Patent ID: 7967916

Claim:
A method for cleaning a substrate having a plurality of patterns formed thereon, comprising: providing a proximity head having a plurality of inputs and outputs, the proximity head having a head surface that is placed proximate to a surface of the substrate, using the proximity head, (a) applying a rinsing chemistry through a first set of the inputs to the substrate and removing the rinsing chemistry through a first set of the outputs to define a first region of a meniscus having a leading edge and a trailing edge; (b) applying surface tension reducing fluid through a second set of the inputs to the substrate and removing the surface tension reducing fluid through a second set of the outputs to define a second region of the meniscus, the surface tension reducing fluid of the second region of the meniscus being applied immediately along side the rinsing chemistry of the first region of the meniscus, such that the rinsing chemistry and the surface tension reducing fluid are removed at a fluid interface through the second set of outputs of the proximity head, the surface tension reducing fluid mixing with the rinsing chemistry to reduce surface tension in and around the plurality of patterns formed on the substrate; and (c) applying a nitrogen flow using a third set of inputs defined in the proximity head, the nitrogen flow being introduced immediately along side the surface tension reducing fluid at the trailing edge of the meniscus; wherein the substrate is moved under the proximity head in a direction that exposes regions of the substrate first to the leading edge defined by the first region of the meniscus, then to the second region of the meniscus having the surface tension reducing fluid and third to the nitrogen flow at the trailing edge of the meniscus, and wherein the meniscus is defined between the head surface of the proximity head and the surface of the substrate, such that the exposed regions of the substrate exiting the proximity head at the trailing edge are substantially dry upon leaving the region under the proximity head.