PURPOSE: To prevent a substrate from being broken and damaged by suspending the substrate in air by means of warm air blown through a warm air delivery opening and drying the substrate by means of the warm air and the thermal radiation of a hot plate.

CONSTITUTION: Dried high pressure warm air generated by a hot air generator 22 is delivered through each of warm air delivery openings 19, 19.... A substrate 2 is held by jaws 15, 15 by operating a cylinder 10 of a transfer hook 6 to ON side so as to move both levers 13, 13 in closing directions through rods 12, 12. In this state the transfer hook 6 is moved downward and the substrate 2 is located inside of a guide 18. The substrate 2 is horizontally held in air by the warm air blown through the warm air delivery openings 19. Then, the levers 13 are opened to release the substrate 2 and the hook 6 is moved upward. The substrate 2 is dried by the warm air and the thermal radiation of a hot plate 1. Static electricity caused by the contact of the warm air with the substrate 2 is neutralized by an ionizer 25 installed above. When the substrate 2 has been dried, the hook 6 is moved downward and the substrate 2 is transferred.