Substrate processing apparatus and method

A substrate processing method in which predetermined processing is performed by supplying a processing liquid to a substrate while rotating said substrate, said method comprising steps of:

• making at least three supporting members which are disposed upward to a rotary member abut on a bottom surface of said substrate at positions inward from an edge of said substrate to thereby support said substrate with a distance from said rotary member;
• pressing said substrate against said supporting members by supplying gas to a top surface of said substrate and accordingly makes said rotary member hold said substrate;
• rotating said rotary member about a vertical axis to thereby rotate said substrate;
• and
• controlling a press-holding condition to cause a friction force developing between the bottom surface of said substrate and said supporting members to be greater than a centrifugal force acting upon said substrate, the friction force being increased by increasing a flow rate of gas supplied to the top surface of said substrate, the centrifugal force being increased by increasing a speed of rotation of said rotary member.

A substrate processing apparatus which performs predetermined processing by supplying a processing liquid to a substrate while rotating said substrate, comprising:

• a rotary member which is structured to rotate freely about a vertical axis;
• a rotating element which rotates said rotary member;
• a support element which is disposed upward to said rotary member and which comprises at least three supporting members which abut on a bottom surface of said substrate to thereby support said substrate with a distance from said rotary member;
• a pressing element which presses said substrate against said supporting members by supplying gas to a top surface of said substrate and accordingly makes said rotary member hold said substrate;
• a bottom-side processing liquid supplier which supplies said processing liquid toward the bottom surface of said substrate which rotates as it is pressed against said supporting members, wherein
• said pressing element supplies gas to a non-processing area which is on an inner side relative to a top processing area which is processed with said processing liquid supplied by said bottom-side processing liquid supplier to the bottom surface of said substrate and circling over the rim portion of the top surface of said substrate,
• said supporting members abut on the bottom surface of said substrate corresponding to said non-processing area and accordingly support said substrate, and
• said pressing element is arranged to control a press-holding condition in which said substrate is rotated while being maintained pressed against said supporting members without slipping on said supporting members.