Patent ID: 7211145

Claim:
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a processing vessel having an interior space to be filled with a processing fluid; a substrate holding unit adapted to rotate about a rotational axis while holding a substrate; a motor that generates a driving force for rotating the substrate holding unit, the motor having a rotor; and circulation-passage-forming members defining at least one circulation passage configured to guide the processing fluid filling up the interior space of the processing vessel so that the processing fluid, having been fed toward the substrate and having left the substrate, passes through the circulation passage and is fed toward the substrate again; wherein the substrate holding unit and the rotor of the motor are accommodated in the interior space to be filled with the processing fluid; wherein the substrate holding unit includes a substrate holding part having a substrate holding member, and a shaft connected to the substrate holding part and extending along the rotational axis; and the circulation passage has a first passage portion and a second passage portion, the first passage portion extending through the shaft of the substrate holding unit and terminating in an outlet opening corresponding to a central part of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, and the second passage portion being formed around the shaft of the substrate holding unit; and wherein said apparatus further comprising; an impellor arranged on the shaft of the substrate holding unit to force the processing fluid to flow through the circulation passage when the shaft of the substrate holding unit is rotated by the motor.