Patent ID: 8865396

Claim:
A developing method comprising a developing step in which, while a horizontally held substrate having a resist film formed thereon is being rotated, the substrate is developed by supplying a developer onto a surface of the substrate, wherein provided before the developing step is a pre-wetting step in which, simultaneously with the developer being supplied from a first nozzle that is located on a position near a central part of the surface of the rotating substrate having a resist film formed thereon, a second liquid is supplied from a second nozzle that is located on a position nearer to an outer peripheral part of the substrate than the first nozzle, to thereby spread out the developer in the rotating direction of the substrate by a wall that is formed by the second liquid flowing to the outer peripheral side of the substrate with the rotation of the substrate, wherein, in the pre-wetting step, the supply of the developer is initiated simultaneously with the supply of the second liquid, and wherein a surface tension value of the developer is larger than that of the second liquid.