Patent ID: 7714979

Claim:
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate retaining base configured to retain a substrate with a surface facing upward, wherein a resist pattern is formed on the surface that is subjected to an exposure process and a developing process; a nozzle configured to discharge a solvent vapor onto the surface of the substrate in order to swell the resist pattern; and a moving mechanism configured to move the substrate retaining base and the nozzle in parallel relative to each other, wherein the nozzle includes a nozzle head having a solvent vapor supply opening and a discharge opening that is communicated with the solvent vapor supply opening and that opens downward, the nozzle further including a pair of leakage preventing portions disposed at opposite positions across the nozzle head, wherein each of the leakage preventing portions has an opening via which at least the solvent vapor discharged out of the discharge opening can be sucked, and a communicating channel in communication with the opening of the leakage preventing portion, wherein a solvent vapor supply source and an inert gas supply source are switchably connected to the supply opening of the nozzle head via a first switching valve, and wherein an exhaust mechanism and a solvent-vapor-blocking gas supply source are switchably connected to the opening of each of the leakage preventing portions via a second switching valve.