Patent attributes
A drying gas is supplied into a drying chamber in a substantially horizontal direction, an obliquely downward direction descendent from the substantially horizontal direction, or a vertically downward direction under a state where a wafer is immersed in a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank. The wafer is moved from the cleaning tank into the drying chamber, with the drying gas being supplied into the drying chamber. At this time, the supply of the drying gas into the drying chamber is stopped, under a condition where a part of the wafer is immersed in the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank. After the movement of the wafer into the drying chamber has been finished, a drying gas is supplied into the drying chamber in an obliquely upward direction ascendant from the substantially horizontal direction or a vertically upward direction.
