Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

• a liquid agent holder having a continuous solid and planar upper surface;
• a liquid agent supply mechanism configured to supply a liquid agent onto the planar upper surface of said liquid agent holder to form a liquid agent film on the planar upper surface of said liquid agent holder;
• a holding mechanism configured to hold a substrate to be processed such that a surface to be processed of said substrate opposes the planar upper surface of said liquid agent holder;
• a first driving mechanism configured to move at least one of said liquid agent holder and said substrate to bring an end portion of the surface to be processed of said substrate into contact with said liquid agent film;
• and
• a second driving mechanism configured to move said substrate so as to gradually spread the contact from said end portion of the surface to be processed as a starting point, until the surface to be processed of said substrate entirely comes in contact with said liquid agent film.

A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

• a liquid agent holder having a planar upper surface;
• a liquid agent supply mechanism configured to supply a liquid agent onto the planar upper surface of said liquid agent holder to form a liquid agent film on said liquid agent holder;
• a holding mechanism configured to hold a substrate to be processed such that a surface to be processed of said substrate opposes said liquid agent film on the planar upper surface of said liquid agent holder;
• a first driving mechanism configured to curve the surface to be processed of said substrate into a shape of a projection and bringing an end portion of the projection of the surface to be processed into contact with said liquid agent film;
• and
• a second driving mechanism configured to cancel the curve of said substrate so as to gradually spread the contact from a contact point between the surface to be processed and said liquid agent as a starting point, until the surface to be processed of said substrate entirely comes in contact with said liquid agent film.