Patent ID: 7186299

Claim:
A method for processing semiconductor wafers comprising: providing a first supply of drying fluid at a first rate of supply; providing a second supply of drying fluid at a second rate of supply, the second rate of supply of the second supply of drying fluid being independent of the first rate of supply of the first supply of drying fluid, the first supply of drying fluid at the first rate of supply being provided at the same time as the second supply of drying fluid at the second rate of supply; storing a supply of decontaminating fluid in a decontaminating fluid tank, the decontaminating fluid tank having an inlet for receiving the second supply of drying fluid, and having an outlet for supplying a combination of the second supply of drying fluid and the decontaminating fluid at a rate that is based on the second rate of supply of the second supply of drying fluid; simultaneously supplying the first supply of drying fluid and the combination of the second supply of drying fluid and the decontaminating fluid to a process chamber to decontaminate semiconductor wafers contained therein; and controlling a first ratio of drying fluid to decontaminating fluid in the process chamber by controlling the first rate of supply of the first supply of drying fluid and independently controlling the second rate of supply of the second supply of drying fluid so that the first ratio of drying fluid to decontaminating fluid in the process chamber is different than a second ratio of drying fluid to decontaminating fluid in the combination of the second supply of the drying fluid and the decontaminating fluid at the outlet of the fluid tank, to optimize the decontamination of the semiconductor wafers.