Patent ID: 8580046

Claim:
A method of treating a semiconductor wafer, comprising: a) contacting surface of the wafer with a solution of HF within a container such that oxide on the wafer surface is dissolved; b) transporting the wafer from the container and drying wafer surface portions no longer in contact with the solution to form dry surface portions of the wafer while other surface portions of the wafer are in contact with the solution, and treating only the dry surface portions of the wafer with a gas comprising ozone; and c) continuing to transport the wafer from the container, continuing drying of the wafer surface portions no longer in contact with the solution, and treating only the dry surface portions of the wafer with gas comprising ozone until the entire wafer is no longer in contact with the solution and all of its surface portions have been treated with gas comprising ozone, wherein the gas comprising ozone is spatially separated from the solution such that ozone does not contact the solution.