Patent ID: 8343284

Claim:
A film removing method of removing an unnecessary part, formed on a peripheral part of a substrate having a corner, of a film of a coating solution formed on the substrate by spouting a solvent on the peripheral part of the substrate, said film removing method comprising: a substrate mounting step of mounting the substrate on a support member with a first side surface of the substrate extended near an approach stage; and a film removing step of spouting a solvent toward the peripheral part of the substrate by a film removing unit and sucking a solution by the film removing unit while the film removing unit is being moved along a second side surface, continuous with the first side surface, of the substrate and the approach stage; wherein in the substrate mounting step, the substrate is supported on the support member such that the first side surface faces a flat approach part of the approach stage at the corner, where the first side surface and the second side surface of the substrate join, and a surface of the substrate is substantially flush with a surface of the flat approach part of the approach stage, and in the film removing step, a gas is spouted into a gap formed between a side surface, facing the substrate, of the flat approach part and the first side surface, corresponding to the corner, of the substrate along the first side surface toward a side of the second side surface from a spouting port of a gas spouting system opening in the side surface, facing the substrate, of the flat approach part so as to prevent a solution from flowing into the gap, at least while the film removing unit is moving past a position facing the gap.