Patent attributes
A solvent removal apparatus and method is provided that can dry a coat on a workpiece in a uniform thickness. The solvent removal apparatus includes a support base for supporting a substrate provided with a liquid phase film-forming coat containing a film material and a solvent, a gas introduction mechanism for introducing a solvent removal gas toward a center part of the substrate, and a flow restrictor for restricting flow of the solvent removal gas in such a manner that the gas can flow radially outward from the center part of the substrate toward a peripheral edge part thereof. The solvent is removed from the coat while restricting the flow of the gas with the flow restrictor.