Patent ID: 7240679

Claim:
A substrate preparation system, comprising: a drying system, the drying system including a proximity head for drying a substrate, the drying system includes, the proximity head having a plurality of conduits for delivering a fluid to a surface of the substrate and a plurality of conduits for removing the fluid from the surface of the substrate, such that a fluid meniscus is capable of being defined and contained between a surface of the proximity head and the surface of the substrate, the surface of the proximity head having flat surface regions, wherein the plurality of conduits for delivering the fluid to the surface of the substrate and the plurality of conduits for removing the fluid from the surface of the substrate extend through the flat surface regions of the surface of the proximity head; facilities connections for providing facilities to the proximity head, the facilities providing the fluid; and an arm connected to the proximity head, the arm being configured so the proximity head is positioned in non-contact close proximity to the surface of the substrate, the substrate configured to be dried when the meniscus enabled by the facilities scans the surface of the substrate to ensure drying of the substrate.