Patent ID: 7051743

Claim:
An apparatus for cleaning surfaces of objects comprising: an object holding structure configured to hold an object; a rotational drive mechanism connected to the object holding structure to rotate the object holding structure and the object; a fluid dispensing structure operatively coupled to said object holding structure, said fluid dispensing structure including at least one opening to dispense a cleaning fluid onto a surface of said object, said cleaning fluid forming a layer of said cleaning fluid on said surface; a gas nozzle structure operatively coupled to said object holding structure, said gas nozzle structure having a surface with a plurality of openings to eject streams of gaseous material onto different locations of said layer, wherein said fluid dispensing structure is positioned with respect to said gas nozzle structure such that said gas nozzle structure is situated between said fluid dispensing structure and said object; a mechanical arm connected to said gas nozzle structure, said mechanical arm being configured to move said gas nozzle structure laterally across said surface of said object; and a pressure controlling device operatively connected to said gas nozzle structure to control pressure of said streams of said gaseous material ejected from said openings of said gas nozzle structure, thereby affecting thickness of said layer at said different locations.