Patent ID: 7883840

Claim:
A developing method, comprising the steps of: a first developer supplying step of supplying a first developer onto a resist film provided on a semiconductor substrate, made of a resist and having an upper surface on which design patterns including a first opening region having an opening ratio of 20% or more and a second opening region having an opening ratio of 5% or less, the opening ratio being an opening area per unit area, have been exposed; a first developing step of causing a development reaction to proceed on the resist film with the supplied first developer; a first developer removing step of rotating the semiconductor substrate to fling off and remove the first developer and the resist dissolved in the first developer, after the first developing step; a second developer supplying step of supplying a second developer onto the resist film subjected to development, after the first developer removing step; a second developing step of causing a development reaction to proceed on the resist film with the supplied second developer; a rinsing step of supplying a rinsing solution onto the resist film subjected to development and rotating the semiconductor substrate to wash out the second developer and the resist dissolved in the second developer, after the second developing step; and a drying step of drying the semiconductor substrate, wherein: in the first developer supplying step, the first developer is supplied with the semiconductor substrate kept still, in the first developing step, the development reaction proceeds with the semiconductor substrate kept still, and the rotation speed of the semiconductor substrate in the first developer removing step is one third or less of the rotation speed of the semiconductor substrate in the rinsing step.