US Patent 7418970 Substrate processing apparatus for drying substrate

A substrate processing apparatus includes a container in which a heating plate, a discharge nozzle for discharging a vapor of organic solvent, and a discharge nozzle for supplying a process gas and a cooling gas are provided. A pump in communication with an exhaust outlet of the container exhausts an atmosphere from the container to reduce pressure in the container. Therefore, the substrate processing apparatus is capable of performing (1) the process of drying a substrate in a reduced-pressure atmosphere by the use of the vapor of organic solvent, and (2) the process of drying the substrate in the reduced-pressure atmosphere by heating, to thereby efficiently dry the substrate.