Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

A substrate holding device for holding a substrate by attracting a back surface of the substrate to a lower surface of an attracting head, comprising:

• a ring-shaped substrate attracting portion for attracting by vacuum the back surface of the substrate, the substrate attracting portion being shaped and arranged to function as a seal for preventing intrusion of a processing liquid into an inside of a ring-shaped vacuum-attracted portion of the back surface of the substrate, the substrate attracting portion having a substrate attracting groove for attracting and holding the ring-shaped vacuum-attracted portion of the back surface of the substrate to the substrate attracting portion by the vacuum applied through the substrate attracting groove;
• and
• a pusher for pressing on the substrate attracted to the substrate attracting portion in a direction away from the attracting head, said substrate attracting portion and the pusher being mounted in a peripheral region of the lower surface of the attracting head;
• wherein the pusher is connected to a vacuum supply line so that the pusher is retracted into the attracting head due to a vacuum through the vacuum supply line, while the pusher is protruded from the attracting head by a supply of a gas to the vacuum supply line to press on the back surface of the substrate held in the attracting head.