Patent ID: 7111630

Claim:
A high pressure processing apparatus for subjecting a substrate to a predetermined process by using a high pressure fluid, comprising: a high pressure fluid supply section for converting a predetermined processing fluid into a high pressure fluid and supplying the high pressure fluid; a substrate processing section including a processing chamber to which a primary side conduit and a secondary side conduit are connected, for processing a substrate placed in the processing chamber by allowing the high pressure fluid to be in contact with the substrate, the high pressure fluid being supplied from the high pressure fluid supply section through the primary side conduit; a high pressure fluid recovery section connected to the processing chamber via a first valve disposed on the secondary side conduit, for, in order to recycle the high pressure fluid, recovering the high pressure fluid via the first valve after the high pressure fluid is used for processing the substrate in the substrate processing section; an atmosphere replacement fluid supply section for supplying an atmosphere replacement fluid into the processing chamber via the primary side conduit, the atmosphere replacement fluid being of a same composition as that of the high pressure fluid; and a discharge section comprising a conduit having a second valve disposed thereon for discharging a gas inside the processing chamber via the second valve, the conduit diverging from a part of the secondary side conduit, the part being in a position between processing chamber and the first valve, wherein during a period from when the processing chamber is closed after the placement of the substrate in the processing chamber to when the high pressure fluid begins to be supplied, in response to the supply of the atmosphere replacement fluid from the atmosphere replacement fluid supply section to the processing chamber via the primary side conduit, the gas inside the processing chamber being allowed to discharge through the secondary side conduit by the discharge section without flowing into the high pressure fluid recovery section, as a result of the first valve being closed and the second valve being opened.