Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method drying substrate by spraying gas

A substrate processing apparatus for spraying gas onto a substrate completely cleaned with deionized water for drying said substrate, comprising:

• a rotation element rotating said substrate substantially in a horizontal plane;
• a first gas discharge element for spraying an inert gas in substantially a single gas phase onto the surface of said substrate which is wet with said deionized water;
• a second gas discharge element for further spraying said inert gas in substantially a single gas phase onto the same region as the region previously sprayed with said gas by said first gas discharge element, said first gas discharge element and said second gas discharge element being arranged in such positions that respective flows of said inert gas from said first gas discharge element and said second gas discharge element do not interfere with each other;
• a moving control element for moving said first gas discharge element and said second gas discharge element so that arrival points of said inert gas discharged from the respective ones of said first gas discharge element and said second gas discharge element draw loci directed from a rotation center of said substrate rotated by said rotation element toward an edge;
• and
• a discharge control element for controlling discharge of said inert gas from said first gas discharge element and said second gas discharge element so that said second gas discharge element starts discharge of said inert gas while said first gas discharge element which has already started discharge of said inert gas is moved from said rotation center toward said edge, said discharge control element further controlling discharge of said inert gas from said first gas discharge element and said second gas discharge element so that a flow rate of said inert gas sprayed from said second gas discharge element onto said substrate is higher than a flow rate of said inert gas sprayed from said first gas discharge element.