PURPOSE: To prevent an ultrafine resist pattern having a large aspect ratio from falling down in a developing process.

CONSTITUTION: A developing solution 4 is supplied to a substrate holder 12 which is provided under heath with a vacuum suction mechanism and a rotary mechanism for a substrate 11, the latent image of a resist with which the surface of the substrate 11 has been coated is made to appear, a rinsing liquid 15 heated in advance is supplied to the surface of the resist while the substrate 11 is being heated by a heater 13 added to the substrate holder 12, the developing solution and a reaction product which remain on the surface of the substrate are removed, the substrate is dried, and ultrafine resist patterns are obtained. When the temperature of the solution is raised, its surface tension is reduced, the surface tension exerted on the resist pattern is reduced in a process in which the solution existing between the resist patterns is dried, and it is possible to prevent the patterns from falling down.