Patent ID: 7891365

Claim:
A nozzle cleaning apparatus that cleans a nozzle for discharging a process liquid to a substrate, said apparatus comprising: a cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies a solvent as a cleaning liquid; a cleaning container accommodating the nozzle therein and defining therein a cleaning chamber, the cleaning container having a part thereof to be located around a tip of the nozzle accommodated in the cleaning container, the part of the cleaning container having an inner surface of a funnel-like shape; and a cleaning liquid supply path connected to the cleaning supply unit and having a supply port opening into the cleaning chamber, wherein the supply port has a center axis extending substantially horizontally, and an extension of the center axis of the supply port does not intersect with the nozzle accommodated in the cleaning container as viewed from the above, whereby the solvent flows along the inner surface of the funnel-like shape so as to form a vortex of the solvent whirling around the nozzle.