Patent ID: 8137478

Claim:
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: (a) a spin chuck configured to hold a substrate and rotate the same; (b) a process liquid supply system configured to supply a process liquid to an upper surface of the substrate held by the spin chuck; (c) a fluid supply system having a fluid nozzle configured to supply fluid to the upper surface of the substrate; (d) a nozzle moving mechanism configured to move radially outward the fluid nozzle relative to a rotational center of the substrate; and (e) a controller configured to control the spin chuck, the process liquid supply system, the fluid supply system, and the nozzle moving mechanism, to cause: supplying of the process liquid from the process liquid supply system to the upper surface of the substrate; thereafter, forming a liquid film by supplying a first fluid, that has a higher volatility than that of the process liquid, from the fluid nozzle to the whole upper surface of the substrate such that the first fluid mixes with the process liquid to form the liquid film; and thereafter, supplying a second fluid, that has a higher volatility than that of the process liquid, from the fluid nozzle to the upper surface of the substrate to the liquid film on the whole upper surface of the substrate, while rotating the substrate by the spin chuck and moving the fluid nozzle radially outward by the nozzle moving mechanism to flush away and remove the liquid film from the substrate.