Patent ID: 7275553

Claim:
A liquid processing apparatus for supplying a process liquid onto a substrate so as to carry out a liquid processing, comprising: a holder for holding a substrate in substantially a horizontal posture; a discharging nozzle for discharging a process liquid and a drying gas from a supply port in a discharge direction onto the substrate held by the holder; a process liquid supply mechanism connected to the discharging nozzle upstream from the supply port, for supplying the process liquid into the discharging nozzle; a drying gas supply mechanism connected to the discharging nozzle upstream from the supply port, for supplying the drying gas into the discharging nozzle; a process liquid sucking mechanism connected to the discharging nozzle upstream from the supply port, for sucking a remaining part of the process liquid inside the discharging nozzle after the process liquid has been discharged onto the substrate and before the drying gas is supplied, the process liquid sucking mechanism sucking the remaining part of the process liquid in a direction substantially opposite to the discharge direction; and a switching mechanism for switching process fluids such that one of the process liquid from the process liquid supply mechanism and the drying gas from the drying gas supply mechanism is supplied into the discharging nozzle, the switching mechanism being connected to the process liquid sucking mechanism.