Patent ID: 8425686

Claim:
A liquid processing method using a liquid processing apparatus including a plurality of processing units, and a liquid supply device configured to supply a processing liquid to the plurality of processing units through a main pipe and a plurality of branch pipes each branched from the main pipe and connected to each of the plurality of processing units, the liquid processing method comprising: charging the main pipe from one end with a mixed liquid prepared by mixing a first liquid supplied from a first liquid supply pipe and a second liquid supplied from a second liquid source prior to performing a liquid processing for a substrate with the mixed liquid, where each of the plurality of branch pipes connected to a corresponding processing unit at one end is connected to the main pipe at the other end, wherein the charging step comprises: supplying the mixed liquid to one end of the main pipe while all of the plurality of valves provided for each of the plurality of branch pipes is closed and the main valve is opened; after the supplying of the mixed liquid to one end of the main pipe, supplying the mixed liquid to one end of the main pipe while the main valve is closed and at least one of the plurality of valves for the plurality of branch pipes is opened; and wherein each of the plurality of valves of the plurality of branch pipes is opened at least once during the supplying step, processing the substrate in each of the plurality of processing units using the mixed liquid provided from the main pipe to each of the plurality of processing units through a corresponding branch pipe; and continuously supplying the mixed liquid to the main pipe while closing the other end of the main pipe with a main valve while the liquid processing is performed for the substrate in each of the plurality of processing units so that the pressure of the mixed liquid at the main pipe is maintained with a substantially constant pressure.