Patent ID: 8316866

Claim:
A cleaning system for a semiconductor substrate, comprising: a support configured to support the semiconductor substrate; an activation solution; a fluid delivery system configured to deliver the activation solution to a surface of the semiconductor substrate; a solid phase cleaning element defined as a bar having a grain structure and an exposed surface that is disposed facing the support, the exposed surface having a component that softens relative to a remaining portion of the solid phase cleaning element when the exposed surface interfaces with the activation solution, and wherein the component that softens is ionized by the activation solution to provide negatively charged functional groups at the exposed surface; and a support structure for holding the solid phase cleaning element from a holding side that is opposite the exposed surface, the support structure having a gimbal interfaced with the holding side, wherein the exposed surface is defined to be disposed against the surface of the semiconductor substrate, the support structure providing for vertical force and lateral force to the solid phase cleaning element.