water supplying means) 
       706  soft X-ray irradiating head (X-ray irradiating means) 
       714  water valve (water supplying means) 
       719  swinging drive mechanism (moving means) 
       720  raising and lowering drive mechanism (moving means) 
       725  X-ray generator 
       726  cover 
       727  gas nozzle (gas supplying means) 
       728  opening 
       735  irradiating window 
       737  gas valve (gas supplying means) 
       738  polyimide resin coating film 
       740  controller (control means) 
       744  heater (heating member) 
       820  substrate processing apparatus 
       821  water nozzle (water supplying means) 
       830  substrate processing apparatus 
       833  water nozzle (water supplying means) 
       834  soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means) 
       840  substrate processing apparatus 
       841  soft X-ray irradiating head (X-ray irradiating means) 
       842  shielding member (shielding plate portion) 
       851  DLC coating film (coating film of diamond-like carbon) 
       861  amorphous fluororesin coating film 
       1001  substrate processing apparatus (processing liquid processing apparatus) 
       1002  processing tank 
       1007  inner tank 
       1008  outer tank 
       1016  branch piping (processing liquid supplying piping) 
       1017  soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means) 
       1019  feedback piping (overflow piping) 
       1025  soft X-ray generator (X-ray generator) 
       1026  cover 
       1027  gas nozzle (gas supplying means) 
       1035  irradiating window 
       1037  gas valve (gas supplying means) 
       1038  hydrophilic coating film (coating film) 
       1052  opening 
       1071  window member 
       1071 B outer surface (wall surface) 
       1201  substrate processing apparatus (processing liquid processing apparatus) 
       1217  soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means) 
       1301  substrate processing apparatus (processing liquid processing apparatus) 
       1307  inner tank 
       1317  soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means) 
       1321  opening 
       1401  substrate processing apparatus (processing liquid processing apparatus) 
       1407  inner tank 
       1417  soft X-ray irradiating unit (X-ray irradiating means) 
       1421  opening 
       1423  piping 
       1602  substrate container (processing object) 
     C rotation axis 
     L lens 
     W substrate (processing object)