A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding stage to
hold a substrate having a surface facing up, the substrate having an
exposed and developed resist pattern over the surface, a rotation driving
mechanism to rotate the substrate holding stage around a vertical axis, a
solvent vapor discharge nozzle having a discharge hole capable of
discharging solvent vapor to swell the resist pattern onto the surface of
the substrate and a vacuum opening capable of absorbing the solvent vapor
discharged from the discharge hole, and a moving mechanism to move the
solvent vapor discharge nozzle from an edge to a center of the substrate.
The substrate is rotated around the vertical axis while moving the
solvent vapor discharge nozzle from the edge to the center of the
substrate, discharging the solvent vapor from the discharge hole, to
supply the solvent vapor over the substrate in a spiral manner.