Patent ID: 8567339

Claim:
A liquid processing apparatus comprising: a substrate holder configured to rotate a substrate while the substrate is maintained horizontally; a processing liquid supplier configured to supply a processing liquid to a lower surface of the substrate while the substrate is in rotation; a surrounding member configured to receive the processing liquid dispersed from the substrate, the surrounding member surrounds the substrate held on the substrate holder and includes an absorbing discharge port; a processing case configured to accommodate the substrate holder, the processing liquid supplier and the surrounding member; a gas flow introducing part configured to introduce a gas flow into the processing case; and an upper plate configured to oppose an upper surface of the substrate held on the substrate holder, wherein the upper plate includes: an inert gas supplier positioned at an opposite side of a central portion of the substrate to supply a pressurized inert gas to a space formed between the substrate and the upper plate; and a gas supply port configured to introduce the gas flow introduced through the gas flow introducing part from an upper portion of the upper plate into inside the space by a negative pressure formed at the space between the substrate and the upper plate according to the pressurized inert gas from the inert gas supplier.