Patent ID: 7534307

Claim:
A method for processing a substrate, comprising: generating a fluid layer on a surface of the substrate, the fluid layer defining a fluid meniscus, the generating including, moving a head in proximity to the surface, the moving defining a gap between the surface of the substrate and a surface of the head; applying a fluid from the head to the surface while the head is in proximity to the surface of the substrate to define the fluid layer; and removing the fluid from the surface through the proximity head by a vacuum, the vacuum being adjusted based on a velocity of fluid flow in the gap between the surface of the substrate and the surface of the head, the adjusting of the vacuum ensuring that the fluid meniscus is controllably maintained between the surface of the head and the surface of the substrate; wherein the fluid travels along the fluid layer between the surface of the head and the surface of the substrate at a velocity that increases as the head is moved in closer proximity to the surface, and where the vacuum is increased as the velocity increases or decreased as the velocity decreases.