Patent ID: 7007702

Claim:
A device for wet etching with a liquid a defined area of a first surface of a wafer-shaped article, the defined area being adjacent to a peripheral edge of the wafer-shaped article, the device comprising: holding means for holding the wafer-shaped article with the first surface facing, within the defined area, a surface of said holding means that is parallel to the first surface, said holding means comprising gas feed means for at least partial flushing of a gas from the first surface, and a gas guide in a periphery of said holding means; and said gas guide being arranged to be separated from the first surface by a gap and having a channel to divert most of the gas away from the defined area when the wafer-shaped article is being held by said holding means, said gap having a width that permits creation of a capillary force that causes the liquid to enter into said gap and to wet and etch the defined area of the first surface adjacent to the peripheral edge, wherein within the defined area, a surface of said gas guide facing the first surface is parallel to the first surface.